23 April 2022

Tom:  When you go to the commissary, I need some vitamins from GNC. 

Me:  I will need specifics.

T: hands me a card cut from a box, with information about his vitamins. 

24 April 2022

M: with help from shop girl, finds exactly matching box of vitamins, buys 2 on sale and brings them home.

T: Oh, you bought the package with envelopes...I only wanted the vitamins.  

M: [Argh!]

Hello, Blog,

I'm a little sorry to say you seem to have been replaced by Facebook.  I like a lot of things about FB - seeing what people are up to, seeing photos, video chats, and the like.  I also don't like a lot of things about FB - having total stangers want to argue with me over a comment on a friend or family member's post, posts from 'Duffle Blog' and 'The Onion' that are taken seriously, because people do not realize these are farce sites, that sort of thing.  No one ever said anything unkind (that I remember) on the blog, but man, do they feel comfortable jumping all over you on FB. 

Anyway, this is just a quick note, written off-the-cuff with no real thought to it.  Not sure why I felt compelled to write today.....

July 2015

Busy. Busy. Busy.

I finally got myself together and found us a rental house for vacation this year.  We are going to Lake Gaston, NC.  Both kids and their kids are coming -- except Zach, who will be very busy himself this summer.  I believe he will be at camp until we get back.  We have invited Tom's mother to join us, too.

In preparation for our vacation, I have pulled a couple of extra shifts at Luna's House -- where I volunteer with rescue dogs.  I will miss a shift while I am away, so I hope to make up for it by covering an open shift or two.

We learned on Father's Day that T.J. has PCS (Permanent Change of Station) orders for Malmstrom AFB, Montana.  He has asked for some help preparing his house for sale, so we will be doing that this weekend.  Jodi even said we could bring Lola -- so I think she really wants some help!  I also relish the opportunity to see the boys.  I am going to miss them while they are adventuring in Montana.

Tom's Mom has kindly included me in her theatre subscription at Cockpit in Court again this summer. We saw "The Wedding Singer, the Musical" and it was great.  Jen filled in for sister-in-law Linda, who couldn't make it.  Jen seemed to enjoy the show, too.  We also saw "Don't Drink the Water" with Renee filling in for Linda, who still couldn't make it.  I hope she can be there for this Friday's "Thoroughly Modern Millie."

Jen's High School Reunion was this past weekend.  We got to have Ryan, Lily, and Bella for the weekend while Jen and Jay traveled to Hampton Roads.  I felt a little sorry for Jay, and gave him extra 'husband points' for being willing to go along with Jen even though he wouldn't know anyone there.  Turns out they both had a great time!  Jen was specifically meeting two friends and Jay got along famously with their spouses -- so much so that the guys did a few things on their own, leaving the girls to enjoy each other's company!  We enjoyed having our grandchildren, too.  We went bowling, played a couple of rounds of Harry Potter Clue, played a card game called 'Rats,' and just enjoyed each other's company.

There is more going on, but I need to get to bed.

I think I want to try to keep a few memories here -- I have enjoyed going back and reading some past posts -- like the one from May 24, 2011...it's a good one!

That moment when your husband tells you (because you ASKED) at 9:00pm that his mother is coming at 8:00am....

His very picky mother.  The one who runs her finger along the top of her daughter's fridge, looks at the finger and says "How can they LIVE like this?"

I do sometimes wish I were a better housekeeper....

Tom's Birthday Truck

Long story shorter...

Tom's brand-new truck has been totaled.  He didn't even have it three months!  He was rear-ended about 5:45 in the morning last Tuesday on his way to work.  The other driver came off of I 95 and hit Tom (who was driving on Rt 100) at a high rate of speed.  Tom was on cruise control at about 58 mph.  The other driver actually drove off, his front end crunched and the engine smoking badly!  Tom followed, called 911 and reported the tag number and was told to stop following, which he did.  As he turned around in the neighborhood he was in, he spotted the car and eventually led police to it.  It was a rental, the driver was gone and there was a beer can in the cup holder.

So tomorrow we sign the paperwork turning the truck over to the insurance company and get the check that repays our  'excess equity' in the truck.  Tom's new truck should arrive at the dealership by Thursday.  Until then, he drives a rental.

As hard as he was hit, we are both fully aware he could have been seriously hurt or worse.  As it is, he has had no aches, pains or other problems.  Thank you, God!  I would appreciate it if You would continue to look out for him.

15 November 2014 Additional note:  On October 23 (Dina's Birthday) Tom bought the same truck, one model year newer and a darker shade of gray.  He seems happy with it.

23 May 2015 Another Additional Note:  Tom's seven month old truck has been rear-ended!  So hard to believe...   He was almost home, travelling slowly in the heavy traffic getting off I-95 at our exit when the vehicle behind him got rear-ended hard enough to push him into Tom.  The bumper, tailgate, lights, and back quarter panel are all damaged.
The other guy's insurance company is covering the damage.  The truck goes in Tuesday for about a week.  The Insurance will provide a rental during that time.  Whew!

The business/financial world is making me crazy today....
1) The MVA does not give refunds on vehicle registrations that have less than a year left on them. So, even though the collision that totaled the truck was someone else's fault and we have 48 weeks left to the year, the State of Maryland keeps our money. 
2) "Bait and Switch" at Walmart. Tom sent me there to have some pictures developed. There was a sign on two of the photo-printing computers - "15 cents per print for 100 or more prints." However, "those machines are broken." The only machines available charge 47 cents per print...
Also, an item in a bin marked '.97' rang up as 1.97. Check the sign on the bin - it was the wrong item in the bin. *This* item sells for $1.97.
3) Finally, I received a check in the mail from our mortgage company. When I called to get a pay-off amount, the clerk was very specific that I needed to mail the check for the amount she gave me that very day. Otherwise, I might receive a bill later for .28. What? They would bill me for an amount less than the cost of the postage to send the bill? OK, I sent it that very day. Today, I got the refund check from the payoff and funds left in the escrow account. That check is over $400.00 more than the amount I sent as the payoff!

Yellow Jackets!

Yesterday, our Lola was stung *twice* by yellow jacket wasps in our yard.  Tom and I knew the wasps were there, but we both had a 'live and let live' attitude about it; well, they blew that!  Poor Lola did nothing more than walk past their nest in the wall of our garden at the end of the path out our back door, and they attacked her. I felt just awful for her - the first sting was to her paw, just above the pads. I actually saw the wasp, but Lola was shaking her paw, so I couldn't grab it.  She ran for the door and I called out to Tom to let her in.  Poor baby licked and licked that paw, and limped when she walked and generally looked miserable.  I got an ice pack to put under her paw, and she allowed it for a little while.

I was researching methods to treat dogs stung by wasps when Tom rushed in with her again, and said she had been stung.  Poor girl was turning in circles, trying to reach her tail.  Her spine condition makes it impossible, so she was frantic.  I looked and ran my hands over her, looking for the sting, when a wasp dropped from under her tail - and I STOMPED it, stupid thing.

So I gave her a dose of Benadryl and made a baking soda poultice and applied it under her tail (the things we do for our pets) and she fell asleep for awhile.  She seemed fine when she woke up, except that she really wanted to be close to Tom or me.

Today, Tom went after the nest.  He had tried spraying the opening in the wall.  That killed lots of wasps, but we continued to see plenty fly in and out.  So Tom removed a stone from the wall, which gave him some insight into the issue.  He asked about the astilbe planted there, and I told him the wasps must go and do what he had to.  He uprooted the plant and could see the nest.  He removed something a little larger than a softball; later he told me there was some of the nest left in the ground and he broke it up with a shovel.  We still see a few yellow jackets out there, but I hope they decide to move on....