Let's get at it, 2024

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It was supposed to be a teaching moment, open the door and let the grandbaby feel the rain.  He loves the outside and the water.  Gentle rain, no lightening, I just let him have at it.  Totally soaked and the biggest smile on his face.   

The pot plantation is moving forward.  Seems like everybody with money to invest wants in on this.  My SIL is pretty stoked.  He's estimating to be operational within a year.

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The bathtub spout wasn't working because of all the hard water deposits.  I soaked it in CLR, supposed to be the best stuff for that.  Didn't do shit.  Soaked it in vinegar and water, works just fine.  Smells like vinegar though.  

Think I finally hit rock bottom over the death of my friend and am on my way back up.  Something happen with my mother unrelated on Friday.  I ended up leaving her house in tears over something I normally just blow off.  This other lady started giving me shit on Sunday.  Oh lady, I told my friend I didn't want her and it would be up to my friend to manage her but now it's on me.  Oh yeah, I can deal with a bitch like her!  I am not taking her shit.  

So the chapter I was writing ended with me on a train and I haven't moved on.  I did see what might be a side character.  I don't like him.  He passed me in a truck and was looking directly at me in his side view.  Didn't have a happy look on his face either.  He might be one of the cooks but I have no idea why he's give me a look like that.  I remind myself I can write him out of the story.     But there seems to be a Black-Throated Wind theme going on and the Dead channel has been playing it a lot.  Black-throated wind simply means people talking shit about you, at least to me.  The song sings "I left St Louis, city of the blues, in the midst of a storm I'd rather forget".  I always relate to that.  I may work with that theme for a bit.  Not really the happy place I was wanting to head for.  Might be the chapter title.

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Imagine my surprise when the black shoes I got in the store, the material turned a royal blue purple.  I had to have somebody at pinball come out and look at them to be sure I wasn't seeing things.       I placed 3rd last night in the playoffs, no trophy to dust for me.

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Susan says I have functional freeze.  Beka says I have long term covid.  My sister says I'm just overloaded.  You can't accuse me of not reaching out.     I guess it's not that bad, nobody has referred me to a pro.  Or expects any less from me.    I guess it doesn't show. 

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The guy is coming tomorrow to have us pick out the color choice for the siding.  He didn't say to have a check ready.  I'm just hoping he gives and ETA on getting it done.

My last day on mom watch.  She has a tooth that hurts her when she eats but didn't want to call the dentist.  She has an upcoming appointment.  Other than that I returned her no worse than when I got her.  She said she had a good time.

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Cluster fuck with the siding but we took a little step foreword.  It's going to come down to if I can afford it and we can't get the color the neighbor wanted.  The strangest thing is this morning a corner piece of siding was leaning up against my trellis.  Matches my stuff perfectly yet neight the siding guy or I can see where it came off my house.  I thought it might have been some drunken adventure from the neighbor but he claims to not know anything about it.  We've had winds but there is no other house with that color siding by us. 

[cineater]

   Sandy called this morning laughing her ass off.  She tried using and oral thermometer to take her temperature.  Her mouth is all fucked up from the cancer so she couldn't get the thermometer to stay in her mouth.  Normally that's not funny considering the circumstances but there's just a point where you either hysterically laugh or let it crush you.  It was good to hear her laughing again.

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I'm cool with my sister.  Apparently a two week vacation was enough for her not to come home and be pissed about having the family Thanksgiving dinner.    The place they stayed out for the motorcycle rally in Texas was a dump.  One of those resorts that is barely hanging on since all the water dried up.  And it was hot!  She did go to Waco to see all the stuff from the TV show with Magnolia Farms.  Learned Chip and Joanna put their hand prints in the stuff they built so they had a good time finding those.  She had the best time when they finally got back to the 5 star casino places the Indians run.  Can home a little bit up on the gambling.  Hadn't heard from mom since she came back.    I am not the favorite child.

Today is National Coffee Day and International on Tuesday.  I'm in!  Maggie gave me some Crio Bru--Brewed Cacao to go along with our chocolate garden theme.  Going to give that a try.  Don't think I'm going to like it.  I'm prepared, I made a pot of regular I'm going to set to the side.  Wouldn't want to ruin the celebration.  I may take some over to Sandy.  It's football night.  She's not leaving the TV.  

[cineater]

Another long text from Susan on all the things going wrong and what she's doing today.  I comment, add stop by the church and exorcise whatever demon is fucking with you.    That flipped condo she got was lipstick on a pig.  And her car is long overdue to be replaced.  We're checking out Friday and leaving.  The car is at the shop and if we get back in time to get it, fine but otherwise it can stay there till Saturday.

I have so much shit going on I can only focus on today and tomorrow.  Not really think about what day it is or the date.  I get in the car, yeah there's an electrical problem going on but I'm ignoring it, and remind myself there is Grateful Dead music in the world and I can make all that go away.    I'm staying up all night because I enjoy the peace and quiet!    I have hoped onto a fast moving train with a black throat wind when you open the door.

The coffee was good for the first cup while it was hot.  Something between a tea and coffee.  Second cup was, I've had enough of this flavor.

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The story is moving. 

I'm awake in the boxcar now.  I can hear the voices from a few cars up.  The wind is blowing in with it's words of a life where nothing is new. I shut the door, strike a match and light the lantern.  It's night now.  Eldron shows up with some food for me and the guys.  They are grabbing crates and setting up for a card game.  I sit down in the back of the car with my back against the wall.  Penny a point ain't no one keeping score.  The only narrative is when the bag that holds the bottle is passed to me, I say, sure, why not?  I'm not really thinking anything about the easy banter of the guys, just enjoying what I'm seeing before me.  We're riding on the City of New Orleans.

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Little shell shocked.     Coming back from our road trip and I get a flat.  Turns out I need two new tires.  Was by mom's house when it happen so I borrowed her car for the night.  Sounds easy but it took 3 hours and I have to go back to get my car out of the shop.  Came home to deal with food poisoning.  Long story short, I have to clean the carpet from the couch to the sink.

Two people screaming at me this week, car problems and sick. I'm grounding myself to tomorrow.  Nope, can't talk to my friends or leave the house, I'm grounded.

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Good thing I left my phone on.  My friend's mother died this morning.  She said there was something special about seeing her take her last breath.  I always thought it would be better if my daughter didn't see that but now that she said that, I think she's right.  I need to hang on until my daughter gets to be there.

It's been a sucky year in my corner of the world.  Heat is accumulative, I can tell you sucky is too.  Big dark cloud has come down on me.  I keep waiting for it to pass but it keeps coming.  If 2015 was my most recent best year, 2024 is going down as the most recent sucky.  The thing about sucky, it's like childbirth, you forget after a while when you see what came after it.

Cleaning your car or maybe having a clean car is supposed to give you an instant happy.  Kind of does because who doesn't like a clean car and all that shiney glass.  I put that last on my list today but while I was doing it, I noticed I was still in my nightshirt.     I got side tracked in the middle of getting dressed this morning.

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I feel better.  The house, the car and the yard are in order.  Got my paperwork and appointments all scheduled.  I have my shit together.   

My brother did finally break the news to my mother of all the trouble his son is in.  Didn't come completely clean but that would have given mom more to stew over.  Blamed a 52 year old man for getting him into this and is sending him $100 a week to spend in jail.     Mom took that rather well.  You know it was something every 6 months with that kid for years.  That's over.  Kind of a relief.

Next year is looking up.  My niece is having a baby boy.  And if you haven't heard from my mother, my daughter is having unprotected sex.     When she tells everybody that she at least adds it's with her husband.  Can't just say my daughter and her husband are trying again too.  Heads up, you ever meet my mother expect an inquiry into your sex practices.  Doesn't care about STD's, it's the getting pregnant part and expect a lecture even if you practice birth control.

[cineater]

Amazon prime day!  I think I just clicked off over half my Christmas list.    That was easy.
The baby gave me his cold.  What can you do when he's sick and crying but pick him up and get it yourself.

[cineater]

Yeah no, I'm going with having my siding repaired on the house and changing out the trim color.  Way out of my price range to do the whole house.

Susan is buying new flooring for her house.  Wants to know if I will come over and help her move stuff to get ready for it.  Didn't I just move all that stuff in? 

Day two of cold.  I don't think I've had one of these since I left work.  The kids can stay home with their own sick baby from now on.  They gave me covid for Mother's Day watching the sick baby.  Of course they were too sick to care for him so that was a have too.  And whenever he's sick I do wish I could be there for him so I guess that watch your own kid isn't going to work out.   

[cineater]

Day three of cold and I think Zicam really helps.  Feeling much better than yesterday.

Medicare capped out of pocket cost for Rx's at $2,000 so my advantage plan cut the over the counter benifit in half,  no more $200 a quarter towards extra doctor visits and no free rides to the doctor.  None of the changes really affect me.  I'm sure the cap on medication costs help out some folks.  Little changes all the time but all in all I'm happy with the medicare program.

The guy forgot the gutters in his quote, just made the price go up on the siding.  Really not doing that, give me the price on plan B.  The neighbor has decided to go with grey.  Not going to match my beige side and that's still no color.  If it looks funky, park in the garage and close the door.    I'm a backyard person most the time anyway. 

[cineater]

3 days without me and I think my world survived.  They all forgot I was going to be busy.  The texts and phone calls were pretty heavy the first day.  I responded late to all of it but a picture of a mountain size pile of rock slowed them down on day two.    Day three and I have half of them getting the message.  Shhh, I finished up early and am screwing off.  

Eldron, the man cracks me up.  He can't ride a motorcycle worth a shit.  He was turning into my subdivision.  I saw his foot go down and he was rocking the handlebars after making the turn.     He has no confidence when he rides but jumps on one when he needs to.  Made me smile.  Love when the characters just show up when I'm not thinking about the story.

Susan gave me an air fryer, no manual with it.  Have never used one but I'm going to give it a try.  Chicken breasts with a buffalo chicken rub.  I'll see how this comes out

[cineater]

The air fryer was not what I expected.  I don't make fried foods so I was surprised when my chicken came out crispy.  Slightly over cooked too.  Don't think this is the machine for me.

[cineater]

George Foreman Grill   

I just realized these guys keep dicking around with the siding I may not get Christmas lights up this year.  As it is I went all summer without the patio lights.

Amazon is running ahead of schedule.  Then again I did order within the first 10 hours of prime day.  I need to open up all these boxes, sort and see where I'm at.

[cineater]

Susan closes on the hoarder house tomorrow.     Little bit sad too.  It was here family home for over 45 years.  I have to say I thought it was interesting.  Still traumatised.