In the garden, and RAIN!!! (2)

POSTED BY: SIGNYM
UPDATED: Wednesday, September 16, 2026 03:18
VIEWED: 345176
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6IXSTRINGJACK

Saturday, April 18, 2026 7:50 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by SIGNYM:
My god, you were an Energizer Bunny!

Yeah... lol. I wouldn't have done that, but until I finally wrapped it up I had so much "stuff" in the middle of the floor, and I really wanted it all put together and looking nice before my dad got here. I can tell that he's been down for a while too, and I wonder if my mood has rubbed off on him. I'm trying to get him back into good spirits before his "bucket list" trip. He's about to go on a cross-country car ride and see a bunch of stuff, including The Wizard of Oz at The Sphere in Vegas.

I told him that I'm not going to call him at all while he's gone, but he's welcome to call me if he wants to (but he really shouldn't). And I told him to tell my brother not to call him too. I don't think my dad has had that kind of alone time since he married my mom in the 70's, and I think it will do him a lot of good to just be alone for the first time in almost 50 years.

He's going to come here and spend the night 2 or 3 nights before he goes. He's never done that before. Now that I have the living room all put together and looking great, I'm going to buy my first flat screen TV. I found out that they do ship them to your house, so I'm going for the 75" Samsung that's on sale for only $345. I've already got a nice soundbar with the BOOM, so we're going to be watching movies in style from now on when he comes by on my nice leather recliners.

Quote:

Yanno, aside from being a handyman, you seem to be a good organizer. There are plenty of ppl who would pay to have their homes uncluttered and organized!

Who knows... Maybe I'll think about that. My plan right now is to get as much done on the house as I can between now and about mid-fall and hopefully get the last of the major preventative stuff done so I don't have to worry about that when I get a job. I need to get a job on the books because if you don't have 5 years worth of quarters in the last 10 that you worked and paid taxes, you can't file for SSID. That's not a thing I need to be worrying about with the diabetes. If I start working this winter I can have that emergency fallback option available to me again by the time I'm 52.

Although, I guess I could just do that type of work sporadically if I'm doing my own taxes. As long as I get even one single gig in a quarter and pay taxes on it, that counts as a quarter you paid into the system.

Quote:
Originally posted by SIGNYM:
I've only had one night terror but it was scary as hell.

What an awful night for you!

Did you see anything/anyone? A lot of people don't, but they still have that dread and fear and can't move.

It wasn't really that bad. If I had a job to go to the next morning it might have been because I was up about 3 hours before I finally got back to sleep. It's not as if the feeling of fear stays with you after you're out of the dream. At least it doesn't with me. It's just so weird.

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Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Saturday, April 18, 2026 7:57 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:
Okay thanks for telling me that it would be too big for my place. No worries. It looks like it would on the page.

I didn't exactly say it was too big for your place. I know from what you've said that you don't have a ton of space and you have that extra dresser outside of the room, but I don't really know what you're looking for or what kind of free room you have for things. But if the measurements really were 14" by 74" and that wasn't a typo, that would be 6 feet 2 inches long. But you said it was a square, so I didn't think it really was those dimensions.

Quote:
I tried looking at the website for what I saw in the store and their website is useless.

Thanks for trying to help. Though if the store still has it maybe I can get the measurements off the ottaman itself. Will see.

How much was the product, do you know? The square Navy ottoman I posted was $59.99. Anything huge there was PRICEY. So how much did you think you'd be paying for it? That might help narrow it down.

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Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Saturday, April 18, 2026 8:11 AM (P)

Mowed the back yard for the 2nd time, so it's finally short and looks good. But I didn't get to the grocery store in time because I was out there sanding things down on my horses all day in prep for paint. Sanded down a nice 12"x64" shelf from my grandma's which I'm going to paint glossy black to match my current TV stand, and I'm going to put rubber feet underneath it so it can rest on top of my existing TV stand without scratching it and my new TV will actually have a surface for the legs. I didn't cut it to size yet because I want to know exactly how long it needs to be to hold the legs of the TV without sticking out a foot on either side. I believe I only need about 52" for that.

Got all the shelves for the over the toilet cab and medicine cabinet done as well as the 2 doors for the toilet piece. Got a whatever I could get sanded with my power sanders done on the 2 units as well as the shelf with the towel rack underneath. Fully sanded down the bifold door for the small bedroom closet (I'm going to use the one I currently have on my linen closet across from the bathroom for that closet). I also sanded almost the whole bi-fold door with louvers that will go on the linen closet.. I don't even know where I got that thing over the years and forgot I had it. Nice knowing that I don't have to pay $80-$100 for another door when this is all done. Still have to sand down one side of the louvers by hand since I ran out of daylight before getting it finished. That takes SO FREAKIN LONG!!!

Once I finally get all of those bifolds painted and installed, that will be 2 more rooms in the house finished.

These new Ryobi sanders kind of suck. The bags for the dust collection do not stay on at all, so the sanding really has to be done outside. But I just found out today that the design for the tube going out to the non-working dust collection bag just gets in the way of sanding stuff if you're not sanding a flat surface. Trying to sand those cabinets with this thing was harder than it needed to be. I'll have to do a lot of hand sanding inside on those. I'm glad that the older Ryobi sanders I used for the kitchen cabinets were engineered so much better otherwise that job would have sucked even more than it already did.

I'd rather be painting tomorrow, but I think I'll just finish sanding down everything I can think of that still needs sanding for my upcoming work so I can paint all the stuff all at one time. I've got 4 sets of horses now, so I can set those all up in my 2 rooms in the basement. If I'm painting them inside then it doesn't matter how the weather is outside. Might as well do what needs to be done outside on the nice days and save the painting for the crappy days.

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Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Saturday, April 18, 2026 9:21 AM (P)

Oh... right. I didn't touch the mirrored oak medicine cabinet door yet. I'm really debating whether or not to unscrew 24 freakin' screws necessary to take the mirror out first. I don't want to use power tools on it with the mirror in place. Obviously not on the inner part of the face of it by the mirror, but anywhere. I noticed a the thinnest of hairline cracks in my huge and heavy mirror I have mounted on my entryway wall in the living room (the one I took my avatar picture with). Just like the kitchen cabinets the high-gloss white has held up perfectly on it over the years, but even though nobody has ever or probably will ever notice that hairline crack, I do. I don't know if I did that myself when I sanded that thing down by hand out on those horses or if it was always there, but once I've seen something I can't unsee it.

See... This is why I write things out. I've just talked myself into taking the mirror out. Of course I'm going to take the mirror out. I would never forgive myself if I broke that mirror because I was being lazy. And unlike the mirror in the living room there are going to be 3 or 4 lights directly above it showing off any hairline crack to anybody who uses the bathroom. Uggghhh...

I think I'll throw on my sweats and and go out and get it from out of the shed now. I could do that right now while I'm watching YouTube.

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Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Saturday, April 18, 2026 10:49 AM (P)

Went out and got it at the right time for sure...

I had no idea what we were in for. We just had one hell of a storm blow through here with the air raid sirens going off for about a half hour.

Strangely, it wasn't that bad... The rain was only torrential in spots, and the wind seemed to be higher than us. The really tall trees were swaying, but my house didn't creak or crack at all like it has a few times with high winds this year.

I was kind of preoccupied with that for a while but I finally got to taking the mirror out. But the damn thing is glued on to the inside of the back panel

I'm going to have to be really careful sanding that. I'll just do it by hand and make sure the mirror is protected while I'm doing it. I thought about leaving that as-is for an interesting contrast inside the cabinet, but there is two not-so-minor defects in the stained/varnished finish on it, and it'll just be easier to paint it along with everything else than try to touch that up seamlessly.

I'm done for the day. The tornado warning is over and I'm toast.

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Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

BRENDA

Saturday, April 18, 2026 11:25 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by 6ixStringJack:
Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:
Okay thanks for telling me that it would be too big for my place. No worries. It looks like it would on the page.

I didn't exactly say it was too big for your place. I know from what you've said that you don't have a ton of space and you have that extra dresser outside of the room, but I don't really know what you're looking for or what kind of free room you have for things. But if the measurements really were 14" by 74" and that wasn't a typo, that would be 6 feet 2 inches long. But you said it was a square, so I didn't think it really was those dimensions.

Quote:
I tried looking at the website for what I saw in the store and their website is useless.

Thanks for trying to help. Though if the store still has it maybe I can get the measurements off the ottaman itself. Will see.

How much was the product, do you know? The square Navy ottoman I posted was $59.99. Anything huge there was PRICEY. So how much did you think you'd be paying for it? That might help narrow it down.

--------------------------------------------------

Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

The space where I want a foot stool or an ottaman to go is under a card table where my monitor is. So, it needs to be small and square. Like I said reading dimensions of things really tells me nothing. I have to see the object as it would really look for me to judge.

The tags at the store had been ripped off and so I asked a worker about the price. She looked at the underside of the lid. It has storage and read. $80. But I think that was too high, even for this store.

BRENDA

Saturday, April 18, 2026 11:25 PM (P)

Out to do laundry then errands.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Saturday, April 18, 2026 11:33 PM (P)

Hmmmmmm....

It's half as warm outside today as it was yesterday...

Might have to shift what I'm working on today. Not really interested in being out in the cold when everything is all wet and not evaporating after that storm last night.

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Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Sunday, April 19, 2026 4:50 AM (P)

Dumb power company did it again...

I've been telling people that it looks like they finally officially fixed the "old circuit" around here and we haven't had any outages in probalby damn near 6 months despite the brutal spring we've been having...

Once again, the power did not go out at all last night, even though the storm was bad enough to have the air raid sirens going off for a half hour right before midnight.

Power was fine today... I even took a nap around noon, woke up in the middle of that at some point and put on a different youtube vid than the one that was playing and promptly fell right back asleep.

I woke up at around 3:30PM and I thought my main computer took a shit. It's cold outside today, but it's sunny as can be and it took me a full 2 minutes to realize that my computer was probably fine and my power was out again for no good goddamned reason.

I'm going to chaulk it up as a win though...

The water was rising slow enough I couldn't actually "see" it rise, although if I walked away for 5 minutes and came back to the well it was obviously higher. So instead of rushing to get my extension cord all the way out the window to the garage and making a big mess, I figured I'd just snake my tubing into the basement toilet and use my drill pump that I bought 5 or 6 years ago and only ever used once when I was testing it out.

Yup... That POS is broken. What a garbage product. I assume a seal or two inside went bad over the years, without any use at all. There was enough pressure inside to pull water from the well into the pump, and even push a little of that water past the pump, but it was leaking and there was no way it was going to do the job it's supposed to do.

I gave up and got my generator running. And then IMMEDIATELY after I fired it up the power came back on.

They were just waiting for me to make a mess is all.

At least I know my pump doesn't work.

All the more reason to do what needs to be done and get that 2nd well dug out so I can have a pump forcing the water out of the house instead of in the sewer system.

The pump was only there for the extremely rare instance that the city sewer system gets backed up. That's only happened twice in going on 15 years now. When that happens, it doesn't matter that I have a generator if the pump is pumping water into a full storm sewer system, because it just fills my toilet up and spits the water all over the living space. The power goes out far more frequently, but if the sewer system is fine than the generator is all I need.

As much as all that sucked, I'm glad I took the time to use that pump just to figure out it is no longer a solution. I do have a 2nd sump pump, so I'll probably just figure out a way to hook that up to the tubing and I can at least drop it in the existing well with the generator to get water out of the house until I get that 2nd well ready to go.

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Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

BRENDA

Sunday, April 19, 2026 5:01 AM (P)

Back later than I intended because of laundry. Only one washing machine working and someone else was using it. The call from my boss because she forgot to give me something yesterday. She said we could meet and I said the best place would be the senior's centre as I have to do something there. Then she said I will call you when I am almost there. Then for the 33rd and 3rd time I had to REMIND her that I don't have a cellphone. Little laughter then she said, "Oh, yeah. I forgot." Arrrgghh! Anyways met her then got on with other things. Busy places don't help when you are already backed up.

Checked out ottoman/foot stool. Would be great but it is too heavy for me to carry. I took the lid off of it and tried lifting the bottom and yeah. No soap.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Sunday, April 19, 2026 5:14 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:
Back later than I intended because of laundry. Only one washing machine working and someone else was using it. The call from my boss because she forgot to give me something yesterday. She said we could meet and I said the best place would be the senior's centre as I have to do something there. Then she said I will call you when I am almost there. Then for the 33rd and 3rd time I had to REMIND her that I don't have a cellphone. Little laughter then she said, "Oh, yeah. I forgot." Arrrgghh! Anyways met her then got on with other things. Busy places don't help when you are already backed up.

Checked out ottoman/foot stool. Would be great but it is too heavy for me to carry. I took the lid off of it and tried lifting the bottom and yeah. No soap.

Was it just a little 14"x14" cube, or is it much longer on one dimension than the other?

This is one that I couldn't just suggest you see if your boss would order for you online. Amazon has fallen quite a bit over the years and they don't police any of their 3rd party sellers. My brother bought a couple of the smaller cube ottomans with storage, and although I think they'd both be light enough for you to carry, they don't hold up well to any abuse. They were a lot less than $60 each, but $1 each would have been a waste of money.

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Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

BRENDA

Sunday, April 19, 2026 9:50 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by 6ixStringJack:
Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:
Back later than I intended because of laundry. Only one washing machine working and someone else was using it. The call from my boss because she forgot to give me something yesterday. She said we could meet and I said the best place would be the senior's centre as I have to do something there. Then she said I will call you when I am almost there. Then for the 33rd and 3rd time I had to REMIND her that I don't have a cellphone. Little laughter then she said, "Oh, yeah. I forgot." Arrrgghh! Anyways met her then got on with other things. Busy places don't help when you are already backed up.

Checked out ottoman/foot stool. Would be great but it is too heavy for me to carry. I took the lid off of it and tried lifting the bottom and yeah. No soap.

Was it just a little 14"x14" cube, or is it much longer on one dimension than the other?

This is one that I couldn't just suggest you see if your boss would order for you online. Amazon has fallen quite a bit over the years and they don't police any of their 3rd party sellers. My brother bought a couple of the smaller cube ottomans with storage, and although I think they'd both be light enough for you to carry, they don't hold up well to any abuse. They were a lot less than $60 each, but $1 each would have been a waste of money.

--------------------------------------------------

Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

Yeah, it is just a cube ottoman, so likely 14 by 14.

I'll keep looking and hope I can find something that I can carry. Maybe I should wait until Summer when the weather should have its head out of its azz.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Sunday, April 19, 2026 10:37 AM (P)

Maybe it's time to invest in a wagon?

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Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

BRENDA

Sunday, April 19, 2026 11:53 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by 6ixStringJack:
Maybe it's time to invest in a wagon?

--------------------------------------------------

Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

Trust me SIX that has crossed my mind especially when I bought this new monitor. If that nice young man hadn't helped me getting it back would have been fun.

BRENDA

Sunday, April 19, 2026 11:54 PM (P)

Clean up but first a nice hot shower. I can feel I over did it yesterday. Back sore.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Monday, April 20, 2026 12:00 AM (P)

Yeah... You wouldn't even need anything all that big. Just an old Radio Flyer sized wagon should do what you need it to do, since whatever you're carrying home would still have to be carried into your place after you got it there.

Do you have stairs into the building or up to your unit, or is your place on the ground floor? Is there an elevator in your building right to your unit?

If it's all flat once you get home, you could carry heavier stuff into your place with it.

If you don't find them used today, a good one can be quite pricey. But it may be a better option for you.

I ordered a "beach wagon" for my aunt. It's nice, but it's not super sturdy on the sides, so anything larger and truly heavy would not be a good idea.

But the plastic wagon with a metal frame and inflatable tires like the one I have for my yard work would hold up forever and you could carry more in it than you'd ever need to. When I bought mine almost 15 years ago it was only around $80 USD. I'm seeing them at home depot and menards for around $150 USD today, not on sale. With all the massive abuse I've put on that thing including literally throwing over 1,000 bags of river rock into it and dragging them all over the place, there was only one time I thought I'd broke the damn thing. It turned out that I didn't break it, but all that abuse I showed it over the years actually loosened 2 nuts off of bolts. Once I found replacement nuts/bolts in my garage and tightened them up, it worked as if it were brand new.

A pricey endeavor, but I think especially as time goes on you're going to fall in love with that thing, especially if you get yourself a really nice one. It will offer you some independence, and it's hard to put a price on that.

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Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Monday, April 20, 2026 12:08 AM (P)

Oh wow... This one would probably work great for you and it's only $100 USD.

https://www.menards.com/main/outdoors/gardening/garden-landscaping-too
ls/wheelbarrows-carts/yardworks-reg-poly-utility-dump-cart-600-lb/600lbpolytw/p-1642874364084747-c-13262.htm

I doubt it's as good as mine is, but it looks exactly the same as mine except it's a different color. They don't carry mine anymore. I've never owned anything by YardWorx before, but I know they sell that brand at Sam's Club too. My old man bought a YardWorx lawnmower a few years ago and he loves it.

I'm thinking the inflatable tires would be nicer for you too because they're larger and they have a lot of GRIP on them. I could see you getting yourself stuck and having to go to the back and push the wheels over minor imperfections in the ground on your way home if you've got something heavy in there with a Radio Flyer style wagon, but with inflatable tires you probably wouldn't ever have any problems like that.

You'd just need to get yourself an air-pump too. They've got lots of options for that too. You'd probably only need a cheap plug-in-the-wall pump instead of investing in something portable. I doubt very much you'd ever get a flat tire while you were out and about. You'd just want to make sure every few months or at least once per year that the tires were pumped up and ready to go.

Even cooler is that this model is just like mine and it's also a sort of "dump truck". If you have something in there that is too heavy for you to remove from the wagon once you got it back home, It's got a handle/latch at the base in the front right above where the handle stem emerges from. (Look hard at the picture above where the handle comes out from and you can see this handle/latch in the above image). If you pull that and lift up just on the one side, the entire top plastic part lifts up and you can dump it out on your floor in your apartment.

In the case of the ottoman, you could have somebody put it in your wagon upside-down and when you got it home you could just dump it and it would probably roll over right onto its feet for you.

NOTE: If you got something like this, there is some assembly required. Perhaps the place you bought it for would assemble it for you so you could walk it straight home. Otherwise, it comes in a big heavy box and you'd need to buy another wagon to take your new wagon home.

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Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

BRENDA

Monday, April 20, 2026 9:08 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by 6ixStringJack:
Yeah... You wouldn't even need anything all that big. Just an old Radio Flyer sized wagon should do what you need it to do, since whatever you're carrying home would still have to be carried into your place after you got it there.

Do you have stairs into the building or up to your unit, or is your place on the ground floor? Is there an elevator in your building right to your unit?

If it's all flat once you get home, you could carry heavier stuff into your place with it.

If you don't find them used today, a good one can be quite pricey. But it may be a better option for you.

I ordered a "beach wagon" for my aunt. It's nice, but it's not super sturdy on the sides, so anything larger and truly heavy would not be a good idea.

But the plastic wagon with a metal frame and inflatable tires like the one I have for my yard work would hold up forever and you could carry more in it than you'd ever need to. When I bought mine almost 15 years ago it was only around $80 USD. I'm seeing them at home depot and menards for around $150 USD today, not on sale. With all the massive abuse I've put on that thing including literally throwing over 1,000 bags of river rock into it and dragging them all over the place, there was only one time I thought I'd broke the damn thing. It turned out that I didn't break it, but all that abuse I showed it over the years actually loosened 2 nuts off of bolts. Once I found replacement nuts/bolts in my garage and tightened them up, it worked as if it were brand new.

A pricey endeavor, but I think especially as time goes on you're going to fall in love with that thing, especially if you get yourself a really nice one. It will offer you some independence, and it's hard to put a price on that.

--------------------------------------------------

Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

There are elevators which I use to get up and down to my apartment. I only walk 9 flights of stairs when I have to.

I will take a look in the local Walmart and a couple of other stores around my area tomorrow.

Ugh! I guess I am at that age that I have to think about things like this. >>shudder<<

BRENDA

Monday, April 20, 2026 9:10 AM (P)

I see you point about inflatable tires and such.

But I like simple. Something I can do on my own without breaking the bank.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Monday, April 20, 2026 10:26 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:
There are elevators which I use to get up and down to my apartment. I only walk 9 flights of stairs when I have to.

I will take a look in the local Walmart and a couple of other stores around my area tomorrow.

Ugh! I guess I am at that age that I have to think about things like this. >>shudder<<

Meh... don't think about it as an age thing. It's an independence thing.

I don't know how far you have to go with one of these things, but even just a small cube that's well built is going to be fairly heavy.

I know you don't like asking people for help. I don't blame you. That shifts the power balance for sure. It's easy for me to say "hey, you should ask your boss for help", but I know why you don't. Unless my back is up against the wall, I don't like asking anyone for help with anything either.

If you're pretty sure that the pathway home is flat, you should be fine with a smaller wagon. Just keep in mind that if you don't have inflatable tires, you may have to get yourself "unstuck" on occasion if you're lugging some heavy stuff back home with you. I'm sure you'll figure it out.

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Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

SIGNYM

Monday, April 20, 2026 4:38 PM (P)

I like the way SIX put it: It's an independence thing.
Having the right tools means you can do more by yourself.

*****
Van fixed.

New washing machine tomorrow. I was looking at Speed Queen but couldn't justify the $$$ to myself, so my 2nd choice was a 4.5 cu ft LG front loader, $350 off. It's got a lot of features I don't need but one I really like: an onboard water heater. Our wash machine is so far from the water heater the water never comes in hotter than lukewarm so it'll be nice to give some items a real hot water wash. Also has presoak and 2nd rinse option.

We took one last trip to the laundromat bc we have a sturdy, HEAVY comforter that needs a double loader, so now that's clean.

Hubby on the mend.

Dog still not quite herself so I'm giving her famotidine acid reducer and canine probiotics, if you can believe it. And even tho she's not 100% I gave her a bath bc she was filthy. She's so soft now!

Ummm... let's see...

All the usual chores plus addressing various emergencies PLUS pecking away at yardwork as time permits. I've been pruning up the climbing roses which have sprawled all over the place. Four of five bushes are Joseph's Coat multicolored. Flowers are anything from yellow to orange to red, all at the same time.
Pretty, but they are SUPER thorny. There is literally not 1/8" without a thorn. I wear leather gloves working with them but I've scratched my arms and head and torn shirts on them, and I woud have scratched my eyes except I wear glasses when pruning. They're destined to be replaced with more amenable pollinator-friendly coffeeberry, toyon, and ceanothus shrubs. Not ready for that so just doing long-delayed maintenance.

Sprayed the front walkway, curbside and driveway weeds. Thanks SIX for pointing me towards that glyphosate on Amazon. I try to minimize using it but some things you just can't weed up.

Still got lots of yardwork to go, tho. Family sure keeps me busy.

Pecking away at decluttering as well, which is tough to do since hubby and daughter have packrat tendencies. At least he's organized, but dear daughter leaves a mess wherever she goes. I've been making her clean up her stuff but it almost takes longer for me to oversee her work than if I just did it myself.

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"It may be dangerous to be America's enemy, but to be America's friend is fatal."- Henry Kissinger

BRENDA

Monday, April 20, 2026 11:24 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by 6ixStringJack:
Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:
There are elevators which I use to get up and down to my apartment. I only walk 9 flights of stairs when I have to.

I will take a look in the local Walmart and a couple of other stores around my area tomorrow.

Ugh! I guess I am at that age that I have to think about things like this. >>shudder<<

Meh... don't think about it as an age thing. It's an independence thing.

I don't know how far you have to go with one of these things, but even just a small cube that's well built is going to be fairly heavy.

I know you don't like asking people for help. I don't blame you. That shifts the power balance for sure. It's easy for me to say "hey, you should ask your boss for help", but I know why you don't. Unless my back is up against the wall, I don't like asking anyone for help with anything either.

If you're pretty sure that the pathway home is flat, you should be fine with a smaller wagon. Just keep in mind that if you don't have inflatable tires, you may have to get yourself "unstuck" on occasion if you're lugging some heavy stuff back home with you. I'm sure you'll figure it out.

--------------------------------------------------

Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

Yeah, I know and in truth I've gotten so used to do doing things on my own over the last 10years.

I don't have to go to far. Most stores right in my area are really close. So very easy walking distance.

And yeah, I don't like asking them. I was amazed when my boss's husband offered to get me to the store that was holding the adapter I needed for this monitor. Boy, that was shocking.

It's pretty flat around me and any bumps in the sidewalk really shouldn't bother it. I have seen people on the street using those wagons.

And like I said there are several stores that sell the things.

BRENDA

Monday, April 20, 2026 11:26 PM (P)

Out in a couple of minutes to do some stuff. Just whatever comes to mind. No real plan for today.

BRENDA

Tuesday, April 21, 2026 4:23 AM (P)

In and done on a beautiful day. Hope it stays.

Got a call from a high school friend, we always exchange birthday and Christmas gifts. Little late but Christmas in April. She was with her mum and I got to talk to here for a minute or two. She's in a care home now and I can tell time is catching up to her. I will be so sad when she goes.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Tuesday, April 21, 2026 12:07 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:
Yeah, I know and in truth I've gotten so used to do doing things on my own over the last 10years.

I don't have to go to far. Most stores right in my area are really close. So very easy walking distance.

And yeah, I don't like asking them. I was amazed when my boss's husband offered to get me to the store that was holding the adapter I needed for this monitor. Boy, that was shocking.

It's pretty flat around me and any bumps in the sidewalk really shouldn't bother it. I have seen people on the street using those wagons.

And like I said there are several stores that sell the things.

Who knows. Maybe they'd like it if you asked them for help a little more often. Some people actually do like helping other people out without strings attached and they're not always looking for an angle. I've been lucky to have known a few of them.

You'll find something that will suit your needs I'm sure.

I had to let my TV dream go. I slept on it too long and should have ordered it Friday. I wanted to make sure the size I was buying was right and once I'd done the research the 75" TV sold out even though it's on sale for a few more weeks and the 65" TV's sale ended and is now $80 more than the 75" was.

Oh well... If it comes back in stock in time, it comes back in stock in time. It's 2026 and I still haven't bought a flat screen TV. I think I can wait a few more months for a good sale now that the price is basically right. This ain't the first time I've talked myself out of it.

--------------------------------------------------

Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

BRENDA

Tuesday, April 21, 2026 11:42 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by 6ixStringJack:
Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:
Yeah, I know and in truth I've gotten so used to do doing things on my own over the last 10years.

I don't have to go to far. Most stores right in my area are really close. So very easy walking distance.

And yeah, I don't like asking them. I was amazed when my boss's husband offered to get me to the store that was holding the adapter I needed for this monitor. Boy, that was shocking.

It's pretty flat around me and any bumps in the sidewalk really shouldn't bother it. I have seen people on the street using those wagons.

And like I said there are several stores that sell the things.

Who knows. Maybe they'd like it if you asked them for help a little more often. Some people actually do like helping other people out without strings attached and they're not always looking for an angle. I've been lucky to have known a few of them.

You'll find something that will suit your needs I'm sure.

I had to let my TV dream go. I slept on it too long and should have ordered it Friday. I wanted to make sure the size I was buying was right and once I'd done the research the 75" TV sold out even though it's on sale for a few more weeks and the 65" TV's sale ended and is now $80 more than the 75" was.

Oh well... If it comes back in stock in time, it comes back in stock in time. It's 2026 and I still haven't bought a flat screen TV. I think I can wait a few more months for a good sale now that the price is basically right. This ain't the first time I've talked myself out of it.

--------------------------------------------------

Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

No worries SIX. That cube is gone anyways. Someone with a car might have bought it or it was moved to another store.

I'll keep looking and I may ask them or maybe someone else I know that has a car and offered help.

BRENDA

Tuesday, April 21, 2026 11:43 PM (P)

Out on a sunny day though rain is suppose to be rolling in. Out for meds refill and take another look around for a stool.

SIGNYM

Tuesday, April 21, 2026 11:48 PM (P)

Please send some rain here.

A footstool with storage would be nice. I hope you snag one.
At this end, even tho it's been delivered the wash machine isn't installed yet. Turns out the valves on the supply lines were frozen and I had to call a plumber to have them replaced, so I need to reschedule the installation.

-----------

"It may be dangerous to be America's enemy, but to be America's friend is fatal."- Henry Kissinger

BRENDA

Wednesday, April 22, 2026 3:56 AM (P)

I would love to SIG. That's when it arrives. So far just the clouds rolling in.

Oh, jeez. I hope you can get that straightened out ASAP.

BRENDA

Wednesday, April 22, 2026 3:59 AM (P)

All done for today. That cube is back it was just moved to another spot.

Anyways, no one has one of those foldable wagons. Of course now that I want one. Always the way. Found something in Walmart that might be of use. It's one of those storage/ottoman things that you can collapse. I really have to measure the space under my card table to make sure it would fit. And even check the measurements on that cube.

BRENDA

Wednesday, April 22, 2026 11:16 PM (P)

Out soon on a grayish day. Just some small things to do. Been looking for another towel rack for the bathroom. Can't seem to be able to find anything that isn't too long, costs a bit much or is a two person job.

BRENDA

Thursday, April 23, 2026 3:33 AM (P)

All done for today, well, pretty well. Hung up a picture finally that I've had since January. Put up a coat hanger to use as a towel rack. Still have to measure the space under my card table.

SIGNYM

Thursday, April 23, 2026 4:49 AM (P)

I caught one of your posts about your boss .... “You can let yourself out“??? It would break her arm to pick up your coat and see you to the door???
WTH??

I bet she has a little ledger in her mind how many times she feels thst she's "helped" you (like inviting you to dinner and expecting you to do dishes) and making sure that ledger always balances in her favor.

But it sounds like her hubby is better- natured.

-----------

"It may be dangerous to be America's enemy, but to be America's friend is fatal."- Henry Kissinger

BRENDA

Thursday, April 23, 2026 6:06 AM (P)

Oh, I know she's been tempted to say that a few times before but she's always managed to bite her tongue. I can recognize in her when she wants to say something and she catches herself.

Her husband not always. He cannot let go of the fact that as a small child I could say a lot of big words and know what they meant and how to use them in a sentence. It is almost like he's jealous that I was more intelligent at an younger age than his own children were. I can remember correcting one of his son's at the supper table about something and I would have been 4 maybe 5years old. He brought the intelligence comment up again when he was driving me home after picking up the adapter for this new monitor.

Then a year or go or so I was invited over something. Not sure what it was now. They had some people staying with them through some Christian thing. Anyways they were going to watch a movie. Tom Hanks in Mr. Rogers. Her hubby said, "You can leave and walk home or you can watch the movie." Considering we had snow and it was around 8pm, there was no way I was walking home. I watched the movie with them so he would have to drive me back home.

SIGNYM

Thursday, April 23, 2026 10:15 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:
Oh, I know she's been tempted to say that a few times before but she's always managed to bite her tongue. I can recognize in her when she wants to say something and she catches herself.

Her husband not always. He cannot let go of the fact that as a small child I could say a lot of big words and know what they meant and how to use them in a sentence. It is almost like he's jealous that I was more intelligent at an younger age than his own children were. I can remember correcting one of his son's at the supper table about something and I would have been 4 maybe 5years old. He brought the intelligence comment up again when he was driving me home after picking up the adapter for this new monitor.

OMG.

He can't let that go?

Quote:
Then a year or go or so I was invited over something. Not sure what it was now. They had some people staying with them through some Christian thing. Anyways they were going to watch a movie. Tom Hanks in Mr. Rogers. Her hubby said, "You can leave and walk home or you can watch the movie." Considering we had snow and it was around 8pm, there was no way I was walking home. I watched the movie with them so he would have to drive me back home.

Now that's just rude.

-----------

"It may be dangerous to be America's enemy, but to be America's friend is fatal."- Henry Kissinger

BRENDA

Thursday, April 23, 2026 10:51 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by SIGNYM:
Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:
Oh, I know she's been tempted to say that a few times before but she's always managed to bite her tongue. I can recognize in her when she wants to say something and she catches herself.

Her husband not always. He cannot let go of the fact that as a small child I could say a lot of big words and know what they meant and how to use them in a sentence. It is almost like he's jealous that I was more intelligent at an younger age than his own children were. I can remember correcting one of his son's at the supper table about something and I would have been 4 maybe 5years old. He brought the intelligence comment up again when he was driving me home after picking up the adapter for this new monitor.

OMG.

He can't let that go?

Quote:
Then a year or go or so I was invited over something. Not sure what it was now. They had some people staying with them through some Christian thing. Anyways they were going to watch a movie. Tom Hanks in Mr. Rogers. Her hubby said, "You can leave and walk home or you can watch the movie." Considering we had snow and it was around 8pm, there was no way I was walking home. I watched the movie with them so he would have to drive me back home.

Now that's just rude.

-----------

"It may be dangerous to be America's enemy, but to be America's friend is fatal."- Henry Kissinger

Nope. It was a real mess rain wise that day. On the way back he talked about flooding in places and I mentioned one city they have to watch for flooding as some of it is reclaimed land. He said, "Tidal plain?" And I said yes. I even talked about Sumas prairie which is a flat area sitting near the Fraser river, there was bad flooding in that area a couple or three years ago. I mentioned all the farms that are out there. "Barns flooded?" and I said yes. "Animals were moved to higher ground?" There isn't a lot of high ground out there. So a lot of animals were lost. Told him that Sumas prairie was a lake over 100years ago. It was drained to be used for agriculture.

They have lived on the lower mainland for around 20years and they still don't get the lay of the land. I know it better than they do.

Oh, they can be quite rude. There are a lot of times I feel more like a servant, especially when I am asked over for dinner on say Thanksgiving and I get dragged into the kitchen to help with something. And I am suppose to be a guest.

BRENDA

Thursday, April 23, 2026 10:54 AM (P)

Off to mah jong then to make a doctor's appointment. Need a prescription refilled as I am out of one of my seizure meds. Also want to see if he has any more info from the cardiologist.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Friday, April 24, 2026 1:37 AM (P)

Sounds to me, Brenda, like the husband doesn't go out of his way of keeping a mental list, but probably realizes at the end of the day that they probably owe you a couple of favors even though he's going to keep that secret to himself to his grave.

I actually keep a written list of things with most people. Especially if the favor was loaning out tools or other things, since they don't always show up again unless you ask for them, and sometimes they come back to you in pretty rough shape when they finally do. My step-dad always taught me by showing me that if you borrow something (like a power tool) from somebody, to take time out of your day and clean it up real nice and send it back to them in better shape than it was when you borrowed it. I realize that not everybody grew up with the same lessons or even with the ability to realize that things should be returned when you're finished using them and at least in the same shape they were in when you borrowed them, but there are lists made so I don't make the same mistake twice.

I got some people I don't bother keeping lists with, but that's only because I've gotten to know them for long enough to know that I don't need to and that they're not keeping a list on me either. I just let my buddy borrow my two largest and nicest cabinet clamps about a month ago. I thought about them both times I've seen him since, but I didn't mention them. When I saw him the other night, while we were watching a movie he mentioned that he put my clamps outside the front door so I'd see them on my way out. I never bothered writing down that I'd loaned them out to him because he's never let me down before.

I'd say if the husband offers to help with something, don't be quick to turn him down for it. It wouldn't surprise me if he got an earful when he came home after helping you out and his wife wanted to add that to the list. But I'll bet that even though he stays out of it most of the time for his own sake, he probably probably told her not to add that one to her list.

--------------------------------------------------

Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

BRENDA

Friday, April 24, 2026 3:48 AM (P)

Maybe he doesn't SIX. I never thought about it that way. He probably does about the favours.

Keeping written lists of tool loaning is a good idea.

I have a friend that I've know since high school which is going on 40years and I don't keep a mental list for her. All I do about her is worry.

If he offers again I won't turn him down but that with the adapter was just a surprise is all.

I think he does go out a lot of times to get out of her way for whatever reason. He certainly wasn't around a lot on that Friday for sure. He talked to me for a few minutes before talking about errands then splitting.

They are getting strange in their old age for sure.

BRENDA

Friday, April 24, 2026 3:52 AM (P)

All done for today. Still dry and nice out. Doctor's appointment made for next week.

Kind of a meh morning at mah jong. Managed to break 1,000points and go out at least 3 times but that was hit. Had a couple of hands I thought were going to go winds & dragons but nope. Almost had all 4 flowers of one colour but that didn't happen either. Oh well. Can't win them all.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Friday, April 24, 2026 5:28 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:
Maybe he doesn't SIX. I never thought about it that way. He probably does about the favours.

Keeping written lists of tool loaning is a good idea.

I have a friend that I've know since high school which is going on 40years and I don't keep a mental list for her. All I do about her is worry.

If he offers again I won't turn him down but that with the adapter was just a surprise is all.

I think he does go out a lot of times to get out of her way for whatever reason. He certainly wasn't around a lot on that Friday for sure. He talked to me for a few minutes before talking about errands then splitting.

They are getting strange in their old age for sure.

Try to cut them a little slack. I know you miss your Blair, but I don't think growing old together is always fun and games. Especially after retirement kicks in and you're together every single day most days. However they're behaving when you or other people around is probably something close to their best behavior compared to how they behave when it's just the two of them.

I honestly can only imagine, myself. I've never lived with anybody outside of family and a few lousy non-family roomates.

I already have enough to deal with keeping all the voices in my own head in line and on focus.

Or is it on line and in focus???

--------------------------------------------------

Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

BRENDA

Friday, April 24, 2026 11:11 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by 6ixStringJack:
Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:
Maybe he doesn't SIX. I never thought about it that way. He probably does about the favours.

Keeping written lists of tool loaning is a good idea.

I have a friend that I've know since high school which is going on 40years and I don't keep a mental list for her. All I do about her is worry.

If he offers again I won't turn him down but that with the adapter was just a surprise is all.

I think he does go out a lot of times to get out of her way for whatever reason. He certainly wasn't around a lot on that Friday for sure. He talked to me for a few minutes before talking about errands then splitting.

They are getting strange in their old age for sure.

Try to cut them a little slack. I know you miss your Blair, but I don't think growing old together is always fun and games. Especially after retirement kicks in and you're together every single day most days. However they're behaving when you or other people around is probably something close to their best behavior compared to how they behave when it's just the two of them.

I honestly can only imagine, myself. I've never lived with anybody outside of family and a few lousy non-family roomates.

I already have enough to deal with keeping all the voices in my own head in line and on focus.

Or is it on line and in focus???

--------------------------------------------------

Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

I do try to cut them slack. But sometimes. Oh, I know living with another person isn't easy. My mother wasn't and Blair and I were just sort of settling into some kind of routine before all of that.

Yeah, being around each other 24/7 with no one in between them, I am sure they do grate on each other's nerves.

I've lived with a friend and we just couldn't. I was starting to get set in my ways and for her it was the first time on her own. I had already tried living with a boyfriend until his parents decided they didn't like me without having met me. So, I moved back home and then my medical problems showed up and on and on and on.

I think it is in line and on focus.

Me, it is just remembering I have to do without getting caught up in other stuff.

BRENDA

Friday, April 24, 2026 11:12 PM (P)

Out soon on another bright day for Christmas in April. Hope I can get a couple of small things done before I meet my friend.

BRENDA

Saturday, April 25, 2026 5:18 AM (P)

Back on a lovely warm day. Nice time with my friend. Got a couple of cool Christmas presents.

BRENDA

Saturday, April 25, 2026 5:19 AM (P)

Back on a lovely warm day. Nice time with my friend. Got a couple of cool Christmas presents.

BRENDA

Saturday, April 25, 2026 11:28 PM (P)

Out on another beautiful day up here. Things to do.

SIGNYM

Sunday, April 26, 2026 12:11 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:
Back on a lovely warm day. Nice time with my friend. Got a couple of cool Christmas presents.

Glad you had a nice time. It's important!

-----------

"It may be dangerous to be America's enemy, but to be America's friend is fatal."- Henry Kissinger

SIGNYM

Sunday, April 26, 2026 12:18 AM (P)

I saw the most interesting things yesterday on the wall where the roses are.

The first was a baby 'possum cautiously exploring the top of the block wall behind the roses. Adult 'possums are kinda gross looking, but babies are the cutest!

Then I saw a white cabbage butterfly and yellow sulfur butterfly duking it out. They look the same except for color, but they're entirely different species. Despite that, apparently they see each other as competitors or rivals.

Then I saw a butter butt (yellow warbler) flitting thru the shrubs, and a big old fence lizard sunning himself on the wall.

-----------

"It may be dangerous to be America's enemy, but to be America's friend is fatal."- Henry Kissinger

6IXSTRINGJACK

Sunday, April 26, 2026 3:16 AM (P)

Still slaving away at the project today...

Doing some things now that were only ever dreams before. What I'd be able to do if I ever got around to laying out all the groundwork and finally seeing some of my higher-level visions put into action.

Mostly polish work going on right now. I believe I finally cleaned up my last major tedius-work pit the other day, which was a relief to put that behind me. What I'm doing right now is still tedious, but at least it's interesting along the way. I'm just struggling to find a groove that makes it really fast is all. Usually by now things just click and I find myself working at a pace 10 times as fast as when I started a function, but we're still deep in the land of variables and I haven't been able to figure out a good pattern that doesn't immediately get thrown out the window when another variable pops up.

And what I'm doing is really just another proof of concept thing. Standing on its own, it's a great addition, but I'm really doing it to show other people what can now be done and to encourage other people to do similar things with it.

--------------------------------------------------

Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

BRENDA

Sunday, April 26, 2026 3:58 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by SIGNYM:
Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:
Back on a lovely warm day. Nice time with my friend. Got a couple of cool Christmas presents.
Glad you had a nice time. It's important!

-----------

"It may be dangerous to be America's enemy, but to be America's friend is fatal."- Henry Kissinger

It is. Since she lives in another city and it is awkward for either of us to get to the other now.

BRENDA

Sunday, April 26, 2026 4:01 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by SIGNYM:
I saw the most interesting things yesterday on the wall where the roses are.

The first was a baby 'possum cautiously exploring the top of the block wall behind the roses. Adult 'possums are kinda gross looking, but babies are the cutest!

Then I saw a white cabbage butterfly and yellow sulfur butterfly duking it out. They look the same except for color, but they're entirely different species. Despite that, apparently they see each other as competitors or rivals.

Then I saw a butter butt (yellow warbler) flitting thru the shrubs, and a big old fence lizard sunning himself on the wall.

-----------

"It may be dangerous to be America's enemy, but to be America's friend is fatal."- Henry Kissinger

Cool on the critter spotting. Bird wise all I see are pigeons, crows and sea gulls. Can hear robins and another bird but not sure what it is.

BRENDA

Sunday, April 26, 2026 4:05 AM (P)

All done for today. Groceries and I got the measurements for that collapsing storage box at Walmart. It is 15 by 15 and my card table measures 27 by 27, so I can easily get it.

Was going to get something for my nails and such then move them so I can reach them. Well, I realized that I had something I had bought at a local dollar store. It didn't fit what I wanted to do, so it will work perfectly for that.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Sunday, April 26, 2026 11:02 AM (P)

Careful with that collapsible stuff, Brenda. Just remember you get what you pay for and sometimes products like that don't stand up well to any abuse. If this is still about the ottoman, just make sure whatever you're getting is going to be able to do what you intend it to do.

It's nice when something you bought that was a mistake ends up working out somewhere else.

--------------------------------------------------

Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Sunday, April 26, 2026 11:06 AM (P)

Still not getting much faster at what I'm doing. Part of that is because I veered off course today and to do some landscaping here and trim off the really bad parts first. Things that needed to be moved into their own spot, were rather infrequent, usually came in large batches when they did pop up, and completely derailed my momentum whenever they did.

But now that I've gone back through the normal route, there's still another annoyance that is popping up often enough to ruffle my feathers when it does, so I think it's time to veer a little off course again.

Though what I'm doing isn't ever going to go fast, I think once I take care of this other thing it will be as fast as it's ever going to get.

--------------------------------------------------

Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

BRENDA

Sunday, April 26, 2026 11:39 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by 6ixStringJack:
Careful with that collapsible stuff, Brenda. Just remember you get what you pay for and sometimes products like that don't stand up well to any abuse. If this is still about the ottoman, just make sure whatever you're getting is going to be able to do what you intend it to do.

It's nice when something you bought that was a mistake ends up working out somewhere else.

--------------------------------------------------

Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

It should be able to hold up until I can think of something better. My files are going into it, so that should give it a bit more stability.

It is nice. Now, just finding the five minutes to get that done.

BRENDA

Sunday, April 26, 2026 11:40 PM (P)

Quiet Sunday with clean up and some music. Email I still haven't sent I really, really, really need to get to today. *fingers crossed*.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Monday, April 27, 2026 6:19 AM (P)

Just trying to get as much done on the project as possible over here. My dad is coming for a few days next weekend and I won't be able to do anything with it while he's here. I'm going to have to mow the lawn once before that, and spend a little time cleaning up around here too. Also have to get my follow up CT soon.

My progress has picked up pace a bit, but it's still too much to be blowing through without taking time to verify things. The minute you start trusting yourself too much is the minute you let your mind stop working and you just go through the motions without your head involved. Can't be falling asleep at the wheel now.

Fortunately there seems to be just the right amount of jank here. Not enough to bring the process to a literal halt with what still needs tweaking, but just enough speedbumps along the way to keep me from mentally dozing off while I'm sorting through it all.

It's just so much... Sometimes the computer project isn't like it is in real life work. Whenever I'm getting ready for a project in real life I joke that I always seem to take 3 times longer to do the job than I thought I would going into it. It could be ten times as much with this computer stuff. This is one of those times... I thought this thing would take me 2 or maybe 3 days at most. I'm going on day 4 and I think I'm not even 1/3rd of the way through it. It's hard to tell exactly because I've been moving and removing things along the way, I forgot to look at my numbers before I started, and even though I've taken things away I've added about half that number back already, with notes to add other things back when I'm through to the end. I think it's going to take me another 2 days just to figure out how long I really think it's going to take to finish this part.

But at least it isn't shy about showing me the fruits of the labor. This is the digital equivalent of putting finishing trim on a room, so it should be. That's what's keeping me motivated right now. I don't want to delve too deeply into the mess I have yet to go through, but just at a glance the difference between what I have and haven't worked on yet is stark.

--------------------------------------------------

Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Monday, April 27, 2026 8:05 AM (P)

Trying to do the math here on this thing... not perfection with the numbers, but just a guesstimate...

One folder/category with exactly 300 things from 3 sub-categories...

But that data put up against many other folders, making certain that all items within which share a certain variable with the data of all the items in these 50 or so other folders are notated as such, and then making time to verify that all data is correct across each hit, or only differs when it is supposed to differ.

And the "virtual" folder I'm doing the comparisons against with the initial data started off with roughly 1,460 virtual items being pointed to it for having this variable. So far that number is down to less than 1,250 because of removals, but there have also been quite a few additions along the way with at least 50 more coming during a later step. By that time it could be 150 to 200 add-backs. Probably not that many... I'm expecting somewhere in the area of just around 100 if a little south of that. At this rate, that final number will probably be around 1,200 I'm guessing, after the add-backs.

The sheet says I'm almost 600 into my folder which was originally only 300. This gets me roughly halfway through the alphabet. That 2nd half is always pretty fun to blow through except for S and T.

I'm probably only a few hours away from halfway finished. There's still more to do after this step, but all of that should be pretty straightforward and quick. I've gotten a good deal of the easy stuff out of my way already and probably got as far as I'm going to get to streamlining the process at this point. The 2nd half should theoretically go faster than the first half has, barring any surprises.

--------------------------------------------------

Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

BRENDA

Monday, April 27, 2026 11:32 PM (P)

Out soon on a very cloudy day. Looks like we could be heading for a rain.

Got email sent but I think I messed it up. Will see if they answer me and maybe I can try again.

BRENDA

Tuesday, April 28, 2026 3:41 AM (P)

Finished for today and hands are bad.

Screwed up submission will get another cover letter done and prologue and chapter one done then resend.

BRENDA

Tuesday, April 28, 2026 11:19 PM (P)

Out, out, out. Doctor's then I have to check how I do that email as I screwed up. Order lunch at senior's centre for Thursday then what else I don't know.

BRENDA

Wednesday, April 29, 2026 3:20 AM (P)

All outside things done for today. Nice, young intern working at my doctor's office handled all my stuff. Even my question about the cardiologist. He let me read the report which made me feel much better. Redid my prescription. So all is good their until vampires and such. Lunch ordered for Thursday and talked to the local publisher but how to do things with them.

Got the collapsing storage box up and it has another piece to put into the bottom of it for more stability. Now, I just have to rearrange things again. ugh!

BRENDA

Wednesday, April 29, 2026 11:27 PM (P)

Out on a bright sunny day. Things to do. Things to do.

BRENDA

Thursday, April 30, 2026 3:47 AM (P)

Back and done for today.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Thursday, April 30, 2026 4:49 AM (P)

Good luck with the re-org....

I kind of never got around to finishing mine yet.

--------------------------------------------------

Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

BRENDA

Thursday, April 30, 2026 6:17 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by 6ixStringJack:
Good luck with the re-org....

I kind of never got around to finishing mine yet.

--------------------------------------------------

Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

Well, I thought I would do it last night and then I thought I will do it today. Maybe I will do it tomorrow or..... just keep going.

And on top of that I found something else I can reorganize but this time I do have to get another small container for some old tv show pins that I have bought over the years and that will go on and on and on.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Thursday, April 30, 2026 7:04 AM (P)

It's good when good things snowball... if you allow it. Just make sure you aren't holding onto and buying new storage space for things that you really don't need along the way.

I'm still working. Way too much, actually. It just doesn't really feel like it since it's not physical work.

Nearing the end of this part of the project that I've been at for about a week now. I can't go into any detail here obviously, but this one is a pretty big deal for me. I will at least be able to move away from the project entirely without losing my spot at the very least, if I'm not going to wrap it up entirely. It really was something too big to walk away from once it got started, so I've been really putting in the hours to get it behind me as quickly as possible without making any mistakes.

Any work I put into it in the future should now be "modular" efforts. Smaller projects that I can add to the larger project as a whole, which won't require any work or editing on the main project other than the little opening I needed to make to get the smaller project injected into it.

This is only possible because of all of the thousands of hours of research and documentation that have been done and the behind-the-scenes groundwork that it's all been laid on top of. It's why I did all of that work. It's something I knew I wouldn't see the benefits of for years or even decades when I started the work, but now that I'm finally getting to the other side of it, it's kind of amazing to be able to sit back and see what I've created here. To already be able to see what I've made possible even though I'm still plugging away at working on it.

It's kind of cool.

--------------------------------------------------

Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Thursday, April 30, 2026 9:28 AM (P)

From my ramblings the other night...

Quote:
Originally posted by 6ixStringJack:
Trying to do the math here on this thing... not perfection with the numbers, but just a guesstimate...

...

At this rate, that final number will probably be around 1,200 I'm guessing, after the add-backs.

I don't have a final number, but whatever it is, man... that was a close prediction.

I may have several add-backs left to do, but I do believe at this point all the removals have taken place. I don't think there will be enough add-backs to get the number high enough that I would have won with The Price is Right rules, but right now I'm sitting at 1,192 with about 150 more things to go through with the final phase. Probably a few more hours worth of work on it.

That was a lot of variables to end up being that close. I never would have been able to show my math on it though.

--------------------------------------------------

Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

BRENDA

Thursday, April 30, 2026 9:42 AM (P)

Don't worry SIX. That's the point of going through the pins. I was looking at them last night and started thinking, some of these need to go. The ones I save will go into what I get then they can go into a drawer.

As to the storage box, I think that will have to wait until I get the trashed foot stool out first. Then I can fill the box and pull out a couple of things that I need for the weekend. Oh, then it's home will be under my card table for my feet. And I will make sure to go through the files again.

BRENDA

Thursday, April 30, 2026 9:43 AM (P)

Off to mah jong in the morning.

BRENDA

Thursday, April 30, 2026 9:45 AM (P)

Cool is good SIX. My brain I know could never do what you are doing with numbers. My brain and numbers aren't really friends and that doesn't change no matter how hard I try.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Thursday, April 30, 2026 10:52 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:
Cool is good SIX. My brain I know could never do what you are doing with numbers. My brain and numbers aren't really friends and that doesn't change no matter how hard I try.

I'm good with all the basics. Enough to do taxes and balance a checkbook and keep a budget. I'm good at statistics and holding numbers in my head. But give me anything beyond basic algebra and it's all a foreign language to me.

This wasn't even really about the math, more than it was about the "feeling" of that number being right. In a way, it's about knowing myself, because so much of myself has been poured into it. I'd been working on this part of this one thing, that had the first bricks put underneath it even before I saw Firefly. But this one thing has been taking up most of my waking hours for the last week, and with no real idea what the final number could be, I was just weighing out the possibilities against the numbers I knew I had and even though I was still at least 8 or 9 hours away from being done I came up with a number that was nearly on the head.

And actually, I'm exactly at 1,200 right now. I had a little surprise in there that cost me about 2 hours to work on, but it got me 8 more add backs I wasn't expecting along the way.

I've got enough leverage on the fringes to play around with that number and make it what I want, but I'm not willing it to happen. It's just cool that with still only around 150 more things to go through I'm exactly at the number I guessed that I might be.

--------------------------------------------------

Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Thursday, April 30, 2026 12:24 PM (P)

1,198...

Feels good to have that done.

--------------------------------------------------

Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

SIGNYM

Friday, May 1, 2026 1:27 AM (P)

Yay! for you, SIX!!!
If I had to guess, it sounds like you're creating a database- like structure using searchable filenames to allow retrieval?
That's tough, man. Of course, I could be way off, but sounds like a lot of work, whatever it is!

Hey BRENDA, sounds lije you're in reorg/ declutter mode? Good for you! I just have one ??? ... what's a TV pin?

Been mostly absent here, going balls to the wall on finding a resolution for hubby's back pain, and landscaping. The weather continues acceptable for outdoor work so I'm doing as much as my knee and Dr appt schedule permit. Been spending a heckuva amt of time pruning up the climbing roses while preserving the branches with flowers so family doesn't squawk. It's going very slowly bc four of those climbers are excessively thorny, and I have to go really slowly. I wear an overshirt to protect from the sun, and it's got a couple of good sized tears in the back from when I got tangled up, and several "picks"... and several blood spots ... It's kind of a waste of time bc I hope to replace them with other bushes later, but I've already removed about 2 70-gal bins of material and will probably remove one more before I'm done.

Well, on with the show!

-----------

"It may be dangerous to be America's enemy, but to be America's friend is fatal."- Henry Kissinger

SIGNYM

Friday, May 1, 2026 2:57 AM (P)

In the process of pruning up the roses I discovered THREE Texas tomato cages, from when the roses allowed a veggie patch in front of them. That's how overgrown they are! I also discovered a volunteer privet and found out what I was dealing with ... a SECOND Lady Banks rose right behind the volunteer privet. All things considered I'll take out the Lady Banks since they're most problematic.

Three more bins before I'm done.

-----------

"It may be dangerous to be America's enemy, but to be America's friend is fatal."- Henry Kissinger

BRENDA

Friday, May 1, 2026 3:06 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by 6ixStringJack:
Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:
Cool is good SIX. My brain I know could never do what you are doing with numbers. My brain and numbers aren't really friends and that doesn't change no matter how hard I try.

I'm good with all the basics. Enough to do taxes and balance a checkbook and keep a budget. I'm good at statistics and holding numbers in my head. But give me anything beyond basic algebra and it's all a foreign language to me.

This wasn't even really about the math, more than it was about the "feeling" of that number being right. In a way, it's about knowing myself, because so much of myself has been poured into it. I'd been working on this part of this one thing, that had the first bricks put underneath it even before I saw Firefly. But this one thing has been taking up most of my waking hours for the last week, and with no real idea what the final number could be, I was just weighing out the possibilities against the numbers I knew I had and even though I was still at least 8 or 9 hours away from being done I came up with a number that was nearly on the head.

And actually, I'm exactly at 1,200 right now. I had a little surprise in there that cost me about 2 hours to work on, but it got me 8 more add backs I wasn't expecting along the way.

I've got enough leverage on the fringes to play around with that number and make it what I want, but I'm not willing it to happen. It's just cool that with still only around 150 more things to go through I'm exactly at the number I guessed that I might be.

--------------------------------------------------

Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

You are a head of me. I learned how to do taxes in high school but no way would I try that now. Tax rules have changed up since then. I can do banking and budgeting.

But you've seen how well I do with computers. So , no. My brain can never go there.

I also have been known to screw up my counting in mah jong.

BRENDA

Friday, May 1, 2026 3:12 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by SIGNYM:
Yay! for you, SIX!!!
If I had to guess, it sounds like you're creating a database- like structure using searchable filenames to allow retrieval?
That's tough, man. Of course, I could be way off, but sounds like a lot of work, whatever it is!

Hey BRENDA, sounds lije you're in reorg/ declutter mode? Good for you! I just have one ??? ... what's a TV pin?

Been mostly absent here, going balls to the wall on finding a resolution for hubby's back pain, and landscaping. The weather continues acceptable for outdoor work so I'm doing as much as my knee and Dr appt schedule permit. Been spending a heckuva amt of time pruning up the climbing roses while preserving the branches with flowers so family doesn't squawk. It's going very slowly bc four of those climbers are excessively thorny, and I have to go really slowly. I wear an overshirt to protect from the sun, and it's got a couple of good sized tears in the back from when I got tangled up, and several "picks"... and several blood spots ... It's kind of a waste of time bc I hope to replace them with other bushes later, but I've already removed about 2 70-gal bins of material and will probably remove one more before I'm done.

Well, on with the show!

-----------

"It may be dangerous to be America's enemy, but to be America's friend is fatal."- Henry Kissinger

Sort of SIG. Oh, a "tv pin" is just a pin with a tv character on it or a saying from a tv show. One of my favourites is "Beam me up Scotty. There is no intelligent life down here. "

I've got a couple of Doctor Who ones and Miami Vice, Blake Seven. My friend gave me one last Friday for our Christmas in April but somehow it got broken and I have to fix it. It's a Stargate pin.

I've also got some little bits of jewelry that I have to put into my mom's jewelry box. I kept that because my dad gave it to her and it is also a music box. Amazingly enough it still plays after all the bouncing around it's taken.

BRENDA

Friday, May 1, 2026 3:14 AM (P)

Got everything done for today. Lousy morning at mah jong. Managed to go out once and almost had all 4 flowers but no luck. Finished the morning with over 2,000points.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Friday, May 1, 2026 7:14 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:
You are a head of me. I learned how to do taxes in high school but no way would I try that now. Tax rules have changed up since then. I can do banking and budgeting.

But you've seen how well I do with computers. So , no. My brain can never go there.

I also have been known to screw up my counting in mah jong.

The problem with keeping all that info and those numbers up in there for such a prolonged period of time is that it's exhausting. It's really info that (at least my) body and mind are regularly trying to purge from the RAM in my brain, because there is no doubt much more important things that should be occupying that valuable space.

People can joke about it all they want, but I really do believe that digital hoarding is in some ways as serious a problem as real-world hoarding. I've had a ever-growing mess of a digital hoard that has moved from 250GB hard drives from the mid-90's all the way until now, where I've got things all over 7 different hard drives ranging from 1TB to 15TB.

Except for my project, personal documents, photos and videos, it's all expendable. I wouldn't lose any sleep if any of it weren't backed up and a drive died. In fact, once this program is truly done, I plan on going through and just deleting about 90% of anything not in one of those categories and just have it all out of my life forever.

The problem with this project work is that it wasn't consolidated before I picked it up again nearly 2 years ago now, and it was a mess spanning 4 or 5 hard drives.

I've now got everything I want backed up 3 separate times here, and I will have it saved somewhere else as well when I'm through. If it weren't for a very large part that needs to be on that 15TB drive, everything would be on a single drive. Once I get a full backup made on that 15TB drive along with the large part, it will be. The only thing that won't be backed up 3 other times is that very huge thing, but that's only until I finally break down and buy one more large drive for a final backup.

In the meantime, I've nearly finished with purging all copies of old and redundant data anywhere I could find it, and with the stuff I have currently been working on I've backed up anything that I didn't personally use, but that I or anybody else looking to work on this in the future could use to do that just in case there comes a time where all of this isn't as readily available as it is today. All of that can be archived and backed up and if I choose to never look at it again that would be fine with me.

This time I'm ending the project work right, on my terms for the first time. Not because some external force is making me do it faster than it needs to be done. Everything will be properly documented on every level as to what is 99.9% finished, and what would be things other people might want to tweak and where they'd need to start (and most importantly preventing anybody from doing double work that was already done).

Right now while I'm in the middle of doing some final synchronizations and backups, I can feel the pressure valve releasing. Every little thing that I've done so far today was a finality and something that I don't need to think about again and I can finally let my brain purge it from the RAM to make that space usable for more important things.

--------------------------------------------------

Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

BRENDA

Friday, May 1, 2026 9:32 AM (P)

Yup, you are so far a head of me when it comes to computers it isn't funny. I'm lucky that I just learned how to use a memory stick.

I would never attempt what you are doing. Just nope.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Friday, May 1, 2026 12:13 PM (P)

Yeah... I don't suppose most people would.

Made a few costly mistakes tonight. Nothing serious other than time burners. But annoying.

I had a list of things I needed to do before I did a backup and what I didn't realize until after I made the backup was that I actually had two lists of things to do before I did that backup. I can't use a standard sync function after doing the work because there are a few manual differences with this backup and the main. So I had to spend about an extra hour just fixing those problems.

Eye on the prize until this is done, man.

Just about done with that, and then I've got to do a bunch of cleanup elsewhere before making the 2nd large backup and then I think I'm pretty much done for now. I may have to take a few days off of it due to real life, but that will be fine if I finish off tonight on a spot that makes sense and I won't be wondering where the hell I left it off.

--------------------------------------------------

Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

BRENDA

Friday, May 1, 2026 11:24 PM (P)

Go, man, go.

I'm just working on physical stuff around my place. Maybe by the weekend I will get back to some book stuff.

Was trying to remember something else I wanted to do last night and I can't now. It might come back to me later.

BRENDA

Friday, May 1, 2026 11:25 PM (P)

Out soon. Few things to do. Needed to get one of those reachy, grabby things to get another thing done. Another lovely day.

BRENDA

Saturday, May 2, 2026 4:08 AM (P)

Pretty well all done for today. Just a couple of small things I will do later.

Terrible smell in my apartment and no it isn't me. Smells like tar. I get the feeling somewhere near me there is some tarring being done. Yuck! I hate the smell of tar.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Saturday, May 2, 2026 5:56 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:
Go, man, go.

I'm just working on physical stuff around my place. Maybe by the weekend I will get back to some book stuff.

Was trying to remember something else I wanted to do last night and I can't now. It might come back to me later.

You ever think of what it was?

I've got my old man coming to visit on Sunday night. This is the first time he's ever come here to stay the night, and he'll be here until Wednesday before he kicks off his round the country Jack Kerouac phase of his life.

I think I mentioned I didn't want to bring my table/chairs back down into the kitchen until I was done patching, sanding and finishing all that trim I recently put up, but I just realized today that both inside and outside I don't have any real place for my dad to sit with his laptop, without him actually having to have it sitting on his lap top.

So I decided to bring the table and one of the chairs down. I've still got to clean it up pretty good. Not that it's filthy or anything, but it's been sitting in my small bedroom for years now without ever getting cleaned off. My dad will probably eat most of his meals there, so it's got to be clean.

It looks nice. It was a nice table that I bought at Target of all places, back when I was living up in Wisconsin with my brother and our apartment didn't have room for any full-sized kitchen table. It's solid wood without any IKEA jenk going on and it's held up really well over the years. I kind of hate that it's not high-gloss white to match all my trim, but I'm not going to paint it. It's a very light wood color finish, and despite several moves and a lot of use over the years, there's not a single blemish anywhere on that finish. It's super-low maintenance right now, and I think if I painted it that wouldn't be the case anymore. I like painting furniture that won't be sat on regularly, eaten on regularly, and need to be wiped down regularly (likely coming into contact with at least a little bit of water or cleaning product from time to time). With all the painting I've done on and inside kitchen cabinets, my pantry, the curio cabinet, the entryway table and other things I've been able to put down white contact paper to protect the finish (so I can take it all off before I sell the house and everything still looks brand new). But I can't really do that with the table. I'm sure because of the regular use it wouldn't be long before that started peeling right off, and when it does that there's still enough sticky on the back to collect all the dust in the air and then it really looks bad... so yeah... It will remain a light wood color.

The only problem with it is that after one of the moves, something happened internally toward the top where the post meets the bottom of the table and it will "swivel" about 1/8th of a turn either way. I always meant to open that up and see what needs to be fixed, (or just take the easy route and shoot some brad nails into it since nobody would ever see them), but I've never gotten around to it. Maybe I'll look at it between now and Sunday night and have it fixed before he gets here. I dunno. It's not dangerous or anything, so really no big deal. It's just annoying.

Got most of my house cleaned and ready for the visit. Still working on the kitchen counter/sink and of course the bathroom will need a cleaning. I'll probably do that on Sunday before he's here.

Tomorrow I think I'll mow the lawn since it really needs it. It's just been so damn cold around here I haven't felt like it. It won't be warm tomorrow either. Not even going to see the 60's again until Sunday.

--------------------------------------------------

Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Saturday, May 2, 2026 8:28 AM (P)

Wow... Well I'm glad I never just resigned myself to blowing brad nails into the table to get it fixed. I said there was no IKEA jank here, but I found it. Not crappy cardboard or plastic pieces or anything, but the engineering that went into making this a relatively cheap table while still giving the illusion that it's a pretty damn nice piece of furniture.

There were 4 brass bolts with 2 washers each that were screwed up into a square of wood that had the single thick post going inside of it. I was not expecting to find what I did under that...

Once I took out those 4 bolts, the entire top came right off, and what I was left with was the post with the 4 legs and the square that I just undid. That square was then attached to the post with 4 more of the same bolt/washer combos very close to each other and then screwed down into the top of the post.

THAT was where the problem was. I'm guessing during one of the moves it got rattled around too much and all 4 of those came loose. This is why I was able to turn the top of the table about 1/8th of the way in either direction. (It really was more like 1/16th). The only reason it stopped at all and didn't just spin is because those 4 bolts were being moved to the left and right as far as possible before the wood kept it from moving any further in one direction.

I tightened those 4 up, making sure that the square lined up perfectly with the feet of the table, then put the top back on and it's like it's brand new.

No brad nails needed. Just my allen wrench set.

I just found out my friend's brother is back in town for the weekend and I haven't seen him since around Christmas time. I may have to wrap up my yard work early tomorrow and make my way out there at least for a few hours. I found out my dad isn't coming until after dinner time on Sunday, so that buys me a lot more time than I thought I still had. Worst case I can mow the front tomorrow and get the back on Sunday before dad drops by.

--------------------------------------------------

Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Saturday, May 2, 2026 9:21 AM (P)

Nice...

Pretty much everything is cleaned up and ready to go except for half of the bathroom. Think I'm done for the day.

It's freezing out there. Freakin' May in Chicago really sucks sometimes. It's 20 degrees colder right now than it should be. Can't believe I almost have to worry about my newly planted grass seed around the landscaping I did last year freezing.

--------------------------------------------------

Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

BRENDA

Saturday, May 2, 2026 9:42 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by 6ixStringJack:
Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:
Go, man, go.

I'm just working on physical stuff around my place. Maybe by the weekend I will get back to some book stuff.

Was trying to remember something else I wanted to do last night and I can't now. It might come back to me later.

You ever think of what it was?

I've got my old man coming to visit on Sunday night. This is the first time he's ever come here to stay the night, and he'll be here until Wednesday before he kicks off his round the country Jack Kerouac phase of his life.

I think I mentioned I didn't want to bring my table/chairs back down into the kitchen until I was done patching, sanding and finishing all that trim I recently put up, but I just realized today that both inside and outside I don't have any real place for my dad to sit with his laptop, without him actually having to have it sitting on his lap top.

So I decided to bring the table and one of the chairs down. I've still got to clean it up pretty good. Not that it's filthy or anything, but it's been sitting in my small bedroom for years now without ever getting cleaned off. My dad will probably eat most of his meals there, so it's got to be clean.

It looks nice. It was a nice table that I bought at Target of all places, back when I was living up in Wisconsin with my brother and our apartment didn't have room for any full-sized kitchen table. It's solid wood without any IKEA jenk going on and it's held up really well over the years. I kind of hate that it's not high-gloss white to match all my trim, but I'm not going to paint it. It's a very light wood color finish, and despite several moves and a lot of use over the years, there's not a single blemish anywhere on that finish. It's super-low maintenance right now, and I think if I painted it that wouldn't be the case anymore. I like painting furniture that won't be sat on regularly, eaten on regularly, and need to be wiped down regularly (likely coming into contact with at least a little bit of water or cleaning product from time to time). With all the painting I've done on and inside kitchen cabinets, my pantry, the curio cabinet, the entryway table and other things I've been able to put down white contact paper to protect the finish (so I can take it all off before I sell the house and everything still looks brand new). But I can't really do that with the table. I'm sure because of the regular use it wouldn't be long before that started peeling right off, and when it does that there's still enough sticky on the back to collect all the dust in the air and then it really looks bad... so yeah... It will remain a light wood color.

The only problem with it is that after one of the moves, something happened internally toward the top where the post meets the bottom of the table and it will "swivel" about 1/8th of a turn either way. I always meant to open that up and see what needs to be fixed, (or just take the easy route and shoot some brad nails into it since nobody would ever see them), but I've never gotten around to it. Maybe I'll look at it between now and Sunday night and have it fixed before he gets here. I dunno. It's not dangerous or anything, so really no big deal. It's just annoying.

Got most of my house cleaned and ready for the visit. Still working on the kitchen counter/sink and of course the bathroom will need a cleaning. I'll probably do that on Sunday before he's here.

Tomorrow I think I'll mow the lawn since it really needs it. It's just been so damn cold around here I haven't felt like it. It won't be warm tomorrow either. Not even going to see the 60's again until Sunday.

--------------------------------------------------

Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

Think I almost got back what I was thinking of. So th

BRENDA

Saturday, May 2, 2026 10:23 AM (P)

My area will be hitting 70 tomorrow and the heat will hold till the middle of next week.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Saturday, May 2, 2026 10:44 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:
Think I almost got back what I was thinking of. So that's good. I know it was something I wanted to put in with some other stuff to donate.

I do that more often than I'd like to admit these days too.

Quote:
For that amount of time I'm sure you and your dad will have a good visit.

Yeah, I think you did. Having somewhere for you and your dad to eat would be good. Just don't let yourself do what I am still doing. Make an attempt to tidy up the kitchen table then put another pile of stuff on it.

Yeah. We should have fun.

No worries. My table, at least until he's gone will be clean and clear.

It was actually nice not having to go through a ton of old mail and stuff since I already did that a couple of weeks ago. Only had about a week's worth of junk mail to sort through. House was pretty clean overall too. I really need to clean up better after myself in the kitchen and bathroom though. Bad habits I've cultivated over the decades and I never had a good woman to smack the shit out of me for doing it.

I don't mind living in my own mess, but if I walked into somebody else's house and it looked the way that I've let it get about 3 times over the last 2 years, I'd nope right on out of there. Wasn't nearly as bad as my drinking/hoarding days, but that's really just because I don't have all that crap anymore. And the longer you let it go the bigger project it becomes and the less you want to do it. Just a bad cycle that reinforces itself.

I just have to get this project finished up and make a point to have people over more again. When I had people over often enough, it never got messy to the point where it was a major 2-day project to clean everything up.

Oh... and I cheated on the laundry. Instead of putting it all where it belongs, I just threw it in another room. I think the main reason I don't take care of my laundry is because I barely have any space for it. I've got two massive dressers and a third small one, and that large closet with 3 rods for hanging, and I still don't have enough room for the laundry.

Getting rid of clothes has always been a hard thing for me to do. It's also the reason why I have to stop taking other people's clothes when they get rid of them too.

I have a very particular way of dressing most days, and half the clothes I own now I know that I would never wear under any circumstance, so it all needs to go. I also took like 7 full suits from my friend that belonged to his dad. They're all a perfect fit. I don't even need to see a tailor.

But if you don't count a 30 minute job interview maybe 12 years ago, the last time I ever wore a suit was at my brother's wedding. Was Obama still on his first term back then? I think he may have been.

Heh... I just giggled when I remembered that the last time I washed any of my cars was the last time I wore a suit.

If I was going to get another office job where I dressed real nice every day I think I'd have probably already done it in the last 16 years. Probably time to let a lot of that go. And besides... Even though I've long stopped caring about fashion and I think that anything I wore growing up is still perfectly acceptable to wear, there's probably a good chance a lot of that would either be laughed out of the office for being ancient, or would be complimented for being vintage stuff. If I get another office job, I can buy myself new dress clothes. They're just wasting space here now.

Quote:
I think if the table and chairs are a nice wood colouring it would be alright with your white trim.

Painting it and then cleaning it all the time will flake the paint off. Best to leave it.

Yeah... It doesn't look bad at all. I think dark would probably go nicer with it than the light wood, but oh well...

I'm not exactly Mr. Interior Decorator anyhow,

BRENDA

Saturday, May 2, 2026 11:34 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by 6ixStringJack:
Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:
Think I almost got back what I was thinking of. So that's good. I know it was something I wanted to put in with some other stuff to donate.

I do that more often than I'd like to admit these days too.

Quote:
For that amount of time I'm sure you and your dad will have a good visit.

Yeah, I think you did. Having somewhere for you and your dad to eat would be good. Just don't let yourself do what I am still doing. Make an attempt to tidy up the kitchen table then put another pile of stuff on it.

Yeah. We should have fun.

No worries. My table, at least until he's gone will be clean and clear.

It was actually nice not having to go through a ton of old mail and stuff since I already did that a couple of weeks ago. Only had about a week's worth of junk mail to sort through. House was pretty clean overall too. I really need to clean up better after myself in the kitchen and bathroom though. Bad habits I've cultivated over the decades and I never had a good woman to smack the shit out of me for doing it.

I don't mind living in my own mess, but if I walked into somebody else's house and it looked the way that I've let it get about 3 times over the last 2 years, I'd nope right on out of there. Wasn't nearly as bad as my drinking/hoarding days, but that's really just because I don't have all that crap anymore. And the longer you let it go the bigger project it becomes and the less you want to do it. Just a bad cycle that reinforces itself.

I just have to get this project finished up and make a point to have people over more again. When I had people over often enough, it never got messy to the point where it was a major 2-day project to clean everything up.

Oh... and I cheated on the laundry. Instead of putting it all where it belongs, I just threw it in another room. I think the main reason I don't take care of my laundry is because I barely have any space for it. I've got two massive dressers and a third small one, and that large closet with 3 rods for hanging, and I still don't have enough room for the laundry.

Getting rid of clothes has always been a hard thing for me to do. It's also the reason why I have to stop taking other people's clothes when they get rid of them too.

I have a very particular way of dressing most days, and half the clothes I own now I know that I would never wear under any circumstance, so it all needs to go. I also took like 7 full suits from my friend that belonged to his dad. They're all a perfect fit. I don't even need to see a tailor.

But if you don't count a 30 minute job interview maybe 12 years ago, the last time I ever wore a suit was at my brother's wedding. Was Obama still on his first term back then? I think he may have been.

Heh... I just giggled when I remembered that the last time I washed any of my cars was the last time I wore a suit.

If I was going to get another office job where I dressed real nice every day I think I'd have probably already done it in the last 16 years. Probably time to let a lot of that go. And besides... Even though I've long stopped caring about fashion and I think that anything I wore growing up is still perfectly acceptable to wear, there's probably a good chance a lot of that would either be laughed out of the office for being ancient, or would be complimented for being vintage stuff. If I get another office job, I can buy myself new dress clothes. They're just wasting space here now.

Quote:
I think if the table and chairs are a nice wood colouring it would be alright with your white trim.

Painting it and then cleaning it all the time will flake the paint off. Best to leave it.

Yeah... It doesn't look bad at all. I think dark would probably go nicer with it than the light wood, but oh well...

I

BRENDA

Saturday, May 2, 2026 11:35 PM (P)

Speaking of laundry I have to get up and get mine done. Then a walk in.

BRENDA

Sunday, May 3, 2026 4:19 AM (P)

Back later. People hogging washing machines then trying to hog dryers. Managed to get one of each. Then out on a walk to get some supper for tomorrow.

SIGNYM

Sunday, May 3, 2026 6:28 AM (P)

A big motivator for tidying and cleaning is having someone over. Needless to say, we haven't had anyone over except close family in a long time!

But I keep hoping to get to that point soneday!

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"It may be dangerous to be America's enemy, but to be America's friend is fatal."- Henry Kissinger

BRENDA

Sunday, May 3, 2026 10:13 AM (P)

Kitchen sink cleaned out tonight. It was looking kind of grim. Also the other day got my files into the box and the jewelry I had around is now in my mum's old box. Now, to get back to my book work. Another case of I will, I will, I will. Oh, somewhere along the line I will fix a pin then get to work on the pins I want and don't want.

BRENDA

Sunday, May 3, 2026 11:51 PM (P)

Up tp attempt to get things organized for that publisher and all this heat is making my hair greasy. Need to soak my head and then see if I have a hair clip. I know I did have one.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Monday, May 4, 2026 12:33 AM (P)

Man.... I could use some heat.

I've still got the damn furnace on right now and it's May 3rd.

I said I wasn't going to do it, but it was getting miserable in here.

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Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

BRENDA

Monday, May 4, 2026 9:52 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by 6ixStringJack:
Man.... I could use some heat.

I've still got the damn furnace on right now and it's May 3rd.

I said I wasn't going to do it, but it was getting miserable in here.

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Be Nice. Don't be a dick.

Sorry to hear that SIX. We are going to be sweltering where I am until at least Friday of this week.

And we've got fires starting to go in province too. Think it's going to be a long summer.

BRENDA

Monday, May 4, 2026 11:09 PM (P)

Up and out in a bit. 68F at 10am. Hot and it is already making my blood sugar hop. I will be feeling it all day. I don't have a hair clip will have to get one. Meds refill and that will be about it.

BRENDA

Tuesday, May 5, 2026 3:46 AM (P)

Everything done for today. Got a couple of hair clips as I thought I had a couple but apparently I don't. Blood sugar good because I have been grazing all day.

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