What did you do today?

[zannej]

I tried to turn the soup my brother made into a stew by making a slurry with corn starch. Didn't work it seems. I will try more but will use beef stock instead of water. My brother put pectin in it and it didn't work (which, mom told him it wouldn't work but he didn't listen).

My brother took out one bag one bag of trash. I replaced the bag, cleaned up and filled the new bag up, and emptied 2 other trash cans. Trash is supposed to be his thing, but he rarely does it. I'm going to try to tackle more of it once I get him to pull the full bag again.

He had the gall to lecture me and give me stink eye about not immediately washing a new pan we got (this from the guy who never cleans up after himself and who has ruined countless pans by burning stuff into them). He was being all judgmental but I just laughed at him. It's funny how hypocritical he can be sometimes.

My mom might want to go visit our friend today, but his ex is back sleeping on his couch. Mom wants to see the baby but does not want to see his ex. The ex already got kicked out by her boyfriend's family. She was so busy trying to get back with my friend that her boyfriend got mad, changed her password on all of her social media accounts, and then stole her medicine and overdosed on it. His family kicked her out and threw all her stuff in the trash. My friend has given her up to one month to get her crap together and find another place to live. He said if she breaks the rules or causes drama, he will kick her out before then. Also, her dumb behind spent her entire stimulus check on cigarettes and crap instead of paying her fine and court fees. She can't get a job until she gets that paid & my friend isn't going to pay any of it.

 

[Jon]

Sounds like you need some decent friends zannej

 

[zannej]

My friend is a good guy, but he tends to let himself be a doormat. He's too nice to let his ex be out on the street. I actually offered to go get her stuff and store it in my workshop if there's anything left of it tomorrow. Hopefully they won't burn it. I'm concerned his ex thinks that this is a way in to get back with him. She said the other guy was treating her like crap once she moved in with her, but it sounded to me like she was the one treating him like crap. I'm not going to be mean to her though. She's still not as nasty as his previous ex. His first ex's current boyfriend is a really nice guy. We'd hang out with him if the ex wasn't in the picture. LOL. He and my friend get along great. I think his 1st ex is depressed though. Her daughter says she stays in bed all day, has put on more weight, won't even get up to feed her kids anymore, and does absolutely nothing but yell at the kids and her boyfriend. The boyfriend works full time and still has to do all the cooking and cleaning (or getting takeout and cleaning).

My friend's 2nd ex got a note from the court to use for her job interviews to say she's no longer charged with a felony and that she took a plea deal for disturbing the peace instead so she's no longer on the hook for jail time. I hope she doesn't expect my friend to drive her.

On the upside, today is my last day of taking antibiotics. I'm still doing nasal cleansing though. It sucks, but I'm feeling much better than I was. Still tired, but I think it's because I need to exercise more and build up my stamina.

Tomorrow I'm going to take a shower at my friend's house (no hot water working in the shower at home still-- tried fixing it and it didn't work- couldn't find the right replacement cartridge for the 40+yr old handle).

 

[zannej]

Went to get mail. Wasn't planning on it but Mom woke me up & asked me to go before closing. Got home just in time for my video card to die. One of my brother's un-neutered male cats sprayed the side of my computer and it went through the vents. I used his computer to look up new cards-- all sold out and comparable ones that weren't were $600. Contacted a friend who also looked for video cards, then he told me to come over and see if he could fix it. Cleaned it up and it still didn't work. He pulled out my brother's video card that had stopped working. Friend refurbished it. It's newer than mine so it's an upgrade. It worked. Gave my old card to another friend who was cleaning it thoroughly. I told him if he could get it cleaned and working he deserved to keep it. He always seems surprised when I'm nice to him. He's used to women treating him like crap.
Got some packing tape and plastic sheets to cover the vents on the side of the computer (they were meant to have a fan on them & we couldn't fit a fan with new configuration when I had to replace the old fans). I'm planning to make a cover for the top so cats can no longer sit right over the fans and if they puke on the computer it won't be able to go into the holes on the top.

Feeling better today but still tired. Dissected 2 rotisserie chickens (deli finally had them in again) and made shepherd's pie for dinner bc Mom didn't want the chicken.

 

[zannej]

Friend blacked out from sitting up too fast at work and busted his teeth on one of the arcade machines he was working on. I had to take him to the dentist & get his two front (top) teeth pulled bc they both broke badly. He needs 4 more teeth pulled later on. He's getting 2 more pulled in a few weeks. Of course, his employer isn't covering it.
Visited him today to bring him some Aleve and see how he was doing. My brother harangued him about the ex staying there & he got upset. He never got his stimulus check so we're pretty sure it got garnished to go to child support (bc they never reviewed his paperwork about his other ex making fraudulent claims about him owing back child support). The kid has been with him most of the time anyway, but the court system here doesn't care.

Went grocery shopping and my brother does not pay attention to how expensive his food is. Forgot several things bc I didn't write down a list. Will have to go back later. Made dinner and am trying to get to sleep.

Saw a post on houserepairtalk forum of someone asking about flooring. Anyone want to weigh in? What is this stuff

Any chance that flooring has asbestos?

 

[Floorist]

I don't comment much on any of the DIY sites. I get tired of guys who have never installed insisting that I am wrong. On one site I explained that you dab clean spots on carpet and that a hard brush could take the twist out of the yarn. I had several people argue with me. The op finally thanked me, said he did it my way and the carpet looks new.

 

[Floorist]

 

[highup]

I bought an Airsoft because the ammo is cheap? . Looks like a Beretta. I've been putting piles of seed on the railing put a little birdies to eat. Blue Jays keep coming in and makes a little birds scatter. When an airsoft pellet lands anywhere near the blue jay they disappear rather quickly and the little birds immediately come back. Works just as good with a squirrel but he's more persistent. He hops into the nearby holly tree and vocalizes his unhappiness with our new toy.

 

[Floorist]

how I picture zannej

 

[Floorist]

Hope I did not offend zannej

 

[zannej]

I know what you mean about the people on forums sometimes. I've seen some arguments break out with some members, but it is nice when people listen & take the advice.

LOL. Naw, drawing looks better than I do and it's pretty accurate-- although I keep treats locked up in plastic bins. I sometimes have a cat on each shoulder. My desk is next to my bed & I have circulation issues so I keep my feet elevated. So, I'll have cats on my shoulders, cats on my chest, cats on my abdomen, cats on my legs, cats on my feet, and cats clinging to my arms. Sometimes they do manage to get on my head. LOL. Btw, I'm not easily offended. You could have posted a pic of Jabba the Hut with cats on him and I would have found it funny.

Earlier I was drinking water. Cat headbutted my water bottle and made it splash all over me. I cursed at the cat and he acted like I'd hit him. Went running out of the room and hid under the table. He was afraid until I called his name and made kissy noises. Then he came out and climbed on my shoulder.

I did some cleaning, watched youtube videos on leatherworking, made dinner, and fed the cats. One of the cats decided to go outside the litterbox & mom stepped in it so I had to scrub her slipper clean.

I want to make a leather eye patch for my friend but I want it to be comfortable & functional as well as looking cool. Trying to figure out the best design. The leather I have is soft so I'd have to double it up. I think if I take some paper and trace around his eye and get the placement for his nose bridge, I can figure out how to get something the right size and shape and then figure out how to get the right contour. I saw a guy who was using detachable sports lenses inside soft leather, but I'm afraid that would break. I want something rigid but that can flex instead of break. If it loses it's shape I want it to be able to be bent back in shape. The medical eyepatches are all huge and ugly.

 

[highup]

No way that you did. I think that's a pretty neat visual. I've never had any critters of my own my entire life. I have however work for hundreds of people heck thousands of people over the years that have never lived a day in their life without a pet. When you have pets pets are family.

 

[Jon]

The only reason I work is to keep cat in the lifestyle it accustomed too

 

[zannej]

Mom woke me up claiming she had low blood sugar so I had to heat up leftovers for her & listen to her babble about Dimash. LOL. Been trying to get back to sleep.

I think I've gone a few months without pets and it was miserable. I love pets. One of the reasons my dad wanted a farm was because he loved animals and wanted to have a bunch of them. So we had goats, pigs, horses, ducks, chickens, geese, turkeys, guinea hens, quail, pigeons, gerbils, hamsters, rabbits, cats, dogs, & cows. The cats were always my favorite.

 

[Tom Picciani]

Numbers are coming down here in Lancaster. My local favorite pizza shop may open their dining room soon. Used to use them almost every day for lunch. Then covid turned them into takeout only. The takeout window is always busy.

Thought I had a water leak in the stairwell. Found out Hunter was digging his claws into the corner of the wall when he was barking at dogs going by. I repaired it with mud and painted it. But he started at it again. I think I'm going to put some flat molding into the corner to cover the area. I'll just put 3 or 4 coats of poly on it.

Vaccines should be available soon in my area. 2 major drug store chains are setting up their reservation sites as is my doctor's office. We'll see.

Cold and windy here. Snow expected Sunday through Tuesday. We'll see.

 

[Floorist]

Vaccines are starting to show up. The sign ups are a mess. None ask health conditions, only age. But it is supposed to be based on age and/or health conditions.

 

[Tom Picciani]

The ones I filled out had health conditions listed. CVS pharmacy as well as the Pa website

 

[Tom Picciani]

I thought I was in the 1B category but apparently I'm in the first group with healthcare workers and nursing homes. Diabetes and heart disease, and 63. But they say I'm 1A. Sounds like the draft! Not sure I want to still work from home. At least at home I don't have to wear a mask all day. But not seeing anyone is tedious.

An Italian Restaurant in York County, not the pizza shop I mentioned earlier, opened 2 weeks ago. I think we're going to try it. Haven't been there since the virus shut everything down. I go into withdrawal when I can't go out to eat!

 

[Floorist]

I thought I was in the 1B category but apparently I'm in the first group with healthcare workers and nursing homes. Diabetes and heart disease, and 63. But they say I'm 1A. Sounds like the draft! Not sure I want to still work from home. At least at home I don't have to wear a mask all day. But not seeing anyone is tedious.

An Italian Restaurant in York County, not the pizza shop I mentioned earlier, opened 2 weeks ago. I think we're going to try it. Haven't been there since the virus shut everything down. I go into withdrawal when I can't go out to eat!

We ate breakfast out 3/4 times a week for years. Have not done it since last spring. I miss it, but we have saved money eating at home. Two of the restaurants here have had waitresses test positive for covid.

 

[Tom Picciani]

Our mailroom at the university just closed due to a positive case. Only one person was exposed to someone that tested positive. That person got it and spread it to the rest.