Tillie I ordered three cases of kitty food and a large cat litter from Chewy for delivery to mom. I can neither confirm nor deny that there were a few cat toys included. Thank you for the advice. This will put both my and mom's minds at ease as we head into a very infectious period.

I have to hop into the shower now. I had a meeting at 11 that I didn't remember and had to attend sans camera. My 3PM will need me to be present.

I'll pop a few meat and spinach pies into the oven so they will be toasty for me

Yes I hate amazon but this lap desk is amazing. So productive. And I'm sharing a blanket with my very best friend.

I had a really good day today. I got up early and took our friend to the airport. She was able to maneuver her cat into the carrier with no problem and she and kitty have arrived at their destination.

Then I went out to the suburbs to stock up on some Lebanese food for BF and me. We've been getting a lot of sandwiches lately and I needed something more. Then I came home, enjoyed some freshly made chicken and rice, then I went to visit mom. I had done her groceries last night so I came empty handed. I got to see that cute little sister of mine. I wore my mask the entire time and sat in a chair that I pulled far away from mom. I picked up her nightgowns and actually have washed them. They are hanging up dry now. I also took her duvet cover for a refresh. I ordered her a new comforter this year because the old one has been through a lot. The new one should be here soon. We prefer the down alternative. (After years of preferring down)

Truthfully, after I ate, I put in my pjs and climbed into bed. But I felt guilty for not seeing mom and there were only 45 minutes left in my window to sneak in. So I got dressed and ran up. It was a very pleasant visit.

Last night, I bought her a 20-pack of TP. Going to keep her stocked up. I don't know why I feel that I am the only one taking the threat and increase of cars seriously. It's probably just my stress talking. Im sure there are a lot of people heeding the warnings.

Tillie, chewy had exactly what I need to keep mom's kitty in food. Thank you!

Then I slept. And it was a great sleep. And now I'm going to make myself some cocoa or maybe some peppermint tea and you back to sleep.

Tillie I hope you are feeling okay. I worry so.

Good Morning

Hi Subclinical
WTG! for all that canning you are still doing!!!
YEA! for dish washer!

Have a wonderful day with your Bean :D


Hi Tatoulia
When the store hoarding first started I could not find my cat's regular cereal so I went to chewy .com and got it.

WTG! for all the walking/running around exercise you have been getting!

I know, I know (((HUG))) being woken up by demands is a most terrible way to start the day.

Saw a cartoon stating the Raccoon is the corona mascot.
He always wears a mask and excessively washes his hands.
Rearrange Racoon and it spells corona. 🦝

YEA! for earmuffs! I remember last year you seemed to lose them and gloves often.

Hope you find a decent electrician who wants a little extra work. ;)

Wow SubC you did a lot today! WTG for the canning and running the dishwasher! And I'm excited for the bean!

I did mom's groceries and dropped them off. I bought her a 20 pack of TP, trying to cut down in the wear and tear on me. That should see her through the end of the year. The cat food choices were pretty poor so I'll have to go get more for her. But enough to keep her little friend fed.

Yes it was good having validation from people who know and love my mother. Both my friend today and the woman at mom's were very sweet and very helpful. And they know I love my mom.

I will find a way to get mom to repay me. I'll think about how to do it.

I hate Amazon so much for its terrible impact on the environment so I don't want to order cat food from them. But if I need to, I'll have some sent to mom's. I just think they are a pretty crummy company.

The chandeliers are now in my house. Yes what a great choice I made.

Okay I just put a load of laundry in and I'll go out it in the dryer in about 40 minutes. SubC have you been able to adjust any better to your washer and dryer?

Tatoulia, I'm glad your day got better. I hate that overwhelmed feeling.

I'm also glad you have someone to validate your experiences with your mom. I am concerned that you don't feel like you can spend her money on her needs though.

Score on the earmuffs!

My parents have a setting on their phone that takes it straight to the answering machine without ringing. They set it at night and turn it off in the morning. I wonder if you could do something like that?

Tillie, keep staying home!

Today I cut up a bazillion tomatoes. I have a big batch of pickles brining overnight, and lots of cut up red tomatoes to cook with or to make into sauce and can on Tuesday. All the rest of the not-green-but-not-ripe (and also not rotten) tomatoes fit in my big roasting pan.

I canned eleven and a half pints of jam today with strawberries I had stashed in the freezer. (Dd asked if she can store milk in my chest freezer for Bean - especially since I will hopefully be keeping him more.)

We are still picking up Bean tomorrow. Dh will take turns with him while I can the pickles, but I will try to use his nap time.

I ran the dishwasher twice today but I am still behind because of the canning dishes.

We had a beautiful fall day. I got my packages mailed off, picked up lunch for BF, had enough time to run back here then met up with my friend. Our two hours of walking was lovely. And therapeutic. I've been home since about 3:15. I've had a cup of coffee and I've been puttering. I feel a lot better.

I cannot start my day with someone calling me and needing stuff. Every weekend is the same. I need to put this to an end. It sets a tone I cannot otherwise avoid.

Tillie the infection is everywhere and the numbers are terrifying. Boston is not faring well at all. I am terrified. I continue to do all that I'm supposed to do and then some. And I'm happy to do it. None of it feels difficult to me.

Growing up and well into my 30s, I had a hand washing problem. Grad school was the worst. My hands would be cracked and bleeding year round. I once counted and one morning, before work, I had washed my hands 29 times. I'm much better now and now that I'm back to having a clean house, I can cut back on the insanity. But I still wash frequently and thoroughly. At work (I miss having a workplace), I would always wash my hands before and after going to the bathroom. So I'm lucky that hygiene cones naturally.

My friend today may be able to find an electrician for me if my friend's husband declines. I get it; they both have great jobs snd he doesn't need to rely on side jobs any more. But I'm still hoping.

Well I will go see BF now. I cannot believe it but I walked into a store today and found earmuffs. I bought two pair to keep me well stocked for the winter. I didn't buy gloves because I should have enough leftover from last year. I'll take the inventory soon. But I remember that I gave away some of my earmuffs last year. I go through a lot of gloves abs other winter gear. I am hard on it.

Good Afternoon Everybody

Hi Subclinical
Wishing you all the best of luck dodging the virus (((HUG)))

Happy you will be seeing and have seen Bean.

Good luck getting all your weekend plans done. :)

Hi Tatoulia
Good luck getting all your plans accomplished. :D
Sorry you are being overwhelmed (((HUG)))


Positive case numbers in my county are going up every day with more people being hospitalized.
Staying home.

I am overwhelmed. I made a real mistake having plans both today and tomorrow. I am so overwhelmed.

My mother woke me up today about her dry cleaning. Then when I told her I was asleep, she started telling me other things she needs. And I told her, I'm asleep. Well I took the dry cleaning over.

I am meeting a friend for a walk and she is so kind and so accommodating to the point that I'm feeling smothered. And I'm smothered because I have to get up extra early due to taking the student to the airport tomorrow. But really it's the stress my mother puts on me. It's all stress. And im hemorrhaging money for my mother. I am paying for everything but i don't trust her so I can't get repaid. The woman at my mother's today offered to help me and she sees my mother going downhill mentally so that's good. I need reinforcements.

I am not holding up well. To think that I allowed myself to run out of cat food. He didn't get here til after midnight.
, which was fine for me but terrible for him. Of course BF is always kind so there's nothing to worry about. He doesn't do things with resentment.

Okay why don't I shred a few papers while waiting for my friend.

I can picture your bundled up bean, SubC. What a delight to imagine!

Oh my. So much going on!

Tatoulua, I'm crossing my fingers for your lights.

CM, I'm glad you keep finding positive things like the computer improvement.

Also hoping for Tillie's continued improvement!

My school will have one more week of in person instruction. Even that may be a mistake, but we are doing our very best and pushing our luck as hard as we can. The rate of increase in cases here is appalling and we have had multiple students out waiting for exposed parents to get test results. As my director pointed out, all we need is one false negative to have an asymptomatic spreader wandering the building. She thinks it's only a matter of time.

We will have a week of thanksgiving break, followed by online instruction for three weeks, two weeks of winter break, and a fourth week of online instruction. Then we will return January 12 if our state is meeting the metrics (which I think translates to "it's possible we could be back in the classroom in February" - after the surge from family gatherings at Christmas has a chance to die down)

Dd had a problem with her furnace on Thursday and called Dh for help. She decided that exposure to one of us = exposure to both of us, so I was able to go over after school with my mask on and hold my bundled up Bean while his daddy and Papa figured out how to make his house warm again and his mommy finished her work day and made us some dinner - which we ate on the porch in coats - the warm weather is over here.

They won't see dsil's mom this weekend, and have asked me to keep Bean at my house on Sunday and Monday (not overnight) so they can catch up on some things. Hopefully that won't fall through.

So, my weekend will be mostly planning and prep to move online and spending time with Bean. I'll update when I can.

Grateful for your update, CM, and I continue to send warm wishes to your roommate! Cm you are doing amazingly well! You are setting a very good example for me!

Tillie, I am grateful you could get the dishes done. I'm running my dishwasher right now. I went to sleep right after work and guess what? I am out of kitty food! I gave her some snacks and some dry but we know what she wants. Bf says he'll head over here for me. I never left the house today. And I am out of everything. The two of us will go grocery shopping tomorrow night.

I'm still keeping my fingers crossed that my friend's husband will do the electrical work for me. I'll bring the chandeliers into the house tomorrow.

My lap desk makes a big difference in my productivity. Such a cheap little thing and it helps me so much.

I have errands to run tomorrow including going to the post office. I have my friend's package to mail and some little Thanksgiving activities for my girlfriend's children. (The ones I went to the museum with earlier this week). I figure they like to get mail.

Okay I need to get things to goodwill. That's a Sunday project. Sunday I have to take a student to the airport. Normally I don't take them to the airport but she's special and she is taking her cat with her. She's a very nice girl and a bit of a nervous wreck: kindred spirit.

Okay I'm going to bed as soon as the cat food is dropped off. See you all tomorrow!

Good Late Afternoon Everyone

Thank you for the update CriticalMass.
Kitty snuggles are the best medicine.
Scooter has been snuggling with me a lot.

A cane also helps with managing balance to keep you from teetering.



Got all the dishes washed today, weren't all that many.

Tiny drive by update

Roommate got home yesterday. She's still pretty under the weather. Had a lot of nausea so eating is tentative but very gradually improving. She was able to cut the pain pill in half today to start weaning off them. I had gotten her a cane yesterday at her request. They are so good to have when one is trying to get up from bed or chair because it gives a point of stability and takes some of the strain off the back and abs.

Animals and I survived - kitties seemed pretty disconcerted the last 3 days. They like me but I'm "NOT THE MOMMA!" as that little dinosaur kid on the TV show used to say. They were glad she returned and have been snuggly with her.

We're just coasting. I have a newsletter to do for the bunny club. It's so much easier now that I don't have to fight the computer every step of the way. Roommate is still sensitive to noises as a light sleeper so I'm trying to be quiet as a churchmouse.

My home clutter has fluffed a bit because I was using the sofa as my ops base then I had to cart unfinished stuff into my bedroom. Trying to go through magazines and papers when I get spare moments.

Tatoulia, I'm sorry that repair guy was hitting on you and being so annoying! I would give him a low star rating for that behavior. Totally unprofessional.

Good Evening Everyone

Because the B is next to the N and the S is next to the D.
My fingers do that too, hit the letter beside the one I intended.

WTG! getting bags to the car and litter box cleaned! :D

So sorry to learn that sad news about your Friend in Missouri (((HUG)))

That would be so nice to have over night guest for a while.

We are proud of you too for working on your home and keeping it clean and tidy :D


Managed to take a shower this afternoon.

Okay I would love to know why when I type and my phone changes it to abs. Sorry!


I took the photos of the light fixtures abs am keeping my fingers crossed that my friend's husband decides to make a little money before Christmas. I also took up a big bag of donations to my car. My trash is out and Miss Kitty has a clean box. What a difference using the liners. Both of our lives are much more pleasant.

I heard from a 97 year old that I write to. COVID19 has hit her facility and her fellow residents and several of the staff members including the cleaning lady are infected. I feel so sorry for her. She is worried sick for them and scared for her own health. She lives in Missouri.

I got my bedroom completely pulled together before my ladies arrived. Boy they are fabulous. They brought me lunch abs may I say, not a moment too soon. There's enough for tomorrow, too, so I'm particularly excited.

We went through the holiday schedule as I want to make sure they come the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and I need them to come Monday or Tuesday before Christmas. My friend who is moving back home to Japan is staying here on the 23d. I was hoping to convince her to stay through Christmas. In truth, I was hoping she would stay here for two weeks. But she will have a rental car that she'll need to return and she flies out of NYC to Tokyo on the 27th. I've done that flight. I much prefer leaving Boston and going through Toronto. That's a nice flight. She doesn't work and lives alone and I'm not nervous about having her here. I know she likes to share a bed but one of us will get my bed and the other one will be on the foldout. I have no preference. I will have to purchase a comforter for the small bed. The nice thing about that is that once I use it, I can donate it as almost new. Pretty sweet.

I'm proud of the fact I got some household things out. What a relief. I'm also proud that I'm focusing on my house. I'll have to see when the painter wants to do my kitchen. I get paid a week from tomorrow so I can't have him in before then.

They are on their way! Then I'll run up to garage abs take pictures of light fixtures. My coworker's husband is an electrician and although he doesn't take many side jobs anymore, he did ask for picture of my ceiling abs pictures if my light fixtures. All a very good sign. My coworker used my cleaners on occasion for her mother. I do hope her husband says yes. I'm prepared to pay a lot, I just need someone decent. He works for one of the hospitals do I can't just hire his company. I had no idea he was an electrician. I knew he had a good job but not beyond that.

My bedroom is all picked up.

Good Morning

YEA! Tatoulia!
WTG! doing PUPA!
Happy you still like your chandeliers in person.
Hope all goes well for your Friend and her Cat on their trip.
So sweet of you to be there to help her.
Have a great cleaning Lady day. :D


Hi CriticalMass

Hi Subclinical

Ok I'm ready for another great day.

Plan during work breaks: completely fix bedroom. There's an odd sock here, odd coin there. Get it fine for cleaning lady and myself. Minimum effort. Maximum greatness.

Congratulations SubC! What a beautiful day. Amazing tough work and I bet you are so proud of your students. I hope you are proud of yourself, too. Tillie I am sorry about your pain.

I had a good day. I got my chandeliers and they are fabulous. They are in the trunk of BF's car. I'll bring them here after cleaners come tmr. I went to the museum of fine arts with my friend and her kids and it was lovely being with them and having their perspective. Very little of the museum is open right now. A co worker saw me as I left so it was great to see him! I ended up taking BF's car to the museum because it's so humid out there today. After I got home I met up with a student who needs help getting her cat into the carrier for a trip on Sunday. This was a practice run. I walked in, picked up the cat, put her in the carrier. So hopefully it will go well on Sunday when I take the two of them to the airport. On my way to her house, there was a girl who went into BF's shop because a man was following her. So I walked her home. Then on my way back from the cat rehearsal, I saw one of our neighbors so I walked with her. She is all alone right now. Her son died last year and her granddaughters aren't helping her at all. She raised half the neighborhood and her granddaughter's daughter and she's alone. She mentioned how she loves my postcards. So we walked slowly back home together and it was nice.
I came home, showered, and then unfortunately did nothing.

I did get my recycling out. But I haven't taken my bags to the car and I haven't gotten any more of them together.

Due to Veterans Day, the cleaners asked to come tomorrow.

I need to just start. Hellooo badgers.

What a wonderful day you had Subclinical! :D

Fantastic topics of discussion and great results too with them coming together even with differences.

It is hard at times not to over indulge or over demand.
Sometimes we think we are doing it right but always second guessing ourselves.
The results lay in the child's response (((HUG)))

That's so nice and telling that your room is the chosen morning hang out place. :D


I have been laying down, doing nothing.
yadda yadda yadda pain.

Good evening.

I had a really good day at school today. I needed it, it has been a while!

Simplification/obscuring of details:
There is a group of teens that I like who gave started making my room their early morning/pre first bell hang out space. They include me in their discussion, and I clearly connected/got through to a couple of them on some behavioral points today and they responded with respect, which made me feel really good.

That carried over into first period, where I was able to engineer constructive discussion on some controversial (class related) issues and watch kids with diverse viewpoints come to agreement on some practical approaches. (What, if not why).

Heart grandson had a rough behavior day, but successful academics and I think I handled the situation pretty well. I walk a fine line between overindulging and over demanding because I don't want to overindulge.....

Third period was very calm and laid back with mostly independent art work and I got some administrative stuff done.

I actually had time to take a break during my planning period.

And in my last class, there was a lot of creative and cooperative problem solving and good observation and analysis, along with pro-social peer pressure.

How was everyone else's day?

Good Morning Everyone
🦡🦡🦡🦡🦡
Here are some Badgers who all have volunteered should they be needed.

Hi Subclinical
Heartbreaking about the Grandfather.
This virus is so cruel in so many ways ((((HUG))))

I think now more than ever we must practice isolating and cleaning things.
There have been way too many protest groups and political rallies and people not wearing masks or even believing in the virus.
Too many people like Steven who rant and rage against all the state/county mandates and are allowed to get away with breaking the rules.

I really hope the school makes the right decisions for the health and safety of students and staff.


Hi Tatoulia
I am outraged by the way that plumber treated you and your home!!!
This is exactly why I don't have people in my house except for my few friends.
After Stevens leg blood clot surgery there was an occupational therapist sent here.
From the get-go I hated her because she was intrusive/touchy into everything and constantly making stupid and offensive comments about my things.

Have a most wonderful time at the museum :D

OK...
what area/areas of your home are bugging you the most?
A closet, cupboard, drawer etc. ??
Does a room feel too full/cluttered to you?
Focus in on one area, not the whole place.
Good luck :D

Tatoulia, I am so sorry that happened to you!

I would have lost it. I probably would gave thrown him out and been left with my pipes open and my water off.

You can have the badger if you want, but you are doing a lot.

I am making it through another week. 103 more days of school. Our director meets with our board this week to make a decision about moving to online instruction. I'm pretty sure we will be online for the three weeks between thanksgiving break and Winter break, but I don't know how much else. The teacher survey basically came back "in the absence of community spread in the building, we want to teach in our classrooms."

But then, if you wait until you have a case of community spread, it has the potential to be really bad.

The additional kids who got tested were all negative. The boy who was sick can get retested and come back next week if he's negative. They took his grandfather off life support yesterday.

How do you live with that? As a parent I'd be telling my kids "it's not your fault." And not telling them but hearing every second of every day "it's my fault. I made the decisions. I caused this."

My state had over 6,000 cases yesterday. My county is in the 40/100,000 range. Hospitalization are climbing so steeply the graph is starting to look asymptotic.

Dh has decided not to go to physical therapy for awhile.

Everybody is excited about the vaccine, but from what I'm seeing, best case, vaccination won't be widely available until April. A year of this. We're just over the halfway mark and so far, not only do we suck at this, we're getting worse at it.

Hey everyone!

I hope you all had a good day! Or even good enough. I am about to go to bed. I'll get up early tomorrow so I can get to the reuse center and get my lights. My museum tickets let me in between 1 & 2 (meaning that's when we have to enter, we can stay til close) and it will take me at least half an hour to walk there. I will coordinate with my friends and meet them out front.

I'm going to need to badger. I'm doing miserably on reducing. I am desperate for fewer things.

This guy acted like my house was his house. He went into the kitchen and I said, what do you need, and he said, I just need to find the light switch FOR WHAT and he starts looking for Tupperware and I tell him I don't have any.

He did a good job but having to remind him on mask and getting way too familiar with my house and of course he did the obligatory trying to go on a date with me.

I had to completely wipe down bathroom (as expected) and kitchen (not expected) and at one point he told me he put one of my hallway lamps into my bedroom. Why didn't he ask me? I would've done that. And then when I went into the bedroom, I learned he walked ALL THE WAY in and put the lamp on the floor by my window. He also took the shade off. WTF. So now my bedroom has cooties too.

I had taken out my towels, etc and had put in paper towels. I threw out the paper towel roll and my TP roll. The guy was coughing and coughing.

I had mistakenly left my bathrobe in the bathroom so that is in the wash now. I also ran my dishes and kitty's dishes.

He went into my bedroom. Who does that? I could tell early in he was looking to date me and I was pretty disgusted. I shot him down: you must wear a mask. My sweetheart and I have lost 12 people to COVID-19. Younger than you.

Super pricey, too. $481.60. As my BF said, so you're back to using companies (vs local one man shops). Yes. I've been spoiled with the people who BF sends. They wouldn't dream of looking for a date.

The plumber is still here and I want him to leave. He's actually doing a good job and is dealing with problems as they come up but he's a smoker and coughing all over the place. I'm going to have to burn my bathroom to the ground.

My food choices have been particularly abysmal SubC. I ate way too much ice cream. I've now resisted for two days and I'll celebrate that, as small as it is.

I am walking more and feeling happier. I'm also not as tired. Due to walking and eating better, no doubt.

My plumber comes in a few minutes. Big relief off of my shoulders. I pick up the lights tomorrow and then I'll hire an electrician. I need to be a person of action. All of BF's stable of tradespeople have retired so I'm back to paying retail. That's okay. I'm good with it.

Tillie, when you mentioned being in your nightgowns I had the same thought as SubC, so cozy! I'm sorry your stomach has been needing quieting. I've been having painful heartburn thanks to eating way to much ice cream and other sweets. Well, I haven't had it for two days so I guess not overeating is the best thing I can do for myself.

Thank you for reminding me about my keys! So dirty! Thank you!

I own too much stuff. Let me deal with that today. It shouldn't be this hard to put things away. Kitchen I can keep nice but the rest of it is out of hand. I need to channel my inner CM and get to work. But first, let me have a good day at my actual work.

Hi all!

So much going on here!

Tatoulua, you gave a good plan to just enjoy your mom and the good moments.

I'm glad you are getting new lights. I love any store that encourages reuse!

I agree to send out the postcards. Mail has been so crazy my mom's Halloween cards all got mailed the same sag and delivered over two weeks! I already sent her her Christmas present.

CM, I hope things go well today.

Tillie, you sounded cozy. I hope you got something good to eat.

I've been eating too much/making bad choices lately because I have gained the weight I lost back.

The resting helped, but I think I need many more days of it. Two weeks to thanksgiving break.... and no news yet on the online plans.

Yesterday I prepped ice cream to freeze today and made a goat cheese cheesecake for the first time (I like it, Dh says it isn't sweet or fatty enough) egg production has dropped, so baking and ice cream are about to slow down.

I also worked on the tomatoes and am down to one bushel and no rotting. I have a small batch of sauce to can this morning.

DD's mil has chemo and radiation the next 5 months. They think she may have a couple of years, so I guess that is good news.

Back to the four day run....

We cross posted :D

WAY TO GO!!!
You did fantastic getting things all done and ready for tomorrow. :D

Hi Tatoulia
It is close enough to thanksgiving that you can mail them out any time now.
Things like the cards are especially important this covid year.
We all need a little sunshine of happiness.

WAY TO GO! for all you got done today!!!
What is your "go to" motivation music?
Mine is Bob Marley "legend"
Rolling Stones "Flowers"
The Who "Who's Next"
The Police "Synchronicity"

Wiping down frequently touched things is great.
Don't forget your keys and car fob too.
Too many people never wash their keys, the one dirtiest thing that most everybody has.

Sounds like you are doing everything possible to keep yourself safe.
Hope the cooler weather helps wearing the mask less stifling.


I just took a shower & washed my hair.
Have a long flannel nightgown on.
Thinking about if I want to eat and what I would eat.
Been eating buttered saltines the last few days cause I wanted to and they settle my stomach.

Okay, garbage and recycling out. Cat box changed. I've cleaned my kitchen. In the AM I just need to move everything out from under my cabinet in the bathroom and put down cardboard for the plumber. I also need to put out the liquid hand soap and paper towels.

Kitchen cleaned and wiped down. Will finish wrapping and packaging my friend's birthday gift. She had admired a vintage piece I wore to our company holiday party last year and repeatedly asked me to give it to her. I can do it this year. I wore it a lot last year. I'll miss it but it's okay. She really loved it. She lives in PA. I have a few more things in her birthday box and I'll send her flowers in her actual day. She's turning 50. And she was a widow at 45. So I like to send her flowers on important occasions.

I'll put a few more things away and go to bed.

Do all that you can to stay safe, Tillie. I am vigilant at all times. I wash my mask frequently, I wash any clothes worn outside, and I wipe down my doorknobs and my alarm pad frequently. I set my alarm each and every time I go out, and I also set it before I go to bed. So it is something I touch every time I return to my house. I have to keep it wiped down.

I am working on shredding tonight and then I have to take my garbage out.

Tillie, I was wrong about the price. $45 each?I even made her go back and check since I had remembered them as being $49. Pretty nice. I hope I like them as much in person as I think I will. She said this homeowner brought a lot of light fixtures and that if I want to come in and take a look around, I can. Otherwise they will bring into car for me.

I am amazed at my good focus today. I even had an hour and a half where I was doing volunteer work and still I got so much done today. I'm pleased as punch.

So now to put the music back on and continue with my clean up.

My Thanksgiving postcards are done. Part of me thinks I should mail them this week. Some of my recipients like to put them on their doors for the other residents of their assisted living facilities to enjoy. Thoughts? Should I send on Saturday?

Update 11/9/2020

current active positives 186
currently hospitalized 8

I am still sheltering in place.
Wish Steven would stay at home too.

Good Afternoon

Hi CriticalMass
Please be careful and don't over do at storage again.
We want your experiences at storage to always end on a positive note.
That way you won't fret going back to it again. :D

YEA! for a new better Bunny cage set up!
Good luck finding another table for Bunny Girl.

Our thoughts will be with you and Roommate tomorrow.
Hoping this is the end of her issues ((((HUG))))


Hi Tatoulia
I agree 100% with Lisa Genova.
Sorry I prematurely aged your Mom. :D LOL

WTG! getting the chandeliers!
50.00 each is a really good price for light fixtures.

Very cold here all day with scattered cloudiness.
All the cats are constantly starving and eating lots of cereal.
Scooter has gotten pudgy.

Wishing you and your roommate the warmest of wishes, CM. Congratulations on the bunny hutch! Great work.

Mom is 91 not 98. I bet I had a typo! I am going to just agree with her. Lisa Genova, who has done a lot of research on Alzheimer's Disease, has said that if your loved one, for example, says, I'm waiting for my mother to take me shopping. Your response should be, well let's make a cup of tea while we wait for her. Genova says that if you correct the person, the bad feeling sticks with the person. So I need to strive to be a better person around my mother. This is so challenging.

I called the reuse center and I bought the chandeliers. I'll pick up on Wednesday. Being Veterans Day, I'll run up in the AM. Then I need to find an electrician. Would like to get up ASAP. I might see if my painter can come paint the ceiling.

Okay, back to work for me. I'm out of excuses.

Hi,

We're getting ready for roommate's surgery tomorrow. I got so fatigued the other day from what I'd done at the storage that I had to rest for a couple days. Lifting the set of shelves without taking the time to remove more stuff from them first was one of those dumb things I do sometimes when I get in a hurry.

The bunny cage project went well Saturday but took longer than I'd hoped. But it looks nice and will be easier to clean. Can't wait to get another table and do girl bunny's the same way.

The weather will cool slightly, we might have rain on the weekend. But I think temps will not plummet into wintry for awhile. After roommate is feeling stronger I should be able to resume my storage unit work and get things to a stopping place before winter.

Good Morning Everybody
"Clink!"

Hi Subclinical
Very glad you took some time off to de-stress.
Hoping it helped you a LOT.

I think you will have at least a few random garlics because without any green leaves poking out the chickens won't know they are wintering there.

WTG! harvesting the root veggies.
YUM! I really like parsnips and love rutabagas.
Had them all the time in Michigan, more so than carrots & potatoes.
But out here they are very rare to find and when the stores do have some they are in terrible condition and only good for pig food.

Wishing Dd's Mil all the best.
As if 2020 wasn't sad enough already (((HUG)))

Good luck and best wishes getting the in school/online school schedule that is the best for everybody.


Hi Tatoulia
Your reuse center sounds fabulous!
I love the idea of reusing everything possible from home remodeling/redecorating.
Yes, sounds like they ordered more lights than they needed to install.

Have to smile thinking about Mom asking you if she should cook thanksgiving dinner.
Sounds like she in living in a very nice fantasy world where she is young, spry and capable.
Please don't try to argue with her about reality, you will never win and it will upset her terribly.
She is 98? now. So wonderful she has lived so long without these "brain farts".
A group and some literature for you will help immensely.

20 steps just holding on to the wheel chair!!!
WAY TO GO! Mom!
There will be good days and then crazy days so don't let the bad days detract from the good days.


Not snowing today and the snow is disappearing even though it's only 30F out there now.
No real plans, back/spine still stiff sore & achy.

Thank you for supporting me! I need it. I do believe this is dementia setting in. I stopped by to see her. I had cat food and cat litter, and the aide brought took it up and brought mom down. We talked and I gave her the debit card back. BF and I discussed it and he said that since I'm already paying for so much, I should just go ahead and pay for everything. And he's right.

She looked very cute but tired tonight. She actually got out of her wheel chair and took about 20 steps, using the wheelchair as her walker. I was shocked at how well she was moving.

She asked me if I wanted her to cook Thanksgiving for us. So yes I've been refusing to see the changes in her mind. Before I thought she was being unrealistic but now I know, she's fading away. Now that I see it, I can stop the struggles with her.

I asked her what she'd like for Thanksgiving. I know they will feed her at her place so I will cook for her the day before. BF and I are having catering from our second favorite restaurant. It will be fun to have it just us and to have it here.

You must miss Bean so much, SubC! You are doing a great job keeping things as together as possible. I agree that in winter you should be teaching from home. Will be the best thing for you. Your vegetables sound lovely.

Tillie! I will find a support group. The chandeliers I like are $49 each at he Boston Reuse Center. It is a place where people donate kitchen cabinets, lighting, railing, etc and then people can buy it. When I go to do my kitchen I will get my cabinets from there. They only take gently used stuff. People can become members if their income is below a certain level. For example, the chandeliers I want would be $30 each if I qualified. So it is a very decent place. If you look up Boston Reuse Center, you'll be able to see the lights. They have pleated linen shades and they are lovely. They say new, so I bet they were bought for a project like a hotel or some such and they ended up with two extras. If they still have them, I'll call tomorrow to buy.

Tatoulia, I am sorry. Dementia can be so hard. My family has been lucky because so far the people who got nasty were always nasty and one person who was nasty actually got nicer. I can't imagine if my mom started being mean to me. I second the record keeping!

Snow. Wow. It was in the 70s here too. I have been pretty much lazy the last two days - just trying to let the stress slide off.

Today I sent a difficult school email and dug up the last of the parsnips, half the carrots, and half the beets. I also replanted the garlic for the 4th time and covered the bed with wire so the stupid chickens will stop digging it up. Who knows if I will have any garlic in June....

Dd is still keeping bean away. Her mil starts chemo on Monday.

My boss went out a survey and is trying to decide this week when we will go online. Choices are - teach in person this week and switch the week before thanksgiving break, switch when we "get back" from thanksgiving break, or stay as long as possible with three to seven weeks online. I picked as long as possible with a return date after her longest suggestion. (I'd like to teach in person for at least two weeks after thanksgiving break and take January and half of February online if things haven't improved enough. - it will be too cold to open my windows.)

Hi Tatoulia
I completely sympathize (((HUG)))

Yes, protect yourself with a ledger and receipts.

It was so helpful for me emotionally when the ER doctor talked to me about Steven.
Steven is so mean and nasty and lies about me all the time.
The doctor explained it was the initial brain damage left over from the brain tumor plus his heart insufficiently pumping blood to his brain plus his alcoholism.

It felt soooooo good to finally have somebody on my side.
Someone who saw it as it really is.

Look for a support group for people dealing with these kind of issues.
In person groups and/or online groups.

You are NOT alone ((((HUG))))

Oh those big fluffy flakes!

I've been writing out my Thanksgiving cards while my laundry does it's thing. Going to head up to car in a few.

Mom is definitely going through changes. She's now accused me of stealing from her. Said she gave me $100 and then I didn't get her anything with it. I told her that I used it for her phone bill, which was more than $100. I need to find a way to protect myself. Because the sister will glom on to this. Luckily, she won't be able to afford an attorney to sue me. Sbd. I attorney is going to be looking for 80 here, 100 there. I will, however, start keeping track of the groceries I buy. Because I'll need that ledger at some point.

I can't believe my mother is turning into someone super mean to me. I need to find a way to deal with this. Maybe get a therapist. I can't get at the end of my rope here but I'm also very beaten down. The best for me would be a support group.

Keeps snowing off & on here today.
Sometimes a small little bit and then will turn into a blizzard of huge fluffy snowflakes.

Hi Tatoulia
YEA! for getting some groceries!
70 degrees and here we are down in the teens. LOL :D

The cats don't even ask to go out and Jack keeps begging to come in.
If he and the others didn't hate each other so much it would be a possibility.

Chandeliers would be classy.
If it doesn't hurt the budget too badly I say go for it.

I keep looking for a chandelier for my dollhouse so I can have a proper dining room.

Hope you remembered to take the bags to the car. ;)

First trip to grocery done. Will need at least one more. Got kitty food, oj, frozen shrimp and coffee. Will need to go back for more but I just put my second load of laundry in and I think I'll relax. I will get my bags out of the closet to put in my car.

I bet the snow is pretty! Will the cats make cat prints or will they try to go out and immediately turn around, blaming you for the snow?

I just finished my coffee. It's been in the 70s here. All so crazy.

I really appreciate your input, Tillie. Having a clear plan and executing it feels so good.

I'm most excited about the plumber on Tuesday. Getting that faucet changed will be excellent. Then I'll see when painter wants to do my kitchen.

I have my eye on two light fixtures/chandeliers that are available for very little at a local reuse center. If they are still there on Wednesday, I'll get both and have installed in my hallway. My hallway has three lights but I think the trick will be to ignore the one over the door and install these two where the other two canister lights are. These are at a very low price and would bring a polish to my house for very little. I may even call the place on Monday and purchase them, then pick up on Wednesday. Originally I thought I'd get one for my bedroom but I'm not sold on a chandelier in bedroom because it will be hidden from view by the ceiling fan and the ceiling fan is non negotiable. Both of my ceiling fans are the best things I've done for myself. And I feel like a grown up.

Okay off to my groceries. Need cat food and juice. Story of my life.

Woke up to a snow covered world! ☃

Good Morning Everyone

Hi Tatoulia
Good luck getting groceries today. :D

Sounds like you had a good day yesterday and so sweet of your Friend to bring Mom some goodies.

Your home improvement plan sounds good.
You have been patient waiting to get these last few things done and it's now time!!!

Your museum trip sounds safer than a trip to the grocery store.
Enjoy that. :D

Have a great day at home catching up and getting ahead on tasks.


No plans here, will just spend time looking at how pretty and clean the snow makes everything.

Good morning! Coffee clinks!

First order of business is to get some groceries. I was supposed to do with BF yesterday but ended up sitting in the car and doing a crossword.

I just made plans with a friend and her kids to go to the Museum of Fine Arts on Wednesday. All timed entries now. I'll walk and meet them. Then they'll go see BF and I'll walk back. I'm nit ready to be in a car with them. I'm trying to stay safe.

So the plan in grocery shop then bags to car. I also need to organize and put away my postcards. I may also, to get ahead of it, write out my Thanksgiving cards.

Today is put music on and accomplish day.

What are you doing today?

Hello hello! Good work on cleaning, Tillie!

I met up with two friends and we walked and walked and walked, outside of the city. Lovely. Masks are now required in Massachusetts. It was a good day. Then I ran errands with BF and I saw mom in the lobby for a bit. One of my friends had baked for her.

Tillie thanks for helping me sort out my finances. I think I'm striking a good balance. I'll have my faucet fixed, then paint kitchen then paint hallway. Then hang chandelier. So I'll be going into the new year with my house spruced up. Then back to rigorous savings/ paying down my small loan.

Kitty is eating like a pig these days. I'll need to get her more food.

Good Afternoon Everybody
Just about 3:30pm here.

Over night we got a little drizzle!
Been dark overcast very windy and cold all day with a chance of more drizzle.

Will be getting down into the teens this week.
Good thing the faucet is insulated.

Cleaned up & cut up my last 5 carrots, 3 bell peppers and one tomato.
Made some vinaigrette.

Good Evening

Kitchen is all clean :D

Just took a shower and the hot water felt so good on my back.

I have also been able to go so much longer before I feel I really need to take more aspirin or acetaminophen.

Feeling hopeful and happy.

Steven has been coughing, sneezing and snorking the last two days.

About 2:30pm here now.

I got one load of laundry washed, dried, folded & put away.
Scoured the kitchen sink and started washing dishes with lots of rests in between.
More than halfway finished and taking another rest.

The small of my back aches bad.
This must be from sitting down low, bending over to wrap the pipe.
But that nasty gnawing gut pain has NOT returned.
YEA!!! Knock on wood... ;)

The wind is raging out there now. Looks like a storm may be blowing in.