1 Day to go

Happy Thursday (aka Friday Eve).

I hope that your day is off to a great start!  Mine is going okay thus far despite an early morning start at 1a when my insomnia kicked in again.  I sat with Rudy and we watched TV.  Mora came in to join us for a while.  Around 3am I went back to bed and Mora cuddled with me and left, Rudy jumped in her place.  After that he never left my room.  He started with an early morning wake up call at 5a but I told him a couple more hours, he let me go one hour and tried at 6a.  I staved him off for 35 minutes and then wound up getting up. 

Mora looked like she was on bug patrol this morning.  She was on the couch arm looking up at the ceiling.  She cried out to me and I looked but no bug that I could see.  She came to eat breakfast and then went right back to bug duty.  I looked and looked but there is no bug, not sure what she saw or if it perhaps migrated and was hiding in another part of the house. 

I moved right along with my morning routine and Mora was waiting for me in my bed.  She has to have her morning attention, just can’t start the day with out it.  Kind of sets the tone for the day or something like that.  Rudy was busy bathing but managed to give me a couple dirty looks while he was cleaning.  He wanted some attention too and I didn’t let him wait for long.  I got dressed and peeked at my phone.  I expected there to be a bunch of junk from work.  There was email but nothing to get up in arms about. 

There was a situation last night later in the evening.  Despite not being on-call I inserted myself because it pissed me off and raised my blood pressure.  The long and short of it was someone accused us of not doing our job and that will get me fired up every time.  I fired off a professional but diplomatic retort and proved that we did our job.  I made sure to copy in every possible person that I could to show off and that seems to have calmed things down.  At least I hope so since there hasn’t been any further email about it, at least to me.  I probably should have let the mistake maker who was on-call take care of it but I just couldn’t resist jumping in.  I’ve got a pretty good barometer and know when to speak and when not to but sometimes I get into some sticky situations trying to be helpful.  I am scaling that back. 

Speaking of work I’ve been delegating a lot lately and damn that is fun and can be addicting.  I see something come in that I don’t want to deal with so I push it off on someone else and they take care of it.  Man if that’s what it’s like to be a boss that for sure has to be one of the perks.  I’m sure there are downsides and they probably far outweigh the upsides. 

Got some bad news yesterday.  A journalist and podcaster passed away.  I found out in the middle of watching another podcast it was an abrupt thing and there was an odd pause.  I’m speaking of John C. Dvorak.  He was known for being cranky but I found him quite entertaining.  He lived to be 80 years old.  That’s a long time but I’m sure it passed in the blink of an eye.  He was an entertainer to me.  RIP

While it was cooler here the AC still seemed to run about the same amount of time.  We have one more cool day before things heat back up and storms move in.  Not looking forward to rain or more brutal heat but come December I will be wishing for it.  That’s the thing about the weather were never 100% happy with it all of the time.  It’s either too cold or too hot.  Such is life!

I’ve prepared for the mass exodus tomorrow when our interns leave.  I’ve done as much pre-work as I can to get ahead.  I never look forward to their arrival or leaving as it causes more work for me.  I’m sure everything will go fine but tomorrow afternoon will for sure be a very busy time, perhaps that will make time fly so we can start the weekend.  I am not looking forward to next week since I will be on-call but I am certainly enjoying resting up this week.

Take care and thanks for stopping by. 

Disgusting

Happy Sunday!

I hope that all is well in your world.  Yesterday afternoon I made it to Red Lobster.  Service sucked and not in a good way.  Took several minutes to be waited on when I walked in the door, almost walked out.  Got seated and then about the time I was ready to walk out a busser came over and took my drink order.  He said that my waitress was “very busy” and would be with me shortly.  She was at the bar ringing up something and told him to take care of me.  Meanwhile she was all over the place.  She could have taken a quick minute to stop by.  Eventually she came over and I told her what I wanted.  She said that biscuits would be right up as soon as they come out of the oven.  Don’t you know the biscuits and my food came out at the same time.  Biscuits were so small it looked like a child made them.  The taste was there.  I left her a very small tip since she gave me such small service.  The tip I wanted to leave was move your ass but I was nice.  I wished I had gone to the Red Lobster in my hometown it would have been a better experience.  However, there was construction going on and I purposely stayed away.  I’m headed back there today for Mexican food since construction is all done. 

Returned home to wrap up laundry and play on the computer.  Got caught up in a Tumblr poster who had a ton of guys in jocks.  You will be seeing them in future man candy posts.  They look so hot but I honestly don’t know how one wears a jock all day long.  I’ve done it and it was a turn on the first time but after that it just feels weird. 

Reluctantly I turned the furnace on, it was seriously chilly in here and I knew that it would drop even lower over night.  Got the bed made and laundry put away.  Had to play with Rudy.  He loves the clothes basket.  He sticks his paws in the openings trying to bat at me.  Then I stick my fingers out and he swipes at them or chomps on them.  It’s a fun time and we do it damn near every time the basket is full of clean clothes.  He’s still got a lot of kitten in him and so does his sister. 

Woke up way earlier than I wanted to but I got moving and got my usual morning greeting from Rudy.  Headed to pass out breakfast for them.  Then on to get dressed and grab my meds, headed out the door with the winter coat on.  It was 40 here this morning.  Grabbed breakfast, hit up the grocery store next and then stopped at Target.  Finally stopped to top off the tank, 6 gallons of gas $23.23.  That was close to a half of a tank.  I still had 230 miles left to drive but I’m particular about keeping a full tank.  You just never know where life will take you. 

I was overheating by the time I got home.  The sun was out and warming things up and all of the movement I was doing got my body heated.  I was never so happy to get home and get out of my clothes.  Got everything put away and then time for rest.  Then the sugar coma from breakfast wore off so I had my couple hour nap. 

Got the house cleaning done.  Worked on the bathroom.  I found this old can of cleaner, you spray it when it’s done it’s supposed to turn purple and then you rinse it away.  I sprayed the tub and sink and it turned pink.  We have always had “pink scum” but I never knew what it was.  Turns out it’s a bacteria called Serratia marcescens and poses a health risk if you have a compromised immune system.  It thrives on Soap & Water, sounds rather odd to me you’d think soap would kill bacteria and not cause it to grow.  It’s disgusting.  I saw a YouTube video on it a while back they said to use Hydrogen Peroxide to kill it.  Anyway I rinsed it all away and things look nice and clean.  I went over everything with another cleaner just to be on the safe side. 

Then it was time to head outside.  I had a branch of Poison something ivy, sumac who knows.  Anyway it was growing and flopping in the wind so it set off the garage camera when it was windy.  Last night I kept getting alerts and it woke the cats up.  They know the sounds each camera makes and it will bring them out of a serious sleep in seconds.  Funny thing is my new mail alert used to do that when they were new here, they weren’t used to a phone chiming.  Now they can sleep right on through new mail or a text tone.  Anything else wakes them.  I put on some gloves and chopped that branch and another one that was growing up against the garage.  Picked them up and threw them in the trash using tools only but I had rubber gloves on just in case for extra protection.  I know I shouldn’t put that in the trash can but it’s not like they inspect the can when they empty it, they just dump it and move on.  It looks better.  Had to change the battery in the garage camera as well. 

Now it’s wash time again.  Tub mat, then the bathmat and whites.  The water company will love me.  I will love the clean items and knowing that task is out of the way. 

Looking forward to a nice drive and some good Mexican food.  That’s about it, then it will be home and watching TV until it’s time for bed.  Not looking forward to the week ahead but at least I won’t officially be on call come Monday.  It’s the bosses turn so I’m sort of on call unofficially during the day.  That’s going to be the only plus to having a new person eventually they will take over his week and I will get two weeks of rest.  Things will be heating up at work with the summer interns and the new guy starting soon.  It’s going to be chaos for a while so I’m savoring all of the lulls I get. 

Well sounds like it’s time to go load the washer up again.  Both cats just passed out down here and I know as soon as I get up one or both of them will notice and pop up and start following me.  I wish they would stay asleep and not worry about me.  I will be fine no one is going to attack me and besides that I’m coming right back. 

Thank you for stopping by, hope you had fun.  Talk with you all again soon. 

Ugh .. Busy Monday

What a day it’s been and it’s still early!  First, my work machine wasn’t behaving and after looking into that it turns out it was my home internet.  Had to reboot the work machine and reset the connection at home.  That took about 20 minutes and everything got stored.  Second, a person who is traveling at work was stupid and left their laptop bag in their rental car in plain view.  Naturally the car was broken into and the bag was taken.  Plenty of company assets and information was in that bag, so that kept me busy for a bit.  It’s been one thing after another with this stolen stuff.  Lots of people chime in and there are tons of questions. 

I’m sure there will be additional items to add to the list but I kind of hope they are kept to a minimum and the stress level calms.  Not exactly the way I wanted to start the week. 

Here I was all cheerful because the mistake maker is on-call, so much for a calmer week.  I mean it could happen but thus far it’s not starting out that way. 

Sunday (Easter) I had a great idea of lounging, getting a shower, then cleaning the house.  What happened is that I lounged too much, cleaned the house as I saw time was getting away from me and then threw on some clothes and headed out the door. 

The meal was Ham, Sweet Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans.  It all tasted horrible but I gulped it down because it was going to be my supper.  Beats going hungry.  A few hours after supper we had Cherry Pie alamode and that was the best damn thing on the menu.  Once I was done with the pie I left as time had gotten away from me. 

I arrived home around 7:30p and fed the cats.  Got ready for this morning and lounged, surfed social media and then got ready for bed.  Slept pretty good but had some strange dreams.  Rudy was all huddled up against me all night long, never left my side that I know of. 

Grass is being cut now, 3rd mow of the season.  Meanwhile my neighbor who works for the county hasn’t mowed his grass yet and it’s getting quite tall.  Almost everyone in the subdivision has mowed at least once already.  I get that it’s not a fun job but it’s much easier to do when the temperatures are cooler now than when we get into the heart of summer and it’s blistering hot.  No one will turn him in because he works for the county, which I think is BS.  He’s not above the law or special.  We have an app where we can take photos and submit them anonymously but if I turn him in the photos are shared and he would be able to tell that it was me who turned him in and that would start a war.  A war that I’m not wanting to start.  I just observe and complain but tend to keep to myself.  If there was a matter of life and death I’d certainly call 9-1-1 but otherwise I keep to myself, it’s better that way.

Hope you had a great Easter and that this week is off to a better start for you than it has been for me.  Talk with you all again soon.  Take care!

Reflection

Thinking about yesterday’s repairs I have done a little bit of research. Sounds like I am lucky that I didn’t have an accident or experience catastrophic failure of the steering system. I had a sign but didn’t know it. My car would pull to the left. If it pulls to one side that’s a sign from what I have read. I also learned that tie rods need lubrication. I’m certain by taking my car for service to my friends for service their mechanic didn’t lubricate anything. I’m thinking of switching car maintenance to the tire shop, they do all automotive work just their big seller is tires. Things would be more expensive but I’m thinking I might have more peace of mind, not to mention that I think my automobile would be better cared for.

I am on the fence and can’t decide when I want to get rid of this automobile. It has been good to me, and we have had some good times and some bad times. Lots of memories and I can tell you that there have been exactly five people that I have had as passengers thus far. Next year the car will be 10 years old. I’ve not held on to an automobile like this. Why is it so special you might ask? Well, something drew me to purchase it when I got rid of my lemon car. I knew I was taking a huge risk. I really couldn’t afford it, and I knew that but still bought it anyway. I said I’d make it work and I have, things just fell together and I did have to make some sacrifices. Most of the digits to unlock the door with the keypad (in case you don’t have your fob handy) make up the last 4 digits of my late spouses’ social security number. That was a sign to me, like this was meant to be.

Despite that the majority of what I call convenience tech (like remote start through an app, checking oil life remotely, and GPS tracking) no longer work because it came with a 3G modem, oddly make it more appealing to me. I liked all those features but honestly my life isn’t drastically different without them. It was nice when I drove to work every day to pull up an app on my phone and heat up or cool down the vehicle before I arrived. If I thought, I forgot to lock the door I could send a remote lock (or unlock if I needed to) signal. I like flying under the radar and not having to worry about a potential hacker taking over my car. I’m convinced back in the day when the modem was working that it was hacked. One day, I went out to go to work and couldn’t start it. I tried and tried but nothing. I had a tow truck on the way and had planned to haul it to the dealer but as luck would have it five minutes after I called for the tow truck, I tried to start it, and it worked. I took my chances and made it to work and when it was time to leave it started right up.

It’s really got everything that I have ever wanted or needed in a vehicle except for a heated steering wheel, that’s the only thing I would add.

I know that unlike any other vehicle I have ever had before the day I trade it, I will miss it greatly probably more than any other vehicle that I have owned. I also know that whatever I buy will have big tech in it and I will be tracked and possibly hacked. I’ve said every year since the Pandemic that this is the year I’m getting rid of it. I promised myself last year that this year would be the year. However, my fear is that whatever I buy will be junk and have lots of issues as well as recalls. Eventually I will just take the gamble and go for it. Just as it stands today, I don’t know when that day will come. I also like the fact the engine is well broken in, and I know how to get the best gas mileage out of it. It’s all about making sure the tires are inflated to the proper pressure and then turning on the cruise control when on the freeway, driving the speed limit. That’s the secret. People pass me like I’m standing still but I just think of the savings. I don’t always drive that way, and I do have a led foot. I love speed and this vehicle has a turbo so there is plenty of get up and go. I’ve done 120mph in it, that was back when I thought my mom was still alive and I was trying to make it to the hospital. Only to find out when I walked in the door that my efforts were in vain and she was gone. If I knew that up front, I would have taken my time and driven fast but not at super dangerous speeds. That was piss poor communication on my brothers now wife.

On a different note, I did call it a night early last night. My nose was bothering me, and I wound up taking a Benadryl along with a sleeping pill. I happily found that Schitts Creek is on HBO, which means no commercials. I love that show and I’m sure the only reason it’s there now because of the passing of Catherine O’Hara. She was a great actress. I started watching it and before I knew it after about 5 episodes I was out.

I woke up for a brief period during the early morning but quickly went back to sleep. I had strange dreams, but I felt like I had slept when it was time to get out of bed. I of course didn’t want to get up, and Rudy tried his early morning wake up call early and I told him he was too early. He just took a seat on my chest and laid down. We were both back to sleeping quickly. I think only one of us was happy about that and that I was the happy one. Once it was normal time, I got up and got moving.

I went to an old place where I used to eat breakfast regularly. It was time for a change of pace plus I had something specific I was craving. I got it and enjoyed it very much! Made it through the grocery store, stopped to fill up the gas tank and then back home to warm up and relax. I watched more Schitts Creek and took a nice nap with both cats in my bed. A nice Winter’s Day!

I’ve got a serious case of not wanting to do anything just because I have the strange feeling that this is going to be an overwhelming week and I will be super busy. It’s my chance to enjoy the calm before the storm. I got my chores done. Finishing up on some laundry and as soon as that dryer is done, I plan to change clothes and head for pizza. It is hours before the game, so I know I’m taking a big chance but it’s what I want. Then back home and I am done for the day; I plan to relax and of course watch more of Schitts Creek.

Hoping to have a nice relaxing evening, take a warm shower and fade into what I hope is a blissful and long deep sleep, only to be woken up by my furry alarm clock that is Rudy.

Thanks for stopping by, hope all is well in your world. Take care!

Frustration

Morning … Yesterday wasn’t the best day but it also wasn’t the worst.  My aggravation started off with my boss asking me to do something that is all of our responsibilities.  He wasn’t clear on his directive and I balked back at him.  I didn’t hesitate I just mouthed off via email.  Once I got some clarity on what he wanted I begrudgingly took care of it.  Then we had our regular weekly meeting.  That spilled over to a special meeting and while that was going on we had an urgent request come in.  Like a dummy I jumped on it, despite it being the on-call persons responsibility.  It was a landmine – meaning that it required a lot of extensive work.  That took me right up to my normal lunchtime. My boss also managed to make sure that we have a meeting today and then again on Friday.  I have to talk to him every damn day this week, I hate that.  I’m ready for a break!  Hope he goes back to his normal self and gets out of this micromanage phase he seems to be in.  I’m sure it’s because of my older colleague retiring.   

While at lunch I decided to check email and saw that I had a bill from the cable company come in.  I normally just file those in the trash because I am on autopay and I don’t wait for that I pay early.  Well I happened to look at this bill and there was a balance of $5 which was a complete surprise to me.  Turns out they took away the $5 discount for autopay so my bill went up.  That sent me over the edge.  I paid the $5.  However, I called and demanded a better price they get what I consider to be an extravagant amount of money out of me.  I got a guy who’s goal was to try to upsell me and to “bundle” I had to tell him multiple times I’m not interested in a “bundle” just give me the best price for internet.  He came back with $55 and I took it.  That’s good for 12 months and my speed went from 400mpbs to 1gig.  That’s a symmetrical connection so 1gig up and down.  They are sending me a new modem which will be here in a couple days.  We hung up the phone and suddenly I had no internet.  I looked in the app and it said that my internet was “disconnected”.  Well I was working from home and actually just started a Zoom meeting.  I had to pivot over to my cell phone hot spot for service.  Then made a couple trips downstairs to reboot the modem two different times.  After 15 minutes everything came back up.  I was worried for a few minutes.  Once the new modem arrives I know that there will be another round of not fun in getting it setup.  They make it sound simple but it never quite goes that way for me, here’s hoping that this time will be different. 

As if that wasn’t enough Rudy decided to bug me multiple times for food when I had just fed him.  That was aggravating but I already know that I have to go buy cat food this weekend.  When I bought their dry food I thought I was getting the same thing but it was slightly different.  They like the new stuff so much so that I need to get another bag.  I just opened it on the 21st and they are gobbling it like it’s candy.  This morning it was Mora’s turn to complain about breakfast and I had to break open a second can to feed her.  I split it so her brother hog jaws would eat and leave her alone.  Then I put her portion down.  She looked around expecting him to come invade but he didn’t because he was busy eating his half of the new can.  She ate well and was quite happy about it.  These two are something else but they are my reason for living and they are what keeps me going.  I wish at times they weren’t around.  However, perhaps things will get better for me this year, I just have to make it through Winter. 

The guy who cleaned my driveway texted me back yesterday asking for my email address.  I gave it to him and he said he would send me a bill.  It’s not like he is in any hurry.  I really wish that he would have knocked on the door so we could have settled up.  I hate to have things linger.  I just like to breathe easy knowing what expenses are around the corner.  His bill shouldn’t break the bank.  I really am wondering what he is going to charge me.  He did such a better job than the kids I hired last year.  They had like 5 or 6 kids shoveling by hand.  This guy had himself and one other person.  One worked the snow blower and the other worked the shovel.  Then they followed up with salt.  I am way more impressed and satisfied with the job this guy did even if it took a bit longer to get him here it was worth it, at least to me. 

Thinking about the weekend.  I kind of dread having to get out because it’s back to bitter cold here starting tonight.  Need to hit up the post office and pet food store.  I’d like to get a quote for new tires but it’s not essential that I have it this weekend, I could push it to next weekend. I also have to make my usual Sunday grocery trip.  Those are the only required stops.  However, I have cabin fever and really want to get out of here.  I know I will go some place locally for a bite to eat.  I’m sure I will be cussing the whole way that is until I get warm.  The goal is to be productive, have a little fun but overall stay as warm as possible. 

The burns on my back are still healing.  Kind of drying out a bit.  I think the one where I popped the blisters might leave some scarring but that honestly doesn’t matter to me so long as it heals and I can be done with this.  I hate having to remember to put on antibiotic ointment, however if I forget my body does remind me. 

Here’s hoping today is better than yesterday was.  Maybe I will sleep through the night soon!  Stay warm and well.  Thanks for stopping by!

Open Windows = Joy

Yesterday when I was finally able to break away from the computer and head up for lunch.  I fed the cats and finished up my cold pizza.  Then I opened the windows and wow both cats sprang to life.  They were in lazy sleep mode, which is normal after eating.  They had to visit each window and stare out of it or try to before they decided to start chasing each other throughout the house.  I knew this would make their day but wasn’t quite prepared for their overjoyed response. 

Rudy found his way into trouble by jumping up in my bedroom window and then jumping down when I walked in the room.  He was now behind the TV and crying because he couldn’t figure out how to get out.  Daddy to the rescue.  Then I blocked the door from opening without using some force via a door prop.  That kept him and his sister at bay. 

I got the exhaust fan out to circulate the air and I’m sure the few neighbors that saw my windows opened probably think I am nuts.  Matters not to me.  It felt good and the smell was gone, that is until I turned the fan off and closed the windows.  I also had the fan on from the furnace and despite not needing it I changed the furnace filter. 

As I mentioned in my post yesterday it is warmer than normal here and it’s normal when it warms up for the house to smell for a bit, that is ever since the rodent problem I had.  Once we go back into the deep freeze this should all hopefully go away.  Right now it’s just living with it.  I have to my extra allergy meds otherwise I sneeze like crazy.  This is one of those burdens that I could sure do without.  I lived with this long enough that while it’s not pleasant I’ve grown a custom to know how to deal with it. 

Work was really frustrating yesterday and today is full of apologies from my colleague.  I’m honestly sick of his apologies they are meaningless to me.  He will make the same mistake over and over and over.  Makes me wonder how he makes it in life.  He’s cute and has a great body but that’s about all he has going for him.  Beauty fades, dumb is forever as Judge Judy would say. 

Had a Chicken Pot Pie for supper.  Got that Shave & Shower, man it felt great especially on my sore shoulder.  Prior to that I broke out the tens unit and cranked it up.  I had some involuntary muscle contractions but much like the warm shower it did help.  Thinking of buying a cupping device.  I am suspect because lots of devices I purchased in the past promised results but they didn’t provide them and now I have a collection of junk that I don’t use.  I don’t want more junk, I’ve got enough. 

Here’s hoping that today is a better day and that I can open the windows again to not only see joy on the cats faces but to help get more fresh air in here.  Rain is in the forecast from Wednesday on. 

Today is my Thursday but it really doesn’t feel like it.  Thanks for stopping by.   

Best plans

Well Red Lobster didn’t happen because I decided to clean and reboot my computer before I walked away.  That tied me up for the rest of the evening.  I wound up making one of the Tombstone Pizza’s that I have.  It was okay but certainly not what I wanted for supper and not the way I wanted to spend my evening. 

My right shoulder is bothering me from all of the typing and being tense & aggravated as I worked through the problems.  My back misses a regular massage and while I am trying to cope I might just have to break down and find a new massage therapist despite not wanting to. 

My mistake making colleague called in sick today, which I fully expected.  What I didn’t expect is for him to leave me with a heaping pile of mistakes to fix all of which were urgent.  I got through that mess and sent him a sharply worded email that basically says do your fucking job I’m tired of cleaning up after you.  I didn’t use those words but I was professional about it. 

The boss appears to be out and my other colleague had an appointment this morning and should be back shortly.  I’ve been the sole point of contact for our team and while I am not on-call it’s felt like it. 

I’ve got some strange odor in the house that started yesterday afternoon it’s growing a little stronger.  Not sure what is going on but the good news is that the temperatures will be warmer today so I plan to open some windows and get some fresh air in here.  Kind of smells like something died maybe it’s one of the raccoons under the deck, all I know is that I need the odor to leave quickly it’s disturbing. 

So much for a better 2026, were off to a rocky start.  However, I reminded myself I only have 2 days left to work this week that helps a little bit.  Looking forward to what I hope is a more relaxing afternoon and a nice shave & shower this evening.  Until then I need to grin and bare it. 

Hope all is well in your world!

Busy afternoon

Morning fellas, folks and all who are here.

I had every intention yesterday afternoon of posting some Man Candy.  The morning was slow and I figured the afternoon would be as well but boy was I dead wrong about that. 

While I was at lunch a bunch of work came in and the on-call person for my team simply was overwhelmed.  No one else jumped into save him and me being the martyr or helpful person or sucker (take your pick) I jumped in head first.  I wound up cleaning up most of the mess and that made for a very long and busy afternoon. 

I was super late in getting back upstairs I’m normally up around 3p or 3:30p but it wasn’t until after 5p and both cats were worried that they would be going hungry forever.  Mora meowed at me a bunch and I just climbed the steps.  My bladder about to explode but I put the cats first and passed out their supper.  Then took care of me. 

I also thought I’d have a nice wind down and relaxing evening.  That lasted for a couple hours and then work came calling again.  I was so tense in my shoulders as my blood boiled because I was dealing with stupidity. 

I managed to get a shower before bed, my phone going crazy the entire time I was in the shower.  When I got out and looked at it, turns out it was nothing of significance.  After I dried off I quickly took my phone to the charger.  Then finished with brushing my teeth and taking my medicine. 

I started watching Boots for the second time.  I’ve only made it through the first episode.  I’m looking for anything that I might have missed plus it’s just that good for a second watch. 

No surprise that I sprung awake at 3a and had to sit up for an hour before I was able to go back to sleep.  I was wound too tightly for bed and totally understood why I was awake.  However, when I went to climb back in bed Rudy left.  Mora moved so that I could get in and then she snuggled up next to me so we could hug.  She turned her motor on and it was nice while it lasted.  Once she left I rolled over and seriously tried to turn off my mind and go back to sleep.  Eventually it worked. 

Yesterday was perfect until I went to lunch and then it was all downhill from there.  Here’s hoping the rest of the week is better.  I will be posting some Man Candy today so fear not your weekly fix is around the corner. 

Hope your yesterday was better than mine and that your today is good as well.  Thanks for stopping by!

Done with Friday

Good evening,

Wow, Friday is finally done. It’s been a crazy hair on fire busy kind of day! I started off calm, cool and collective. That got interrupted with a bunch of what should have been common sense issues. Stupidity makes my blood boil. Then things just went from 0 to 120 in a matter of seconds.

Good thing I was working early or I wouldn’t have been able to make as much progress with the project I was working on. Yeah, I said was because it’s finally done.

The cluster project just got off to a start and the 2^nd wave hit today with the mistake maker and my boss taking over. It’s going to be a lot of work so hopefully it all comes together, I know I will get an update when I return.

I’ve got a jackass user who is leaving. He demanded some data that folks usually take with them when they leave. I got to be the one who broke the news to HR and his manager that he was leaving. I got his data to him in a speedy fashion which he demanded. Then after I sent it to him, he said he made changes so I had to re-export it all over and send it off again. I wasn’t happy about it but the work got done. I always work with people to find a mutually agreeable time to turn their access off and this guy just to be an ass said let’s make it midnight Sunday. I was fine with that. Not sure that I will be up at that hour but his account is set to expire at the end of the day on Saturday so it really doesn’t matter if I am awake or not. I will process it if I am awake at that time and if not well, I will get to it Sunday morning after I return from breakfast and the grocery store. I don’t know why he couldn’t have given me a normal time frame like other people do.

Speaking of work, we have Microsoft 365 at work and I really love the ability to have emails and other documents read to you by the computer. It lets you know how what you are saying or is being said sounds. It reads it in a much more human and realistic voice than the 2021 version of the Microsoft Suite that I have at home. I know Microsoft wants my money and wants me to subscribe to their software but I am resisting for as long as possible. Sell me the software and don’t make me subscribe to it. However, the subscription model is already set and working for Microsoft and so many other companies that are in the software business.

I had a lousy night’s sleep with some crazy ass dreams. I remember when I woke up one of the times I thought to myself maybe I should go back to therapy. It’s strange what the subconscious causes you to dream about. I wish that I could control my dreams so that they were only enjoyable and pleasant instead of the rollercoaster from hell that I seem to be on.

The cats are doing a great job of keeping me company and Rudy last night demanded that I play with him before I went to retire to my room for the night. He starts off all excited and was really into it but his interest was fleeting and I moved on to playing with his sister. She never wants to stop and always goes at things 90 mph. She loves to chew on anything that she can fit into her mouth. It’s almost as if she is teething. Rudy gets that way sometimes too.

On a different note, I am a little concerned about Rudy that he has something neurological going on. For months now he will stare into space at different periods of time. This morning, he wanted a drink of water and just looked at the fountain. I had to grab his attention and tell him to get a drink. Then he walked over and drank up. He’s full of energy and for the most part acting normal. It’s just this staring into space thing is a bit concerning to me. I know that eventually both of them will be meeting the vet but I am trying like hell to stay away from that place because once you walk in the door it’s as if you’re on a treadmill and they siphon all of your money into their hands. I’m giving some consideration to making an appointment for Rudy this coming week. I want to talk with my friends first to get their take and see if perhaps I am overreacting. Mora might stare into space once and a while but it’s not noticeable to me like it is with her brother.

I worked on my back last night with the massager that I have and really dug in to try to bust up that knot. It really hurt and I went at it full force. That knots still with me and feels like it got bigger today with all of the keyboarding I did. Here’s hoping that I will get some away time from the computer. I know that I will be in front of it next week despite being on vacation but I don’t plan on doing anything work related. It will be all personal and a lot of goofing off.

Well I’m going to get this published. Hope your Friday was a good one and that all is well. Have a great weekend and if your in the US enjoy the extended holiday weekend.

Take care, be kind to each other and I will talk with you again soon.

It’s here

My new phone arrived less than 5 minutes ago.  UPS person just walked up and placed it on my porch like it was just another package.  No signature required, which is exactly how my last phone came back in 2022.  I don’t get it with something so valuable you’d think Apple would require a signature.  At any rate I have it and have unboxed it.  It came with a 76% charge on the battery.  I’ve got it charging now and unlike other iPhone’s I have gotten in the past I am not anxious to make the change. 

My Mophie case arrives today as well and after making sure that fits my phone and sticks to the magnet mount in my car, I will charge it.  Thursday is when the glass protection arrives and provided the accessories are in place is on I will make the change.  It will either be a Thursday night or Friday night thing. 

Thinking about all of the things I do like taking screen shots, using tap to pay I think I will probably require some fumbling around before I get used to the new phone and how it works.  It’s so much bigger.  I got the purple blueish one in case your wondering.  The Mophie case only comes in black so the color of the device will mostly be hidden.  I would have much preferred Red but that wasn’t offered. 

Check back and you will here how things are going.  I’ve already explored my carriers websites and know exactly the steps I need to take to get my new device activated.  I am apprehensive, nervous but also a little bit excited.  Not to mention anxious for way better battery life.  Fingers crossed when I am ready that this all goes way better than I am expecting!

Yesterday was a cold day but we made it with the space heater.  It was nice when we went to bed but the house was cold again this morning.  Today the sun is out and it’s supposed to be warmer and more normal in terms of temperature.  I’ve got the space heater on upstairs for the cats but will probably turn it off at lunch.  I’ve got another one in my office that has been going.  It’s always cold in the basement until we get to summer and then temperatures equalize. 

Enjoyed my take out BBQ Turkey for dinner last night.  It was so good.  Rudy didn’t bug me but his nose was going and he looked in my direction.  It was nice being able to enjoy a meal cat free. 

Watched the last episode of The Righteous Gemstones.  Man that didn’t end like I ever though it would.  Sad that it’s gone I thought I had one more week but nope it’s over.  It was a great show!  The cast was really good.  I really enjoy John Goodman’s work.  Adam Devine is pretty good and not bad on the eyes, never thought I’d see him in a gay role but wow he did a great job.  I have a crush on Skyler Gisondo despite knowing he’s straight and married.  Walton Goggins gets on my last nerve, there is just something about him no matter what he’s in I am not a fan of his.  Seann William Scott is also really hot but he was only on this year, I’ve always had a thing for him ever since American Pie.  I’d love to see his Stiffler!

Got in some play time with the cats.  Had some cookies and milk and got ready for the morning.  Watched a comedy crowd work special on You Tube to pass the rest of the evening.  I was supposed to shave and take a shower but I honestly didn’t feel like it and there isn’t anyone here to complain about it.  I will get it done tonight.  Got some new sweatpants to put on, they look really comfy, hope my eyes are deceiving me. 

I am working on a big project at work, most of my part of the work is done but I am waiting on another team to finish their part so I can complete mine.  I am also waiting on the mistake maker to sign in and complete his part.  We talked last week so any day now.  If his part isn’t done by Thursday I will be calling him again and probably will wind up doing his part I really hope it doesn’t come to that. 

Found out that another clusterfuck is in the works a project is starting to take shape and I really think this is money that they are wasting but it’s not my money.  It’s also going to cause a bunch of work for me in the short and long term, so hence why I am not overly excited about it.  No one asks me for my input – management just does their stupid thing thinking they know best when that is not always the case.  Guess that’s why I am a worker bee. 

Today isn’t so bad.  My wrist is bothering me a little bit.  I didn’t sleep in the brace last night and wow that was refreshing.  I had to put it on this morning for a while while I was doing some keyboard and mouse work.  Right now things are okay.  I hope whatever I tore, sprained or messed up heals up pretty fast and that this won’t be another lingering thing that I have to get used to.  I see the doc in a few weeks and I will be sure to mention it to him.  Damn me and my bad luck. 

Well just about time for a meeting so I guess it’s back to work and then I can go up and enjoy some lunch with the cats.  They have both been greeting me at the top of the stairs when I have went up a couple times.  I know they miss me and are both eager for attention plus some food.  I really lucked out with them.  Rudy tried waking me at 6 but since I wasn’t having it he let the alarm clock do the job at 7a.  I set the alarm just in case but most mornings Rudy or my body do the job on their own, the alarm rarely goes off. 

Hope the sun is shining where you are and that your having an awesome day.  Thanks for stopping by. 

Still Kicking

Hi everyone, hope that your all doing well.  Thursday evening I opted to port my cell service away from AT&T, they made me mad.  It took mere minutes for that to go through.  I ported to one of their MVNO’s so I was still on the AT&T network just had a better deal or so I thought.  I realized after the fact there was no Active Armor spam/junk call protection and no call forwarding.  Things started off bad with the port over in that I had data service but no voice service.  It took hours to get that fixed.  The MVNO tried to pass it off as a problem with my device but in the end it was a problem with the activation and it had to be re-sent three times before it went through.  That mixed with the aforementioned things I discovered after the fact made me regret my decision.  I actually lost sleep over this, which is kind of silly. 

Friday morning I woke up at 4am and just couldn’t go back to sleep I was sick over the whole thing.  I called the MVNO that I just ported to and told them that I wanted to port back to AT&T.  They put up a little bit of a fight but in the end gave me the codes so that I could port away.  I was one of the first calls AT&T got on Friday morning to port back.  I was told that since it had only been a day and not longer than 59 days I could port back and it would be as if I never left.  If only that was true.  There was a technical issue that kept AT&T from completing the port back but the transfer went through so as soon as they fixed this technical issue I would be back with them.  They told me I had to wait 48 to 72 hours for that to get fixed.  It amazing that I could port away quickly but porting back was some how more complex.  I called bullshit and just kept calling until I got someone who was able to complete the port back.  It was a lot of time on the phone.  Once the port back was completed I though I was done for sure but that was only half of the battle. 

I got a bunch of text messages from AT&T telling me that my data was throttled because of excessive use.  Then I got a warning that my bill was over $100 and then another warning that my bill was over $200.  Seriously I knew something went awry.  That’s when I logged into my account and found that I was on a new rate plan and didn’t get my old rate plan back.  That started another round of phone calls and being transferred around like I was on a merry go round.  Never mind that Friday was just another work day for me and things were super busy at work so I had to talk with AT&T and work at the same time.  Not fun at all.  Eventually I was told that the rate plan I had was grandfathered in and quite old they didn’t offer it any longer.  I apparently forfeited it when I ported over but no one told me that.  I was told that things would go back like they were, just another lie.  They wanted to charge me $20 more than I was used to paying them and I wasn’t going to stand for it.  They offer a rate plan that was similar but actually a bit better of an offering on their pre-paid side.  I was a post-paid customer and had been ever since I was a teenager.  This is how they are rewarding me for my loyalty by lying to me and making what should be very simple and straight forward process more complicated than it needed to be.  I asked to convert over and was told I needed to go to a corporate store to make that change. 

I went to the corporate store and they told me that my account was locked and I had to call in to customer service they would be the ones who could remove the lock and make the change.  Turns out that it was a protection feature they offer that I enabled called Wireless Lock that was causing the problem.  I got another person on the phone went I went back home and he walked me through how to remove that so he could make changes.  He knew his stuff and I wished that I had talked to him much earlier in the day.  He got me converted.  Just when you though things couldn’t get worse they did for a bit. 

When we hung up he had transferred me to pre-paid customer service.  Their automated attendant told me that I needed to call from my pre-paid cell phone for security issues.  However, I had no service since I hadn’t paid for it.  I called for help but kept running into the same brick wall and couldn’t get a human on the phone.  Finally logic kicked in and I had an option on screen to make a payment on my account without logging in.  I did that and magically my phone came back to life.  Then I was able to complete the setup process.  It was a little after 5p when that happened. 

I spent all damn day on the phone with AT&T, minus the short trip to their corporate store.  It wasn’t a total waste they had a hottie that I was eyeing.  He was busy with a customer but I wished he was busy with me instead.  Fucking cute and hot!  Anyway, I did some testing and confirmed all was well. 

I was physically drained and mentally wiped out.  I had a bunch of rush work that I completed and hope that I didn’t mess anything up since I wasn’t fully concentrating on work.  I think I am okay but it’s a bit of a blur to me. 

I had some supper and passed time with the cats until it was time to leave for my massage, which I desperately needed.  My back was a landmine full of knots.  Just when she though she got them all another one would pop up.  It hurt like hell but I knew that I would feel better in the end.  As I was turning over I did something to my wrist on my dominant hand and something felt like it snapped and I was in pain.  It wasn’t horrible but it didn’t feel good.  I said nothing and when I got home I wrapped up that wrist.  I had some chocolate cake and milk.  Then watched some TV with the cats and went to bed.  I was exhausted like I haven’t been in years. 

Saturday I woke up with the intention of trying to get ahead at work I’ve got some work looming and based on the fact the boss is on call next week I know that no one will do a damn thing and it will all fall to me.  Well I was still a bit out of it.  I wound up sleeping most of the day away and didn’t really get going until 3p.  It was pouring buckets outside and while I hate going out in the rain I needed to get out and go for a drive.  I had some Mexican food which was enjoyable and then came back home after stopping to grab the mail.  It rained the whole time I was gone and it was colder out too, so much that I had to grab my winter coat.  I got in front of the computer when I got home but I felt much like a zombie and said screw work I am getting away from the computer and watching TV.  I went to bed early.  The cats wanted to play but I wasn’t in the mood for that.  I felt bad about it because this wasn’t their fault but I just had to zone out and get back to sleep. 

This morning I woke up feeling much better.  Had Strawberry French Toast and Eggs for breakfast.  Pretty damn good.  Didn’t fill me up but I had enough that I was satisfied and think that I will be ordering the same thing next weekend.  Hit up Target and found the Greenies treats for the cats, they cost $2 more than what I normally get them and I got the same size container it just wasn’t as full as it could have been.  Picked up a few other items and I just knew I had spent $100 and I was right.  Had a hottie for a cashier which was nice.  Then on to the grocery store where I spent less than I normally do.  Came home and put everything away. 

Then as per usual I got in front of the TV.  I wanted to get in front of the computer and kind of wish that I did because I had much to do.  I wound up watching TV and napping.  I didn’t think that I could possibly nap with all of the sleep that I had from the day prior but I was wrong.  I got up an hour earlier than I normally do.  Passed out lunch for the cats.  Had a donut and a soda.  Then put out my pills for the week and got in front of the computer. 

I decided that AT&T was going to pay for the hell they put me through and I went on quite the letter writing campaign which cost me time, ink, paper and $7 in postage but if I get what I want out of it then it will be time well spent.  I not only wrote AT&T but regulatory agencies as well as legislative bodies.  I think I will get something out of this but time will tell.  I should probably have my head examined for sticking with them after how I have been treated.  However, in the end I did wind up saving myself money and getting a better rate plan.  It also appears to me that I got away from their dumb administrative fees that they tacked on to my bill when I was a post paid customer.  As a pre-paid customer I only pay a 9-1-1 fee as well as taxes, which amounts to like 40 cents.  Everything works just like it did before and I should be getting a refund for the service I had already paid for, just have to wait for that to come rolling in. 

I am still mentally spent but tomorrow is a new day and unless something goes awry I should be able to concentrate on work and be more productive.  Here’s hoping that I don’t feel as mentally spent as I do at the moment. 

I know that was quite a lot of yapping but it feels good to share.  I know that no one else would put up with what I have.  I kind of created my own nightmare but honestly it shouldn’t have been such a nightmare to port back and I shouldn’t have lost my original rate plan.  I never understood why there was such hate in the world for AT&T but after this I totally get it.  They suck and are awful but if it wasn’t for their superior spam protection I would dump them and not look back. 

Well here’s hoping that things get back to normal and I can look at porn, work and just exist in my own world with my two cats.  They both knew that something was wrong and they have both shown me extra affection and I have really enjoyed their support.  Animals are amazing.  Feed them, pet them, take care of them and show them affection and they are your friends for life no matter what, no judgement.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again if it wasn’t for these two cats I don’t know how I would have made it this far totally on my own after Gator passed. 

Bring on the sunshine, good times, and hot guys!  I might not be able to post tomorrow or much this coming week but I will certainly try.  Thanks for stopping by.  Take care!

Mid Week

Is it only Wednesday?  Feels like weeks have gone by in just two days.  Yeah, it’s been that kind of busy.  I almost forgot to scoop out the litter boxes last night.  Things calmed down after business hours but I wound up covering my bosses on-call because he was still sick.  Looks like he’s back today but I’ll bet he won’t want to chat it up in our meeting today.  I am banking on that and hopefully that means it will be short, sweet and to the point. 

Not sure why but my computer is humming right along this morning.  I’ve got several tasks going on in the background along with being connected to work.  I love it when technology actually works like it’s supposed to.  Beats fighting with it and struggling. 

Got in play time last night with the cats.  Rudy acts like he is interested but he’s only putting on a show so that I will play with his sister.  She is the one who really wants play time.  However, they both have their moments where they seem to get in to it heavy.  It’s like the zoomies kick in. 

I had a dream that I was on a massage table and the therapist was using some new tool on me, it hurt like hell.  I woke up sideways and Rudy was making his biscuits and getting comfy next to me.  I managed to fall back asleep since we still had an hour.  It was an interesting hour as the dream continued.  I woke up feeling quite sore.  Don’t imagine Rudy had anything to do with that.  I think this is my body’s way of telling me it’s due for a massage and I knew that already.  It’s on the books but I’ve still got a couple more weeks to wait. 

Had the Pork, Mac & Cheese bowl again from Stouffer’s.  I added a little bit of BBQ Sauce to kick it up a bit and it was pretty good.  Desert was half a slice of chocolate cake and washed that down with a glass of milk.  It’s a wonder the drugs for my blood sugar work so well, otherwise I’d be in serious trouble. 

Not sure if I mentioned it but if it’s duplicate I blame it on my memory which is affected by stress.  That said, I picked up some Nature Valley Muffin Bars.  I got Apple Cinnamon.  They are bars but taste a bit like a muffin, pretty good.  I just fell back into the Granola kick and saw them while I was grabbing the Granola Bars.

Today is supposed to be the last nice weather day for a few days.  We have rain moving in through the weekend.  I am eager for the weekend.  Not exactly looking forward to Saturday because I have to treat it as if it was Sunday and get up early and go grocery shopping.  It’s not then end of the world though.  I can come home and take a nap. 

I’ve managed to make it to one of my lulls in the day.  I know this won’t last but damn it would be nice if it could last say for a few days.  I was lucky enough yesterday to be able to lay down and take a nap, despite a couple interruptions.  That felt so good.  Surprisingly I had no trouble falling asleep because I went right back to work/stress and that wore me out. 

Got some Man Candy scheduled to post this afternoon and I hope that you enjoy it.  Take care and I will talk with you soon.  Hope all is well.  Thank you for stopping by!

Max Pressure

Well Monday is over.  Here we are at Tuesday.  Life is a little better for me but not by much.  The boss called in sick today so no bullshit meeting.  That’s the good news.  The bad news is that I have to run an afternoon meeting that he normally runs and I will very much be in the spotlight.  I hate it but I’ll get through it as I have done it before.  Everyone tells me that I run that meeting way better than my boss does and they would much prefer that I take that job on full-time but I really don’t want it and thankfully those words haven’t made it to my bosses ears, otherwise he’d push this off on me for sure. 

Being the prick that he is (my boss) wrote me last night and told me that he’s got the evening covered and that I should get some rest.  He should have done the majority of the work I did yesterday because he’s covering for the mistake maker while he’s out.  Long before the mistake maker joined us when the boss was on-call we all pulled together and covered him.  Now it’s just me and that is not right or fair.  I am not the smartest person on our team but I am the one who seems to do most of the work.

I made the grave mistake of wanting to make a good impression and over years of doing that work has quietly managed to pile up at my door.  That’s just as my predecessor warned me it would.  Honestly things wouldn’t be horrible if I wasn’t covering this week for my boss.  However, since I am I really feel the pressure it’s like being on-call for two weeks straight with one week off.  He really wanted me to cover him on Sunday but I told him no way in the world that would happen.  It’s Easter and I’ve got plans. 

My stress level is maxed out right now.  I went to place an Amazon order yesterday and I just knew I was forgetting something.  It wasn’t until just a few moments ago that I realized that something was water filters for the cats.  A couple weeks ago I forgot to clean out their litter box for three days.  That’s the max I have made them go, thankfully my memory started functioning again.  I worry that I am going to forget something important or something critical.  Be it personal or work related.  Plus my ability to make mistakes goes up greatly when I am stressed. 

On the bright side I found some new Melatonin at Target.  It was the only way I could find it in pill form but I paid through the nose for it.  It’s a clear capsule with three pills in it.  It’s supposes to be time released to not only help you fall asleep but to stay asleep.  I am having some really nice and enjoyable dreams since I have taken it.  I still do wake up but only for short periods and then I am right back to sleep.  Perhaps it’s all psychological marketing but it’s working at the moment. 

I finished off that awful pizza last night, glad it’s gone.  Had some cookies for desert to help wash the taste out of my mouth.  Then a bit later in the evening some Blueberry Lemon Sorbet.  That was really good but I would enjoy it more without the Lemon. 

The procrastination monster told me to skip unloading the dishwasher and my shave/shower last night.  However, I didn’t listen and got both of those tasks knocked out. 

Fun fact about me you probably didn’t know I don’t like Mint.  I mean it’s great in Thin Mint Cookies or Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream.  Otherwise I am not a fan of the flavor Mint.  Well all adult toothpaste is flavored Mint.  I griped about that at the dentist and they told me switch to kids toothpaste.  You get the same benefits and the flavor won’t be mint.  I got some color changing toothpaste from Crest it goes from Blue to Pink and it’s Strawberry Flavored.  If the color doesn’t change you didn’t brush long enough.  This stuff is so good I could eat it but I know better. 

I am ready for a nap, massage and vacation.  I suppose all good things come with time and I just have to be patient.  It’s a little calmer today but didn’t start off that way.  This is probably a temporary lull before I am swamped again but heck I am enjoying it. 

Hope that your having a good day.  Rain is in the forecast for the weekend.  It always rains around Easter and were supposed to get another Monsoon, at least that is what they are saying.  Fingers crossed my repairs hold and have done the trick. 

Thanks for stopping by.  Talk with you all again soon!

Stressful Monday

Happy Monday, if there is such a thing. It's been another whirlwind day. My boss is on-call this week and that means I am the only one on our team that is taking the day to day stuff. I've had my fill of this crap and I let loose in an email to the rest of my team telling them that they need to get off their asses and help me, however it wasn't worded as frank & exact as that. I am still waiting for a reaction from anyone but I think it will probably sail over their heads. Had some of that left over horrible pizza for lunch and eating it cold brought out a little bit of flavor but it's still horrible pizza. I've got half of a slice left and will be happier when it's gone but I am not going to throw it away just because I paid for it. A short post for Monday because I got to get back to work. Talk with you all again soon, hope all is well in your world!

Groundhog Still here

I went out to inspect my work and found that the last hole that I filled with just a little bit of sand was dug out.  That tells me the groundhog is still here.  I’m guessing it’s the original one and not the child that they had last year.  I say that because this was the common hole that groundhog has used for years. 

The other two holes remain closed with the sand.  That’s the hole the new (kid) groundhog dug last year as well as the other hole by the sump pump drain. 

I saw some bricks laying out and used those to prop up the drain pipe so now it’s level and water will fully drain out.  I saw an issue with the dryer vent and went to fix it.  Pro tip never work on your dryer vent when the dryer is running.  My hands got a little burnt and it stung for a while but all is back to normal.  I got the dryer vent fixed.  It’s a plastic screen that covers the bottom so that critters don’t try to enter it. 

Had Mexican food from the usual place.  The waitress knew exactly what I wanted to eat and drink, she confirmed with me and I told her she was right.  Saw a little eye candy but it was a straight Mexican guy, still he was nice looking. 

I’ve cleaned the house, Mora made me do that before I left.  She also demanded to get fed early.  I think she was doing her brothers bidding but hey it’s fine.  I passed out treats an hour early when I got home at 5. 

It’s in the 80’s outside and I had the AC on in the car.  Used the ventilated seat – there is nothing like feeling cold air on your back and butt while you sit on leather.  It’s great.  One of my vehicles better features that I have come to enjoy. 

I am up to no good downloading porn and listening to some Spotify tunes on a curated for me play list.  Kind of a different way to spend the evening, plus it’s cool & comfortable down here.  I know I will have to go up eventually and deal with the humidity and heat as well as lug up the last load of laundry. 

You are probably getting used to multiple posts and hey I like it as well but it’s not going to become a new trend.  Since I have no idea what the work day/week has instore for me I figure I might as well get it all out now while it’s fresh in my mind.  Tomorrow my brain could be scrambled eggs.  Stress affects me in various ways depending how stressed I feel and I have caught myself doing or not doing normal things.  My short term memory is the first thing that goes.  I’m so glad that I scheduled a week of vacation even if it’s a month away it’s still in sight and each passing day brings that time closer and closer. 

Have a good evening and again best wishes for a great week ahead!  Talk with you soon.

The Hole Saga

Happy Sunday!  I went out for pizza last night.  I had the worst pizza of my life.  Tasteless and full of grease.  I ordered two slices which in regular terms is about a half of a pizza.  One of them filled me up.  I took the other one to go.  Perhaps it will be good cold but I am not eager to find out.  I will go back to this place but just won’t ever order their pizza again.  They have plenty of other options, one of which is a baked Cod Dinner and that sounds really yummy.  I got to see a lot of cute guys but the place with dimly lit and the lights flickered like crazy, that was annoying.  Service could have been better but my waiter was juggling multiple tables and I think that in it’s self was quite the act. 

When I came home I checked on my handy work outside.  Everything was just as I left it and nothing appeared to try to claw it’s way out of the ground.  Which is good news.  I need to go check on it again just to see how things have faired overnight, I expect to find it in the same condition.  After this next look I don’t plan to keep checking on it.  I am fairly confident that I didn’t bury anything alive, just want the piece of mind of knowing that I am right about that. 

The Water Softener cycled over night and good news it’s not a broken drain line.  This was all just as I thought rain water.  Now it’s a matter of waiting to see if my repairs fixed the issue and for that I have to wait for the next rain fall.  I think that will occur later this week.  I will keep an eye on the forecast.  We need another monsoon for true test but I will take whatever will fall from the sky. 

I’m working on the last load of laundry.  Still need to clean the house but I am putting that off just because I want to put myself first and let other things come second.  I’m choosing to pamper myself a bit. 

Got started on another fantasy story last night, it felt really good.  Once I got to a stopping point I watched some porn and while I was really tired I put my all into it and got the results I wanted.  Then it was time for bed.  Not right away but shortly there after. 

Slept okay and woke up early just to turn over to wake up again and do the same thing.  Eventually it was the right time and I hauled out of bed.  Fed the cats, threw on clothes, got my meds and headed out for breakfast and then usual morning shopping.  I ordered way too much food at breakfast and won’t ever do that again.  The positive take away is that I am learning from my mistakes.  Made my Target run and I spent about as much as I would spend at Sam’s Club but got far less to take home. 

Tonight I am thinking Mexican for supper, unless I get some other wild idea.  I’ve been thinking about it ever since I sat down at Breakfast.  Back when my late spouse was alive we always had a tough decision to make on where we wanted to go but that was pleasing two pallets so the degree of difficulty was higher because we often each wanted something the other didn’t.  However, we compromised and gave in to each other.  Now I just have myself to please and while it sounds easy that is also not so often the case, primarily because I put others first and don’t prioritize myself. 

Yesterday I got curious and wanted to check the battery on my phone.  I was at like 87% performance the last time I looked which was last month.  Now I am in the 70% range and it’s telling me to arrange for service to get the battery swapped out.  I’ve never had a battery swapped in an iPhone I usually just get a new phone.  However, I really like what I have and while I would like to upgrade by the time you factor in the stress of getting things situated on a new device, accessories to buy and the cost of the phone in the long run it’s far easier to just keep what I have.  The good news is that there is a Best Buy close and they are authorized to do the work.  Apple says that the cost is like $79 which isn’t bad but retailers can mark their cost up.  I’ve read that it takes anywhere from an hour to two hours to complete.  I still have to research what is needed to get this done, in other words if they need my passcode because I really don’t want a stranger looking at my data so I’d have to make some quick changes to lock things down and probably remove my work email for safety.  If next weekend wasn’t Easter I’d schedule it and still might.  If not then for sure the following weekend and I know I will be on-call but I don’t want to let this go a long time because I have a feeling that the battery performance will continue to drop like a stone and before you know it I will be boxed in.  The good news is that the work is done by appointment only and you can schedule everything from your phone, which makes it nice.  Once I do get this scheduled I will let you know how it goes.  My phone is roughly 2 1/2 years old. 

Since I am talking about my phone seems like the perfect time to gripe about AT&T.  They are making changes to their auto pay discount.  They did this a couple years back saying that if you enrolled in Auto Pay and gave them a debit card they would give you $10 off and a credit card would give you $5 off per month.  With their changes that take effect later this month they will give you nothing for a credit card, unless it’s an AT&T Credit Card through Citibank.  The will give you $5 off for a debit card and if you want the $10 discount you have to give them ACH access to debit your checking account.  Their security sucks and they have been hacked more than once.  I had no qualms about giving them a debit card because all of my debit cards are locked.  It looks like they charge my debit card but I always logon and pay by credit card.  So I’ve been getting the $10 discount all along.  There is no way in hell that I am giving them ACH access to a checking account or even a savings account.  If they get hacked again and I did that I would be sunk.  You can easily get replacement credit or debit cards, that’s not so easy when it’s a bank account your talking about. 

This change has me pondering to switch my primary cell service over to Visible which is run by Verizon.  I’ve got a line of service with them and opened it for dating purposes but it’s the line I use for data because it’s truly unlimited and it’s only $25 per month.  They just changed up their line up so there is a $35 option that gives you more of a premium network experience with faster data and better video options, plus it’s all unlimited use.  They don’t tack on fees or taxes it’s all included in the price of the package you choose.  Plus you can pay by the month or the year.  If you pay for a year of service there is a greater discount.  I had a horrible experience years ago when I ported over to Mint Mobile and I swore that I would just stick with AT&T and pay their bullshit fees and prices.  However, I am kind of at my breaking point.  The one thing that AT&T does right is their spam and text protection, provided that you subscribe to the pay option, which I do and it’s around $5 per month.  I’d loose that but Visible has some spam and fraud calling protections in place, they don’t offer a pay option for better granular control.  However, I use YouMail for voice mail and they have pretty good spam call protection in place.  I did the math and it would save me roughly $11 per month.  That the $5 for the call protection I pay for and the $6 for changing my current rate plan to Visible.  I’ve got a low cost option with AT&T since I don’t really use them other than for calling/texting and the cost of my rate plan is $40 per month before discounts and then added taxes and fees.  It works out to $36 per month now and that is for 2GB of data per month.  Go over that and it’s $10 per gig.  Texting & Calling are unlimited.  Since I have essentially test driven Visible I know they have coverage everywhere I am at.  I’d love to break up with AT&T but in the end I wonder if it’s really worth it.  I’ve also thought about asking them to bar or restrict data on my account and just give me a plan with unlimited calling and texting – they can do that but the question is will they?  They did for a large company I worked for in the past who would have some folks not have data or other folks just have data only and no calling.  However that was a commercial account and big business for them.  I am just a small fry and in the grand scheme of things they could careless if I stay or if I go, they are still going to turn a profit.  It’s just that I’ve had AT&T service ever since I was a teenager and cell phones came into being more common place.  That’s a hell of a long time.  I am pleased with service I just hate the bullshit fees and the fact at a whim they can increase those fees (which they do) and you get little if any notice and there isn’t much you can do about it short of switching.  Apparently the other carriers have or will be making similar changes to their auto pay programs but I don’t let anyone debit any bank account ever in today’s world the risk far outweighs any reward that I might be offered.  I’ve got enough to worry about as it is I don’t need to add to my worry list. 

Thanks for reading my rambles.  Now I am off to scour the web for a bit before I give in and go up to clean the house and eventually head out for dinner.  I hope that the week ahead will be less stressful but I don’t expect that will be the case.  Still doesn’t keep me from hoping!  I hope you have a great week ahead and life smiles on you.  Talk with you all again really soon.  Take care!

Update on The Hole

In case you couldn’t tell I was apprehensive and anxious about this home repair issue.  I stopped by to see my friend but just missed him, he left on vacation and won’t be back for a week.  I talked with a couple of the guys and they agreed with my logic, which helped. 

I came home and got a short nap in and was woken up by guess what?  A work email.  It was from a vendor but the timing was poor as I was just drifting off and that sound brings me fully awake and quickly. 

That was my queue to get in gear.  I headed over to the home improvement store and went on the hunt.  Found what I needed which was a PVC elbow 1 1/2 inches and then 5 foot of 1 1/2 inch PVC pipe.  I got pipe glue and for good measure some PVC pipe cutters.  Then headed to the lawn and garden section where I picked up two bags of sand.  With taxes it was really close to $50. 

Back home I tested the pipe and everything worked out.  The pipe is sitting at an angle so some of the water will hang out in the pipe.  I am not pleased about that but this was a quick and dirty repair.  I applied the glue and shoved the pipe together.  Then plugged up all 3 holes with the two bags of sand.  Now it’s waiting to see what happens. 

Hopefully I didn’t just try to bury something alive.  I am sure that if I did it will dig it’s way out.  I am fairly confident that it’s empty but we shall see.  Fingers crossed. 

The other thing I thought of is the area that got wet has a drain line under it.  It drains the AC condensation as well as water from the Water Softener.  While the AC isn’t on just yet the Water Softener recharges and that uses a fair amount of water.  This could be bad timing and it could just be a broken drain line.  I really hope that isn’t the case because if it is it will be super expensive to fix.  I plan on making the water softener recharge tonight and then I can check it tomorrow, if it’s soaked then I will know for sure. 

However, I feel really confident that this was rain water that seeped in given that we had a monsoon.  I am still holding my breath a bit and won’t be able to fully exhale until I know for sure that it’s not the drain line and that the repairs I’ve made have fixed the problem. 

I am working on laundry and will be doing that for the rest of the afternoon / evening.  I am going to be leaving in a bit for supper.  Thought of a pizza place that I haven’t been to in easily 15 years.  They are known for serving large New York Style Slices but you can get a whole pizza if you want.  I ate there last with my late spouse.  They have salads, wings, pasta, pizza, sandwiches and fish.  I hope it’s as good as I remember and perhaps I will get to see a cute guy or two, nothing wrong with a little eye candy with a meal. 

What a rollercoaster of a day.  I am proud that I was able to tackle the job that I set out to do and I didn’t injure myself unless you count getting some pipe glue on my hands and nails.  The neighbors dog went nuts because it sensed my presents and was barking up a storm.  They clearly weren’t home and the dog was inside their house but I call it Sir Barks A lot for a reason. 

That’s the big update for now.  I will continue updates as I have them.  Here’s hoping that I have solved my problem, if so I count myself lucky because $50 is a small price to pay. 

Hope all is well in your world!  Thanks for stopping by. 

Hole results

I played with my endoscope.  I thought the head of the camera was motorized but it’s not.  There also wasn’t an SD card included.  I am still pleased with my purchase but I think I went a bit overboard with the length of the hose.  I don’t know that I will ever have the need to use this again but it is a unique tool that I don’t think many folks have.

It’s a little chilly outside but I am a firm believer in the saying don’t put off what you can do today for tomorrow.  I’ve often procrastinated and it has come back to bite me.  Given that I headed outside and did my exploring. 

It was quite clear to me that the groundhog either has died or moved on.  The newest hole was covered by leaves and it’s obvious nothing has come out of that hole since last year.  I am going to fill it in, most likely with sand but might use rock instead.  I tried to explore the hole but it was muddy and mud on the lens of a camera means I couldn’t see much. 

I moved to where the sump pump was and the hole that has been around for the longest.  Turns out I was right, the sump pump drains and forces water down that hole.  To me that explains the water issue to me.  At least this is where I am starting. 

I’m going to grab breakfast out tomorrow go see my friend at his shop and ask for his advice but I really feel like I am on the right track. 

The first order is to get the sump pump to drain water away from that hole.  The second order is to close off or fill the hole.  Doing this as a one two punch I think should give me the best results or so I hope. 

If after doing this I still have a water issue then I won’t continue to try to fix it myself and will call in a pro.  However, I think based on what I am looking at doing to start to solve this is probably something that I can knock out on my own.  I did some quick research and I might have to travel a bit to get some of the parts but I at least plan to stop in at my local home improvement store. 

What I’d really like to do is just close off the sump pump drain and have it drain into the sewer but in my area that is highly illegal and if your caught there are big fines.  I’m not looking to break the law but damn water intrusion does serious damage not to mention that it’s a breeding ground for mold.

I hate homeownership problems like this.  They just suck both mentally, physically and financially.  I guess I should have said they suck and not in a good way. 

This is going to be an interesting weekend and I don’t think that I will get a whole lot of rest but time will tell.  At least I am sort of away from work.  I’ve got an email connection but if I didn’t have to have that I’d turn it off.  I just need a break but it’s coming I just need to hang in a little longer.  That seems to be the story of my life, hurry up and wait. 

Stay tuned and I will tell you how the little project  turns out and what if any progress I make.  Once again have a great weekend!

 

 

Going hole exploring

Hey and Happy Friday!  It’s been a crazy ass busy kind of day.  Here it is 2:30p and I am just getting around to posting.  My mind is mushy and my body is so tired. I just need to get away from work so bad. 

Yesterday my time off I put in for my doctors appointment was approved.  It’s in late May just prior to the Memorial Day weekend.  I got to thinking I can have a bunch of time off for only the cost of a few days.  I put in for the week of Memorial Day.  I will have something like 10 or 11 days off in a row.  No way I will want to go back but damn it will be a good break.  Especially because things are going to get even busier than they already are.  It was a smart move on my part I am just waiting for the approval to come in, it’s already marked down on the calendar at work as if it is approved. 

I’ve had this nagging desire to get back to writing stories.  I strayed away from it for a while and just after I started a page of a story.  Last night I gave in and went back to it.  Damn it felt so good to write out a fantasy.  I’ve got a couple stories I am super proud of but most of them I feel are way too generic and have the same plot.  When I say write I am putting pen to paper.  I still have to type them up.  Wish there was an easier way to just OCR scan them but that hasn’t worked out for me.  Typing seems to be the best thing, plus I get additional thoughts or ideas and can change the story up.  My biggest problem is that I write about most every crush that I can think of so having a crush or a guy to put into the plot is becoming a challenge.  I do enjoy it but it’s a lot of work.  Heaven forbid if I wind up in the hospital or am killed.  Whom ever pours over my writing will see a side of me that they never knew.  What can I say I am sexually deprived and this is an outlet.  Healthy or not, it works.  I have left a note that the stories are all just that stories and there is no truth to any of them. 

Giving in and listening to that voice and desire, not putting it off or dismissing it caused me to sleep better and in general have a much more enjoyable evening. 

Amazon came through and delivered my endoscope.  This thing is pretty cool.  It came with a hook, magnet and a couple other attachments that you can add to the camera.  I hooked it up to a charger at lunch and checked on it just before I returned from lunch.  It was fully charged so I will have some time to play with it before I go trying to use it for it’s intended purpose tomorrow.  Not sure if it came with an SD card but there is room for one so you can take photos or video while your exploring.  Kind of like they do with colonoscopies.  There are several use cases for this tool, none of which include spying on ground hogs.  Now I just hope I get good results tomorrow and find empty holes so that I can work on getting them filled.  I also hope that I don’t find anything in the holes I explore that decides to attack me.  I am a bit fearful but they don’t call us screaming faggots for nothing.  I know how to make noise and run, which might be humorous.  More I thought about it the new hole the baby ground hog dug last year is when I first had this problem.  That’s the hole I am going after first.  I think that might be the culprit.  The other two holes have existed for years.  One of them date back to the days of Momma being outside before she gave birth.  She would hide under the patio.  Taz’s girlfriend did the same thing but she kept her family (kittens) in the hole with her.  Please lord do not let me encounter any skunks or snakes, or anything that could remotely do any harm to me.  Sometimes it’s not good to be alone.   

Enjoyed time with both cats on my lunch break.  They both took turns sitting in my lap and soaking up attention.  it was a good time for all of us.  That is until I had to come back to work. 

Here’s hoping that we all get to enjoy our weekend.  I know I am looking forward to mine.  I hope that I am productive but also well rested and if I get to have a bit of fun, that would be nice too. 

Take care and thanks for stopping by!

The Q word

Morning … We made it to Thursday, one more day to go.  I don’t want to say the Q word (quiet) but yesterday things did radically go from 100mph to 0mph.  Damn that felt so good and refreshing.  I am hopeful for a low speed if not 0mph day today.  Yes, it will make the day linger but I can bask and enjoy the downtime which I think is much deserved. 

Our meeting yesterday went really quick.  The boss knows how busy it is and just cut straight to getting to business there were no long formalities and no endless diatribes about the weather or anything else for that matter.  That’s just how I like meetings, get to the point so I can get on with my day. 

I’ve taken my WIN11 machine for a couple more spins.  It appeared that my display issue was fixed but then it came back to life.  I think it’s a graphics driver issue and since it’s a virtual machine it’s not something I can update, it’s something the system administrator has to do as it affects all machines in the virtual pool.  Sooner or later they might get to that.  For now I am keeping my head down.  I’ve voiced my complaint so I am just waiting and watching.  Hoping that the issue is resolved so that I don’t have to make a big deal out of it, but I know how to do that but it’s a big move and something that I didn’t want to lead with. 

Since my day slowed down it afforded me some extra time to spend upstairs with the cats.  Spring time means that mowers are going and my grass mowing team showed up yesterday.  The neighborhood in general sees a lot of these folks and everyone uses someone different.  One thing that comes with mowers is guys (typically) and sometimes they are hot.  None of my team is that way.  However, I saw a new guy on the team that was mowing the yard across the street.  He had a bright orange bandanna on, a little short maybe 5’6 to 5’7.  He was slender and had on a nice pair of blue jeans that showed off his pretty rear end.  He turned me on in all the right ways and I wanted him so bad.  Sadly grass mowing is all about time, the faster you move the more money you can make.  Teams are only at a home for around 10 to 15 minutes and then they move to the next job.  I remember back in the day I had a hottie who did all three tasks of mowing, trimming and blowing in 15 minutes by himself.  Now the standard is 3 people one for each task. 

I’ve missed people watching since I have been immersed in work.  It’s nice to see folks out walking and if I get to see a hot/cute guy every now and then it is worth it for me.  Looking is the only action I’ve gotten in a very long time. 

Brushed and trimmed claws on both cats.  Mora put up a little bit of a fight but she didn’t snap or bite me, just cried a little bit.  They both had quite the long sharp nails that could have easily done damage to me or to each other.  Normally I am the victim.  It’s either an accident, were playing or Rudy just makes biscuits and whatever bacteria is on his claws causes my skin to break out with bumps and itch.  Scratching makes it far worse.  I like to stay ahead of this but I do hate holding them down while I hack away at their nails.  The way they both act at times you’d think I was really doing something awful to them. 

While I was eating my snack I caught Rudy he jumped on the counter.  He took his sweet time and hoped that I wouldn’t notice.  I yelled at him right away and he knew to get down.  I think when I am sleeping or away he climbs up there to check out what is going on outside.  It’s the same view just a different vantage point than going to the patio door. 

Man I was so tired last night, just to ensure a sound nights sleep I took an extra sleeping pill.  I was up 3 times to use the bathroom, which is totally not normal.  I didn’t load up on water or anything before bed.  Makes me wonder where did all of that liquid come from?  I didn’t get a great nights sleep but it was average.  What hurt me was that I was a little chilly when sitting in the living room so I had a space heater on.  That got the house up to 77 and it was a little miserable to try to sleep in.  However, once I felt the meds kick in I made my way to bed and it wasn’t long after that I was sawing logs.  I was up at 11p, 12a and 5a.  Kind of felt like a longer night than day.  I could sure use some quality sleep.  Haven’t had a single nap that I can recall all week long.  Last one I took was last week. 

In a perfect world there would be cats, a great man for me (for some hot sex), food, naps and a quality nights sleep.  An ocean front view would be an added plus along with world peace.  What does your perfect world look like?