By the way...

I think Kelly Clarkson and I have some similar issues:





One for each of the two most important people in terms of my childhood. Let me just say thank you for my dearest friend--and whom I consider family--who 'raised' me in my 20s, taught me to love others and myself, and whom I can always count on. I've got your back.

Home from 'Grimm'

which I enjoyed. I came home and closed the blinds, and fished a part of my windchime that is usually in the window that a fellow player gave me years ago off the couch. It had had slipped off its ring when the guy took it down to put the blinds in. I got that back on, got the chime back up, and went outside to see how it looked to have the blinds down. Wow. If I wanted, I could dance naked in my living room and no one outside would know. For years I've had open curtains (still there) with sheers up, so technically naked dancing could be risky. :)

Tomorrow I'm going to try to get my driver's licence, as there is an office across town open in the morning on the third Saturday of the month. Fortunately the state finally sent me my refund (all $26 of it), so I can give it back to them in the form of payment for my ID and then have enough over for maybe a drink and a breakfast biscuit at McDonald's. :)

After that I need to take someone somewhere while having a come-to-Jesus meeting as well. What I have is an almost uncontrollable urge to smack the person, but instead I will be the adult and talk instead.

After that, I have no plans. I could come back home and work on the house (and the game notes--I've been a bit distracted this week). Or a friend and I could do something fun, maybe. I don't know. We'll see. But it's not a day crammed with plans like a normal Saturday, and that's great. I don't know yet if we're playing the Cthulhu game on Sunday; I'm assuming we are, and need to finish the notes, therefore. But I don't know for sure.

Okay, my phone is telling me it's bedtime. I'll write tomorrow. Hope your week went well, and here's to a happy weekend.

Oh, dear

So I came home and immediately noticed that I had mini-blinds. That in itself isn't a problem; I knew I was getting them and I wanted them. But, I thought they were going to put them in next week, giving me the weekend to excavate the bedroom and to move the plants and boards and blocks from in front of the living room windows. Apparently they worked around the plants and the mess. I decided to go ahead and put the geraniums, which are quite large (there are three, divided into two window boxes, having overwintered two years now) out onto the sill outside. While I was out sprucing them up and watering them, the maintenance guy who put in the blinds drove up and assured me that he hadn't moved the plants, but that he'd had to take my sheers down because they go on the inside of the windows just where the blinds need to be. I told him that was fine, and apologised for the mess, but he said that was no problem. I must admit, I am embarrassed. I actually had dirty clothes on the bedroom floor, for example, including underwear.

Anyway, I like the blinds. The sun was streaming nicely through them when I got home. The weird thing about them is that while the bedroom one fits the single window, the blinds in the living room are not two singles, but one large one (there are two windows, together, making one large space). It's kind of nice, but I didn't expect it, although if I'd really looked at my neighbours' windows, I would have already figured that out. Fortunately too, I don't have cats anymore, as cats are death to blinds. I did move out the geraniums (after talking to him and calling the office--my leasing agent had told me the reason for the blinds was to make everything look uniform, and I wanted to make sure the plants were okay). She's off, but the assistant said she'd double-check when her boss gets back Tuesday, and in the meantime, go ahead and put them out. So the only thing down in the sill now is my antenna for the TV. The blinds allow a lot more manipulation of what people see, but with the geraniums being so tall, the blinds could only be down about half to two-thirds of the way down, and I wanted the chance to put them down completely. I also rearranged the other plants so there's more space, and the ants are terribly annoyed, as I removed their source of water, the fountain. I put one of the bushier plants in front of the window so that I had a bit of a screen between the window and me sitting at the computer.

The forecast is 70s in the day, 50s for the evening for awhile, and sunny for the next few days, so I think the geraniums will be fine, and they were only moved about four inches in front of where they'd been, so the sun shouldn't burn them. The bees and other insects have already shown interest; they were trying to get through the screen earlier, big bumble bees, because two of the geraniums are blooming. All the rearranging will help me be able to open and close the windows better.

It's 6 pm. 'Grimm' is on at 9 pm, and I'll be going over to YKWIA's for that, probably about 8 pm. I think I may lie down for about 45 minutes right now. It's cloudier than when I got home, but the windows are open and the temperature is pleasant, although I'd like to be nearer to the fan. I still plan on getting things done around the house thie weekend, though.

I'm officially online again

1. Modem received, connected, and activated? Check!
2. Wireless router connected, configured, and working? Check!
3. Vonage router connected and phone working? Check!
4. Computer works either with Ethernet or Wi-Fi connexion? Check!
5. Printer connected via Wi-Fi? Check!
6. Printer printing? Check!

So it took awhile, but I got all my ducks in a row, finally. I had specifically asked for the same level of Internet I had before, which was 20 Mbps and came with a wireless modem all-in-one. Instead, I got standard Internet (which, granted, is cheaper by $10), which is 15 Mbps, has a wired-only modem, etc. Fortunately I still had my old wireless router, and was able to find the cord for it as well (they had become separated). Everything else was still in place, so I hooked it all back up to the modem in the correct order, reconfigured the connexion on the laptop and the printer. I couldn't get the printer to print via the USB, but it will wirelessly, so I'll worry about that when I get the desktop back. Besides, I think I had that set up via Ethernet anyway. I had expressly asked them to FedEx my cable modem to my workplace rather than my home, since I've hardly ever been able to get packages via post or UPS at my apartment, and I figured this would be no different. Apparently they sent it to my home address anyway, but they took it to the leasing office, and when I checked if it had been delivered (which was a conundrum, as the truck had already been to work and it hadn't arrived), I noticed our leasing agent's name on the signature rather than anyone from materials management at work. So I went by and got it.

I also went to the doctor today and was told my wrist issues are not in my wrist at all, but stem from my neck, so he's given me an order to return to physical therapy and work on my core in an attempt to help my posture so my neck doesn't slip a bit and pinch nerves. Dr. Favetto is really big into posture. We have a new employee at work who came from there and when I mentioned I had an appointment, she said he'd tell me to work on my posture, which he did years ago when I went, and then repeated this time. :)

Anyway, I should be posting more now that I'm online more reliably. Okay, it's been a long and somewhat exhausting day. I think I'll go relax a bit. Good night!

I'm hot

So I didn't get my nap till about 7 pm,  which was okay,  as I was talking with various friends on the phone.  I slept till a little before 9 pm,  had some Greek yoghurt and blackberries,  and then commenced excavation of the dining area.  I filled a single copy paper box with various things to keep,  had a small pile of important things to go elsewhere (like my will),  and then a huge amount went into the recycling box,  which is mostly full now. My back hurts a bit from all the bending,  but I have a sense of accomplishment.  I'm also hot from the activity,  even though the heat was off and the windows up.  Now I've turned the radio off,  gotten into a sleep shirt,  and I'm stretched out in bed in front of the fan.

If only all problems could be solved by sorting them into boxes of what to keep and what to let go....

Correction

It's actually a fairly substantial colony of ants. :( I may have to head over to Kroger later for something to take care of it. And the fountain may just have to go live outside for a day or two. I keep feeling like they're crawling on me, even though they're not--my computer desk is in a corner near the window they're swarming from.

Today has been about getting used to changes and being one phone call away when needed. But I'm having a quiet night alone at the apartment, and I've had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a banana, and some string cheese, so I'm good for the night, hopefully. I brought some very sturdy copy boxes home from work over the last couple of days in the hopes of doing some spring cleaning--putting loose things in the boxes and then going through each one item at a time. Basically I want to contain things and make it easier to break down the process. I also need to water the plants and add some to the fish tanks. They're not dangerously low, but they do need some. My violets and geraniums are blooming nicely. I've put a couple of sprigs of my Christmas cactus which fell off into another pot and hopefully they'll root.

They sent the modem out today and I should get it tomorrow, although I'm going to be at an appointment or two tomorrow afternoon, so I may have to come back later and see if it came. Tomorrow I should be away from home in the evening, but I'll try to set it up after I get in. I'm just using the laptop at home right now; a friend still has my desktop borrowed.

I didn't sleep much at all last night. I went to bed early, about 10 or 10:30, and I slept till about midnight. After that, it was all tossing and turning back and forth. So I think I'll take a short nap before proceeding with my afternoon.

There is a very annoyed bee who keeps trying to get to my geraniums through the screen. :)

Okay, time for a nap.

I am

Incredibly sad on someone else's behalf tonight,  and I should be angry,  too,  and I am,  but that is overshadowed by numbness and utter disbelief. And those are my feelings,  which really don't matter in the long run.  I am concerned more about the other person's feelings and state of mind.  I wish I could make this better,  and I can't; I'm a fixer by nature and this is not something I can fix. I can only be there and love the person,  and maybe in some was that will be enough.

I have found a small colony of ants

making their way back and forth from the front wall to a rarely used fountain that still has some water in it. It's in the sunny living room window surrounded by plants. Occasionally I have seen an ant on my computer desk, so I decided to investigate. This is not good. I'm used to having trouble in the spring at work, but I've never had them in my home here, and it's usually fruit flies that are the issue in the summer. So, I guess it's time to find some decent ant bait.

I also just made arrangements to get my Internet/Wi-Fi back. Time Warner Cable processed my payment and will send me a modem within two days. I just have to tell the folks in our materials management that I have one coming via FedEx (I can never seem to get anything directly sent to my apartment).

I had a great appointment with my endocrinologist today. I went from a Hemoglobin A1c of 9.6 (pretty high, although the highest I've been is 10.1) down to 7.1 (which is in the range they like to see diabetics) in just three months, and it would probably have been better but the last two or three weeks I've struggled with my medication routine. Still, I'm back on track, so it should continue to stay decent.

I came home and did a little straightening up in the kitchen and living room before even taking off my shoes. Now I'm going to get something to eat and try to tackle the dining room, which had a lot of laundry on the table but now just has lots of random stuff. I brought home a couple of copy paper boxes, and I'm going to sweep everything into them and then go by things one by one. Hope you're having a good week so far!

It was very nice today

to have someone doing historical research in my library. Most of the collection is medical, specifically paediatric orthopaedic. But an older gentleman has over the years given us the annual proceedings of the fraternal organisation associated with the hospitals, and he occasionally comes and uses them to do research. I found out today that he was born the same year the hospital was opened--1926, meaning that they will both turn 90 this year. I think that's remarkable. He's preparing for a speech at our annual Hospital Day, in May. It's a Sunday (it always is). I usually skip it (I've been to one, the system's 75th anniversary one, when I first started, and the problem with that was the crowds and being surrounded by a bunch of men dressed like clowns--something I'd never really encountered and had not had a problem with previously). I just don't feel comfortable in that setting. It's a big open house, with lots of the fraternity members but also the general public, attending. This will be our last year in this building. Maybe I should go, even if it would mean missing the game. I don't know, I'll think about it. It's going to be a sad year, I suspect. I had someone else excitedly tell me today that the clinic would be getting their own colour copier in the new building and she wouldn't have to bother me anyway. I told her I wasn't sure where the 'main' copiers for the building would be in the next one, as there would be no library. I guess she didn't know I wasn't going. It looks like they'll decentralise some. I didn't mean to make her feel bad or anything, I was just stating the facts. But I will miss my little library (you can see it in the orchid flower pictures, it's not big at all, and I own more books than they have, really, if you don't count the journals). Next year will be 20 years of my life devoted to it, and then, just like that, it'll be over,m and I'll be laid off. So I can't think of the move without feeling sad. :(

I don't normally blog on Sundays

Mainly because that is the day I play Call of Cthulhu,  and it's an all day thing,  between cleaning and playing and a few things afterwards,  usually from about 9 am to 10ish pm,  and actual play time is about 5-6 hours.

We had a good adventure tonight,  a time-traveling one involving shoggoths and Elder Things, along with dinosaurs. It was fun.  Six shoggoths coming towards him made one of Brenda's characters go mad temporarily (it would most people--Google 'shoggoth' if you're curious,  especially images),  but at least it was after we kept them from rampaging into the town of Arkham through a time gate.  Since there's not much we can do about shoggoths,  we picked him up and just ran for our lives,  getting back to the time machine and getting out of there. We dropped him off somewhere he could get help,  and hopefully we'll return to Massachusetts in 2011 forthwith. (The time machine,  like the Doctor's TARDIS, is a bit sketchy at times,  and we were on the Titanic briefly about two hours before it met the iceberg at one point.)

After the game,  I made YKWIA some fish and rice and we watched a great episode of 'Ugly Betty',  I helped him find something which was unfortunately accidentally placed in the trash and taken outside,  but was undamaged and contains one of my character's family tree along with their psychic gifts,  so I was happy to root through a bag for it.

Now I'm home,  happy,  content,  and in bed., ready for the workweek. Hope your weekend went well.  Tomorrow should be warmer (in the 70s, as opposed to 50s). Yay!  I may wear a skirt.  I'll check to see how windy it will be,  though.  :)  Good night.