Good morning. Up since 5 or so. I am about to get dress and do my 2 miles. We have PT at 11.
Patient #1 was testy last night. I checked on #2 this morning.
BG smokes a vape. I would rather she smoke Camels than a vape. Her dad said she’s been ordering cartridges off the internet that is higher in nicotine. In my younger days whenever I was out or at a party and had just enough alcohol to think I could hang out with the cool kids and smoke a cigarette I ended up with the room spinning, lying on the floor, praying to die. I haven’t been that stupid in about 25 years. I’m sure we have much more going on with BG than just a high dose of nicotine.
DJ I think we are all going to need to see the photo of you and your new car. It sounds like it was somewhat of a painless purchase. I despise buying a car. It takes all day and I always feel violated afterwards. The only “easy” purchase was whe we bought the Volvo. We saw it. Drove it. Mr.P asked for the USAA price, we went home downloaded a “check” while they detailed it, went back, gave the check to them and drove off.
Despite the fact I negotiate real estate for other people I hate haggling for myself.
I laugh that I am
Either the easiest or hardest person to sell something to.
Oh, the roofer came yesterday and patched the roof with shingles. I may escape a new roof for now, and avoid the $7,500 named storm deductible. That would be wonderful as I am sure the IRS would rather have that money.
Good morning Kim any everyone else.
And congratulations Carol
I am praying for you and BG Kim. It’s tough.
Elvera is sitting there watching TV and has some coffee. I sads, “Drink your coffee.”
She said. OK, I’lll just stay here ’till it’s time to go”. So sad. In the evenings, she wants to go “home”. Wherever that is. It isn’t here. That’s all I know.
I was reading Psalm 90 this morning. I came to v. 90:4 “A thousand years in your sight are but yesterday”. It always reminds me of the time in 1955 I was reading that. It was a time of emotional turmoil for me. (I won’t go into that now.)
Anyhow, when I came across that, I recalled Ps. 89:47 “Remember how short my time is.” I don’t have a thousand years.
It all worked out.
Sometimes, we realize that God is eternal and doesn’t care about us from day to day. But God is aware of time. And He knows how to work things out.
Seems like all of us are stressed by either physical or emotional turmoil now.
But God knows how to make it work.
I was almost brought to tears by her remark mentioned above.
That’s the reason for this post.
Chas, from your perspective, it is sad. From hers, maybe not so much. She likes the idea of going and so she is focused on going. Doesn’t matter to her as she is living in that moment of anticipation and if you go or don’t, she is still living there.
We are up with baby. Daughter got called in for the night shift. They only have about five workers so when somebody calls in sick…. Anyway, that means daughter will need to sleep today so we will have baby.
Still very concerned for son’s girlfriend and other grandbaby.
What was that duo, Tennille and the Captain? Or the Captain and Tennille? From the “70s. Now I envision Michelle singing that song — “Love will Keep us To-ge-e-ether.”
I’m up early, heading to the vet’s office in 30 or 40 minutes to get the dogs’ med refills. I like the new car but still have a sadness over the one I lost. And I really didn’t need a car payment in my life. It’s a lot more fun buying a car when you’re ready to do that and not forced to do it. I’m sure I’ll warm up to this one, but I really did like my other Jeep better.
When I went to do the final clean-out of the old Jeep, one of the guys had to drive me up to the top of the garage in a golf cart. I asked him if they were busy these days, he said, no, people still aren’t driving that much, many still working from home. So I guess fewer accidents. Yet I managed. 😦
Prayers for Mr. P and BG and everyone else recovering from something. I need to call Carol later today after work, she hasn’t been doing well.
Busy day ahead with a couple stories to do and some finishing up with the car stuff — getting the rental ready to return, probably signing loan docs online.
I was kind of surprised there’s no changing your mind when I signed off for the newer car yesterday, they usually give you a few days, don’t they?
Donna, being forced into a quick purchase is not fun. I’m so glad we had our son to find us the used Subaru and before it went out on market as well. That is a handy thing – he was able to buy a van for their expanding family when it came in and before it went out onto the lot.
I’m am praying you will learn to love your new car quickly (at least you didn’t total two cars in two weeks like I did) 🙂
Happy anniversary, Michelle and husband!
Roscuro, praying for you today along with BG and Mr P and especially Kim.
Happy Anniversary,
♡M & R♡
The years and the Lord have blessed your union in a myriad of ways. May you have many more years full of more blessings than woes!
I wanted to watch the debate. But I got about two hours sleep Tuesday night. Yesterday morning my husband and I headed out for a walk, and he noticed the color is starting, and he suggested we go back home and drive to Brown County State Park (where people come from all over to see the fall color), so we did. There really isn’t much color yet, but there’s some–and we were amazed at how many people were there smack dab in the middle of the week when there isn’t even much color yet. But it was a gorgeous day (it got up past 80 eventually). When we were returning home, I asked if he could drop me off near our local trail because I knew it might be the last good day of the season for butterflies. So I walked around a bit and did see quite a number of butterflies, and I didn’t get home till minutes before 5:00, and I had a scheduled phone call with a friend at 5:00, an hour and a half. Then a quick supper, and then our two-hour Zoom Bible study (by which time the sleeplessness of the night before was catching up to me). I then watched a few minutes of the debate, but I didn’t have the mental energy to watch much. Hubby and I went to bed just before 10 p.m.–quite early for me–and I slept till 9:00, which was sorely needed.
Happy anniversary, Michelle and hubby! (I don’t remember if you’ve used his name on here, though I remember what his name is.) I hope it’s a lovely one! October is a lovely month for an anniversary. 🙂
In 2011 on the World blog we were having questions of the day posed (I think) by the moderator. One day the question was on our favorite month, and why it’s our favorite month. Well, I hadn’t yet mentioned on here that I was being courted; we were not yet officially engaged because I hadn’t yet met the girls, but we had an October wedding date reserved on the church calendar. And my beloved was driving to Nashville about every three weeks to see me, spending three to five days staying with one of my elders and his wife. “every three weeks” meant once in most months, but in June it meant he was coming twice.
So I answered the question, saying that June was my favorite month, but not mentioning that in June I would see my beloved twice. But most of the other answers were October, and I knew I’d be getting married in October (which I also wasn’t saying), so I finally added that October could be a pretty nice month too. 🙂 Fall is still not my favorite season, though. There’s something so sad to me about the ending of summer, days suddenly getting cooler and so much beauty dying off, the days getting shorter, and winter to follow. October may be my most melancholy month.
So, the good news is, they couldn’t find anything wrong. The bad news is the same. Well, there is something wrong that we already know about, but it is not fully accounting for the symptoms I am experiencing. Oh well, I see the specialist next week.
More advice: Do not drop an iron on your foot even if it is cool. I am glad it was cool, however, and that nothing seems broken.
Only the evergreens are green here. Most of the trees around here are gold. The tamaracks are turning gold. Still a few bright red trees around and bright red crab apples are more seen since more and more leaves have fallen.
The neighbor stopped by as my husband was getting the paper. He was full of wolf pack stories and warning about walking again. We really should buy a pistol and take a carry class.
😦 Roscuro. It is so much better if you can at least find a reason for your health problem/s.
We’ve had to purchase a car on a short turn around once–when we drove home from our son’s wedding, turned off the car in the garage and it never drove again!
Fortunately, I’d been scouting CRVs, so it worked out for us very well.
I’d been feeling a real impetus to buy a new car for several years before we replaced the CRV with another CRV. When I finally convinced Mr. Money Manager This Time that it was a necessary purchase, he bowed to the inevitable and I gave the old CRV to the same son. It replaced the Saturn he had been driving for . . . 18 years.
A month later, the first round of fires came. We were so thankful J had a reliable CRV to drive–and to haul possessions in. I figured out, finally, how to work the radio in the new car while escaping flames that night.
There’s always something dramatic going on.
I’ve been to the grocery store this morning–where a rogue canister of oatmeal escaped my cart. I don’t know what happened to it, but when I returned to the cereal aisle to replace it, I warned an employee to be on the lookout.
Ridiculous.
And, I spent more than twice what I paid for the wedding dress I wore–once–43 years ago tonight!
I married a brand new spanking Ensign–one week commissioned–and am now married to a worn yet animated Commander who has been retired longer than he served.
Not sure how that happened, time is so fluid, you know–but I like him better now with some experience. (I was going to say “under his belt,” but that sounded a bit ribald . . . )
But I know Mumsee will like it . . .
Thanks for the congratulations. He’s in a meeting, or I’d go serenade him! LOL
I’m off in about 15 minutes to check out the duvet situation–which will involve an hour-long drive to Fairfax and then another hour-long drive through the back hills of Marin County, followed by a 90-minute drive home.
Frankly, a beautiful drive.
My husband just spoke with the glorious USAA and they’re reimbursing us enough for our time out to cover the cost of a new duvet if it becomes necessary.
Honestly, I feel guilty. We end up total winners, without meaning to, on this catastrophe. We got a wonderful week with our family, albeit with nerves, meltdowns, and chaos, and sufficient refunding to cover all the costs. What an odd world.
I’m not sure how to write this, but here goes.
I fell apart in the Safeway produce department 10 hours after we evacuated and when we still didn’t know the outcome.
I kept thinking, “I’m a refugee. Again.”
Finally, I just leaned into my husband’s back and cried.
Obviously, I’m not a person in a worn life preserver trying to get across the Mediterranean Sea in a deflating Zodiac with only a telephone to my name and no home to return to.
I have plenty of resources–which includes a whole lot of relatives who would have taken us in.
(Really, if you have to be in a family, choose a Sicilian one. Even if they disagree with you on everything, they’ll always take you in and feed you–preferably pasta).
But, it’s valuable–particularly for someone like me–to have to face what that means. To get just a taste of what so many throughout the world are going through.
When we lived in Hawai’i, we got a taste of racism. I didn’t like it, but I knew it was important for me, as well as for my children.
Empathy often comes out of past experiences. Even a touch, a slight turn of the prism, can help us better love the world.
So, I’m thankful for the experience.
I’d rather not go through it again, though, thank you very much.
Yesterday I posted a photo of our patio umbrella with about 5-6 holes in the top.
My husband had closed it the day before the fires because winds were picking up.
When I opened it up yesterday, I was surprised to see those holes. Embers, obviously, had landed and burned.
And, of course, the umbrella was five feet from the house.
I posted the photo on the Sonoma County Firestorm Facebook page, and got am amazing series of back and forth comments from two women.
How did I know that wasn’t the result of BATS roosting in the umbrella?
People focus on the oddest things when they’re under stress.
I knew there weren’t any bats. The huntress, who has killed any living thing (including a bird the same day), that dares set foot or wing in our backyard, hadn’t paid the slightest attention to the umbrella.
I couldn’t really say that, however, or they would have come after me for letting my cat outside.
It’s a nice car. I called the car hunter, it’s not irreversible, she said, and I haven’t signed the loan papers. I have to work today — and still think this car is nice, like the tech and other newer features a lot. But …. I’m feeling overly emotional about it, I guess, can’t stop crying. I’ve reached out to a couple at my church for some feedback.
Car hunter called me again but I didn’t pick up, honestly I have no idea what to do at this point. As I said, I just wish I’d “looked” a little longer.
We didn’t go to physical therapy today. The Patient did too much yesterday and last night on his own, so he rescheduled for tomorrow at 11. As I said, I haven’t been too impressed with his ability to follow doctor’s orders. I also dropped an ice pack on his knee last night. Luckily the physical therapist’s office to close to home. I can have him there in about 10 minutes. Finally! Something close to home.
My PT was about 5 minutes away, very convenient. I kind of miss it, actually, now that I’ve been set free.
OK, talked to a friend from church and our former photo editor (who resisted going from the old CRVs to the newer ones, he disliked the new body styles too, but said he adjusted).
So between them, they’ve talked me off the ledge. I really must have freaked the poor car hunter out, though, when I called her in meltdown mode this morning. I’m guessing it’s not an unheard of occurrence in her line of work.
And, as my church friend told me, the car is not a life sentence, I can always sell it down the road in a couple years (I won’t, but just thinking that way helps), it doesn’t have to be ‘forever.’ I never thought of that but it helped to put it in that perspective.
Meanwhile, she added, enjoy the new bells and whistles. And I will say that the media system is pretty awesome.
I think these last few weeks, coming on the heels of the knee injury challenges along with covid and a heavy work load, have just been extra traumatic with the accident, the loss of the car I loved and having to figure out a replacement car on a dime – which is really a big decision, after all. Lots of stressors all at once, I guess.
Our “buy a car in two minutes when we had not been thinking of one” story:
You have heard this one. Husband was working in Canada, Vancouver. I was here with three adopted children and got called to take three two more. I called husband to ask if he minded if I bought a new van as I did not have room to transport all in the Subaru. He told me to hold that thought. Two days later her drove in with our new used twelve passenger van from somewhere over in the Seattle area. Used to be a commuter van of sorts. Still runs great, thirteen children and many years later. It does not have bells or whistles but does get me from point A to point B and that is all I need.
DJ, when I had my accident, I was driving the best car I’d ever owned, one I’d had for ten years (since it was five). I actually knew it was time to replace it, so what the accident did for me was allow me to get reimbursed more for the car than I could have sold it for. And it turns out my brother had just listed my sister-in-law’s car for sale (or he had just called in the ad, and he pulled the listing, something like that), and he sold it to me for less than he was listing it for. And I knew she loved that car, so it felt like a gift from God and also a sweet thing to be driving her car.
But I actually never did like that car. It didn’t turn nicely and didn’t perform well in parking lots. It was an American car, and I’d learned to like Toyotas. But I drove it for three or four years and it worked. Then after I married, when I hardly ever drove it (since I usually was with my husband if I went anywhere), that same brother asked how the car was working out, and I said fine but I rarely drove it. He was having a hard time finding a car for his stepson to drive, since used car prices had gone way up. So he bought it back from me. We let him set the purchase price, and he paid a couple hundred less than he’d sold it to me for. I never did love the car (and it was silver, BTW), but it did what I needed it to do for the time I needed it. We ended up selling our second car, too, once the girls no longer needed it, so when I need to go anywhere, I drive the Prius my husband had when we married. I still don’t really like it, either–but it gets me where I need to go.
It would be definitely easier if I didn’t like the old Jeep and hadn’t planned to keep it for a while longer.
I think It’s also tied emotionally for me to Cowboy and Tess (I adopted them right around the same time). So it kind of represented a fun, rather freewheeling stretch of my ‘midlife’ years, going to dog parks, taking the dogs to the beach, the snow, shuttling Carol through Hollywood on our Saturday outings during a particular 3-year period in there. One of my favorite photos is of Tess and Cowboy looking out of the Jeep’s half-down window, something I snapped back in 2014 while I was waiting to talk to my mechanic. Always thought I’d get that framed someday (and I will).
Dj, talk to yourself about God in the process. He is the one who found the new car for you and He will meet your needs in a way you can’t even imagine.
DJ I have a hard time when things don’t go my way. It has been a lifelong lesson. Now I try to think of what “this” is protecting or preparing me for what is coming. It doesn’t make it easier in the process but when “that” happens I can sometimes put the two together.
I’m feeling better, delved into Paul David Tripp for a while (reading about how it is a constant spiritual battle to keep from putting earthly things in the place of God which was what I was doing, I’m afraid). Then I went over to feed the fish next door and decided to linger a bit, so I sat in a chair next to the pond and prayed, watched the fish, did a little watering.
I also think I’ve just been experiencing a grieving period of sorts, and I thought I was “over” the accident trauma, but I think it returned and was now combined with the misgivings over the car issues. It all hit really hard. I don’t cry often but today found myself crying off and on. I think it’s passed, for now.
I looked at the ‘midget’ Jeep in the driveway — it’s parked right behind the Kia Soul loaner — and It’s a good looking car, I love the color, it has a sporty black trim; it’s just too squashed down and short. lol Maybe I can get some of those giant truck tires to put on it and give it some decent height …
At least the tears have stopped and I’m refocused. It’s a nice, cool night, our weather is finally cooling off (but it’ll be back up to the 80s next week I think). I still need to get the trash taken out, pick up the neighbors’ mail and walk the dogs. But I’m hoping to get to bed a little earlier than I did last night (midnight) — I also didn’t sleep well last night and had to get up early, I was out of bed by 5:30 this morning.
Someone on FB is moving out of California and asking which state to go to — I think all of your states were mentioned by comments, Tennessee and Idaho had especially high marks
DJ – If that person wants to get away from high taxes and high cost of living, tell them to not move to Connecticut. I love where I live, but this is an expensive state to live in.
That’s why they’re leaving California too — and “no income tax” was a big selling point for some of the states being mentioned. I don’t believe Connecticut was mentioned as a good option. lol
Plus she was wanting to be somewhat central as family is very spread out. She had a knee replacement but otherwise was really liking the idea of Colorado (but she used to ski and said it would be too hard now to be in a place like that and not be able to ski).
Georgia is good for retirees, at 62 you can exclude the first 35,000 of retirement income from state income taxes and at age 65 you get to exude the first 65,000. Art tells people it has advantages from that respect. Georgia has some nice mountains and beach/barrier islands along with a big city.
Wandering Views 
Good morning. Up since 5 or so. I am about to get dress and do my 2 miles. We have PT at 11.
Patient #1 was testy last night. I checked on #2 this morning.
BG smokes a vape. I would rather she smoke Camels than a vape. Her dad said she’s been ordering cartridges off the internet that is higher in nicotine. In my younger days whenever I was out or at a party and had just enough alcohol to think I could hang out with the cool kids and smoke a cigarette I ended up with the room spinning, lying on the floor, praying to die. I haven’t been that stupid in about 25 years. I’m sure we have much more going on with BG than just a high dose of nicotine.
DJ I think we are all going to need to see the photo of you and your new car. It sounds like it was somewhat of a painless purchase. I despise buying a car. It takes all day and I always feel violated afterwards. The only “easy” purchase was whe we bought the Volvo. We saw it. Drove it. Mr.P asked for the USAA price, we went home downloaded a “check” while they detailed it, went back, gave the check to them and drove off.
Despite the fact I negotiate real estate for other people I hate haggling for myself.
I laugh that I am
Either the easiest or hardest person to sell something to.
Oh, the roofer came yesterday and patched the roof with shingles. I may escape a new roof for now, and avoid the $7,500 named storm deductible. That would be wonderful as I am sure the IRS would rather have that money.
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Good morning Kim any everyone else.
And congratulations Carol
I am praying for you and BG Kim. It’s tough.
Elvera is sitting there watching TV and has some coffee. I sads, “Drink your coffee.”
She said. OK, I’lll just stay here ’till it’s time to go”. So sad. In the evenings, she wants to go “home”. Wherever that is. It isn’t here. That’s all I know.
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I was reading Psalm 90 this morning. I came to v. 90:4 “A thousand years in your sight are but yesterday”. It always reminds me of the time in 1955 I was reading that. It was a time of emotional turmoil for me. (I won’t go into that now.)
Anyhow, when I came across that, I recalled Ps. 89:47 “Remember how short my time is.” I don’t have a thousand years.
It all worked out.
Sometimes, we realize that God is eternal and doesn’t care about us from day to day. But God is aware of time. And He knows how to work things out.
Seems like all of us are stressed by either physical or emotional turmoil now.
But God knows how to make it work.
I was almost brought to tears by her remark mentioned above.
That’s the reason for this post.
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Good morning.
Chas, from your perspective, it is sad. From hers, maybe not so much. She likes the idea of going and so she is focused on going. Doesn’t matter to her as she is living in that moment of anticipation and if you go or don’t, she is still living there.
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We are up with baby. Daughter got called in for the night shift. They only have about five workers so when somebody calls in sick…. Anyway, that means daughter will need to sleep today so we will have baby.
Still very concerned for son’s girlfriend and other grandbaby.
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I am in the ER right now, waiting for a doctor to see me. My symptoms are not improving.
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Morning…praying at the moment for you Roscuro… ❤️
Happy anniversary Michelle and Captain… 💕
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What was that duo, Tennille and the Captain? Or the Captain and Tennille? From the “70s. Now I envision Michelle singing that song — “Love will Keep us To-ge-e-ether.”
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I’m up early, heading to the vet’s office in 30 or 40 minutes to get the dogs’ med refills. I like the new car but still have a sadness over the one I lost. And I really didn’t need a car payment in my life. It’s a lot more fun buying a car when you’re ready to do that and not forced to do it. I’m sure I’ll warm up to this one, but I really did like my other Jeep better.
When I went to do the final clean-out of the old Jeep, one of the guys had to drive me up to the top of the garage in a golf cart. I asked him if they were busy these days, he said, no, people still aren’t driving that much, many still working from home. So I guess fewer accidents. Yet I managed. 😦
Prayers for Mr. P and BG and everyone else recovering from something. I need to call Carol later today after work, she hasn’t been doing well.
Busy day ahead with a couple stories to do and some finishing up with the car stuff — getting the rental ready to return, probably signing loan docs online.
I was kind of surprised there’s no changing your mind when I signed off for the newer car yesterday, they usually give you a few days, don’t they?
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Donna, being forced into a quick purchase is not fun. I’m so glad we had our son to find us the used Subaru and before it went out on market as well. That is a handy thing – he was able to buy a van for their expanding family when it came in and before it went out onto the lot.
I’m am praying you will learn to love your new car quickly (at least you didn’t total two cars in two weeks like I did) 🙂
Happy anniversary, Michelle and husband!
Roscuro, praying for you today along with BG and Mr P and especially Kim.
Chas, if I could, I would give you a big hug.
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Yes, DJ . . . I thought there was a Lemon Law.
Oh, Roscuro. Prayers for you in the ER that whatever is causing your distress will soon calm down.
Continuing prayers for Kim and family. You are a real trooper, Kim.
We have another pretty day here, but the rain from the Gulf storm should reach us by tomorrow.
We watched the whole debate last night. I doubt that many changed their already made up minds.
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Happy Anniversary,
♡M & R♡
The years and the Lord have blessed your union in a myriad of ways. May you have many more years full of more blessings than woes!
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Praying for you, Roscuro.
I wanted to watch the debate. But I got about two hours sleep Tuesday night. Yesterday morning my husband and I headed out for a walk, and he noticed the color is starting, and he suggested we go back home and drive to Brown County State Park (where people come from all over to see the fall color), so we did. There really isn’t much color yet, but there’s some–and we were amazed at how many people were there smack dab in the middle of the week when there isn’t even much color yet. But it was a gorgeous day (it got up past 80 eventually). When we were returning home, I asked if he could drop me off near our local trail because I knew it might be the last good day of the season for butterflies. So I walked around a bit and did see quite a number of butterflies, and I didn’t get home till minutes before 5:00, and I had a scheduled phone call with a friend at 5:00, an hour and a half. Then a quick supper, and then our two-hour Zoom Bible study (by which time the sleeplessness of the night before was catching up to me). I then watched a few minutes of the debate, but I didn’t have the mental energy to watch much. Hubby and I went to bed just before 10 p.m.–quite early for me–and I slept till 9:00, which was sorely needed.
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Happy anniversary, Michelle and hubby! (I don’t remember if you’ve used his name on here, though I remember what his name is.) I hope it’s a lovely one! October is a lovely month for an anniversary. 🙂
In 2011 on the World blog we were having questions of the day posed (I think) by the moderator. One day the question was on our favorite month, and why it’s our favorite month. Well, I hadn’t yet mentioned on here that I was being courted; we were not yet officially engaged because I hadn’t yet met the girls, but we had an October wedding date reserved on the church calendar. And my beloved was driving to Nashville about every three weeks to see me, spending three to five days staying with one of my elders and his wife. “every three weeks” meant once in most months, but in June it meant he was coming twice.
So I answered the question, saying that June was my favorite month, but not mentioning that in June I would see my beloved twice. But most of the other answers were October, and I knew I’d be getting married in October (which I also wasn’t saying), so I finally added that October could be a pretty nice month too. 🙂 Fall is still not my favorite season, though. There’s something so sad to me about the ending of summer, days suddenly getting cooler and so much beauty dying off, the days getting shorter, and winter to follow. October may be my most melancholy month.
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Cheryl, green is a color. Just so you know.
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Fall color, Mumsee. Fall color. Green is actually my favorite color, but so far everything is still mostly green (and I’m not complaining about that).
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So, the good news is, they couldn’t find anything wrong. The bad news is the same. Well, there is something wrong that we already know about, but it is not fully accounting for the symptoms I am experiencing. Oh well, I see the specialist next week.
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Ugh, buyer’s remorse. I hope this passes.
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I just should have taken more time.
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😦 DJ
More advice: Do not drop an iron on your foot even if it is cool. I am glad it was cool, however, and that nothing seems broken.
Only the evergreens are green here. Most of the trees around here are gold. The tamaracks are turning gold. Still a few bright red trees around and bright red crab apples are more seen since more and more leaves have fallen.
The neighbor stopped by as my husband was getting the paper. He was full of wolf pack stories and warning about walking again. We really should buy a pistol and take a carry class.
😦 Roscuro. It is so much better if you can at least find a reason for your health problem/s.
Happy anniversary, Michelle!
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Dj, the buyer’s remorse clause was one of the things the dealer said that I could opt to spend 250 dollars on. Yikes!
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We’ve had to purchase a car on a short turn around once–when we drove home from our son’s wedding, turned off the car in the garage and it never drove again!
Fortunately, I’d been scouting CRVs, so it worked out for us very well.
I’d been feeling a real impetus to buy a new car for several years before we replaced the CRV with another CRV. When I finally convinced Mr. Money Manager This Time that it was a necessary purchase, he bowed to the inevitable and I gave the old CRV to the same son. It replaced the Saturn he had been driving for . . . 18 years.
A month later, the first round of fires came. We were so thankful J had a reliable CRV to drive–and to haul possessions in. I figured out, finally, how to work the radio in the new car while escaping flames that night.
There’s always something dramatic going on.
I’ve been to the grocery store this morning–where a rogue canister of oatmeal escaped my cart. I don’t know what happened to it, but when I returned to the cereal aisle to replace it, I warned an employee to be on the lookout.
Ridiculous.
And, I spent more than twice what I paid for the wedding dress I wore–once–43 years ago tonight!
I married a brand new spanking Ensign–one week commissioned–and am now married to a worn yet animated Commander who has been retired longer than he served.
Not sure how that happened, time is so fluid, you know–but I like him better now with some experience. (I was going to say “under his belt,” but that sounded a bit ribald . . . )
But I know Mumsee will like it . . .
Thanks for the congratulations. He’s in a meeting, or I’d go serenade him! LOL
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I’m off in about 15 minutes to check out the duvet situation–which will involve an hour-long drive to Fairfax and then another hour-long drive through the back hills of Marin County, followed by a 90-minute drive home.
Frankly, a beautiful drive.
My husband just spoke with the glorious USAA and they’re reimbursing us enough for our time out to cover the cost of a new duvet if it becomes necessary.
Honestly, I feel guilty. We end up total winners, without meaning to, on this catastrophe. We got a wonderful week with our family, albeit with nerves, meltdowns, and chaos, and sufficient refunding to cover all the costs. What an odd world.
I’m not sure how to write this, but here goes.
I fell apart in the Safeway produce department 10 hours after we evacuated and when we still didn’t know the outcome.
I kept thinking, “I’m a refugee. Again.”
Finally, I just leaned into my husband’s back and cried.
Obviously, I’m not a person in a worn life preserver trying to get across the Mediterranean Sea in a deflating Zodiac with only a telephone to my name and no home to return to.
I have plenty of resources–which includes a whole lot of relatives who would have taken us in.
(Really, if you have to be in a family, choose a Sicilian one. Even if they disagree with you on everything, they’ll always take you in and feed you–preferably pasta).
But, it’s valuable–particularly for someone like me–to have to face what that means. To get just a taste of what so many throughout the world are going through.
When we lived in Hawai’i, we got a taste of racism. I didn’t like it, but I knew it was important for me, as well as for my children.
Empathy often comes out of past experiences. Even a touch, a slight turn of the prism, can help us better love the world.
So, I’m thankful for the experience.
I’d rather not go through it again, though, thank you very much.
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One more comment and then I truly am gone.
Yesterday I posted a photo of our patio umbrella with about 5-6 holes in the top.
My husband had closed it the day before the fires because winds were picking up.
When I opened it up yesterday, I was surprised to see those holes. Embers, obviously, had landed and burned.
And, of course, the umbrella was five feet from the house.
I posted the photo on the Sonoma County Firestorm Facebook page, and got am amazing series of back and forth comments from two women.
How did I know that wasn’t the result of BATS roosting in the umbrella?
People focus on the oddest things when they’re under stress.
I knew there weren’t any bats. The huntress, who has killed any living thing (including a bird the same day), that dares set foot or wing in our backyard, hadn’t paid the slightest attention to the umbrella.
I couldn’t really say that, however, or they would have come after me for letting my cat outside.
Sigh.
Ciao.
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Oh, DJ. I think you made a GREAT decision!
I’m so proud of you!
God wanted you to have an updated car you can drive for the next 15 years!
What a great opportunity!
How safe you’ll feel in that car!
And it will be totally hand’s free!
Rejoicing!!!!!
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It’s a nice car. I called the car hunter, it’s not irreversible, she said, and I haven’t signed the loan papers. I have to work today — and still think this car is nice, like the tech and other newer features a lot. But …. I’m feeling overly emotional about it, I guess, can’t stop crying. I’ve reached out to a couple at my church for some feedback.
Car hunter called me again but I didn’t pick up, honestly I have no idea what to do at this point. As I said, I just wish I’d “looked” a little longer.
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Thanks Michelle, it’s probably the right decision in many ways. But made too quickly.
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We didn’t go to physical therapy today. The Patient did too much yesterday and last night on his own, so he rescheduled for tomorrow at 11. As I said, I haven’t been too impressed with his ability to follow doctor’s orders. I also dropped an ice pack on his knee last night. Luckily the physical therapist’s office to close to home. I can have him there in about 10 minutes. Finally! Something close to home.
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My PT was about 5 minutes away, very convenient. I kind of miss it, actually, now that I’ve been set free.
OK, talked to a friend from church and our former photo editor (who resisted going from the old CRVs to the newer ones, he disliked the new body styles too, but said he adjusted).
So between them, they’ve talked me off the ledge. I really must have freaked the poor car hunter out, though, when I called her in meltdown mode this morning. I’m guessing it’s not an unheard of occurrence in her line of work.
And, as my church friend told me, the car is not a life sentence, I can always sell it down the road in a couple years (I won’t, but just thinking that way helps), it doesn’t have to be ‘forever.’ I never thought of that but it helped to put it in that perspective.
Meanwhile, she added, enjoy the new bells and whistles. And I will say that the media system is pretty awesome.
I think these last few weeks, coming on the heels of the knee injury challenges along with covid and a heavy work load, have just been extra traumatic with the accident, the loss of the car I loved and having to figure out a replacement car on a dime – which is really a big decision, after all. Lots of stressors all at once, I guess.
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Yeah, that is a lot of stress upon stress, DJ, one right after the other. Prayers for you.
As well for Roscuro, Chas, Kim, your families…
Michelle, happy anniversary to you and your man. 🙂
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Michelle..!!!!!
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Our “buy a car in two minutes when we had not been thinking of one” story:
You have heard this one. Husband was working in Canada, Vancouver. I was here with three adopted children and got called to take three two more. I called husband to ask if he minded if I bought a new van as I did not have room to transport all in the Subaru. He told me to hold that thought. Two days later her drove in with our new used twelve passenger van from somewhere over in the Seattle area. Used to be a commuter van of sorts. Still runs great, thirteen children and many years later. It does not have bells or whistles but does get me from point A to point B and that is all I need.
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DJ, when I had my accident, I was driving the best car I’d ever owned, one I’d had for ten years (since it was five). I actually knew it was time to replace it, so what the accident did for me was allow me to get reimbursed more for the car than I could have sold it for. And it turns out my brother had just listed my sister-in-law’s car for sale (or he had just called in the ad, and he pulled the listing, something like that), and he sold it to me for less than he was listing it for. And I knew she loved that car, so it felt like a gift from God and also a sweet thing to be driving her car.
But I actually never did like that car. It didn’t turn nicely and didn’t perform well in parking lots. It was an American car, and I’d learned to like Toyotas. But I drove it for three or four years and it worked. Then after I married, when I hardly ever drove it (since I usually was with my husband if I went anywhere), that same brother asked how the car was working out, and I said fine but I rarely drove it. He was having a hard time finding a car for his stepson to drive, since used car prices had gone way up. So he bought it back from me. We let him set the purchase price, and he paid a couple hundred less than he’d sold it to me for. I never did love the car (and it was silver, BTW), but it did what I needed it to do for the time I needed it. We ended up selling our second car, too, once the girls no longer needed it, so when I need to go anywhere, I drive the Prius my husband had when we married. I still don’t really like it, either–but it gets me where I need to go.
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It would be definitely easier if I didn’t like the old Jeep and hadn’t planned to keep it for a while longer.
I think It’s also tied emotionally for me to Cowboy and Tess (I adopted them right around the same time). So it kind of represented a fun, rather freewheeling stretch of my ‘midlife’ years, going to dog parks, taking the dogs to the beach, the snow, shuttling Carol through Hollywood on our Saturday outings during a particular 3-year period in there. One of my favorite photos is of Tess and Cowboy looking out of the Jeep’s half-down window, something I snapped back in 2014 while I was waiting to talk to my mechanic. Always thought I’d get that framed someday (and I will).
I’m just feeling sentimental today.
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*the same time as I got the Jeep
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A former colleague grew up next to this family —
https://abc7news.com/family-heartbroken-after-91-year-old-home-destroyed-in-glass-fire/6725689/
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Dj, talk to yourself about God in the process. He is the one who found the new car for you and He will meet your needs in a way you can’t even imagine.
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DJ I have a hard time when things don’t go my way. It has been a lifelong lesson. Now I try to think of what “this” is protecting or preparing me for what is coming. It doesn’t make it easier in the process but when “that” happens I can sometimes put the two together.
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The duvet was saved!
Tomorrow I’ll tell you the story of the 500-pound grandfather.
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I’m feeling better, delved into Paul David Tripp for a while (reading about how it is a constant spiritual battle to keep from putting earthly things in the place of God which was what I was doing, I’m afraid). Then I went over to feed the fish next door and decided to linger a bit, so I sat in a chair next to the pond and prayed, watched the fish, did a little watering.
I also think I’ve just been experiencing a grieving period of sorts, and I thought I was “over” the accident trauma, but I think it returned and was now combined with the misgivings over the car issues. It all hit really hard. I don’t cry often but today found myself crying off and on. I think it’s passed, for now.
I looked at the ‘midget’ Jeep in the driveway — it’s parked right behind the Kia Soul loaner — and It’s a good looking car, I love the color, it has a sporty black trim; it’s just too squashed down and short. lol Maybe I can get some of those giant truck tires to put on it and give it some decent height …
At least the tears have stopped and I’m refocused. It’s a nice, cool night, our weather is finally cooling off (but it’ll be back up to the 80s next week I think). I still need to get the trash taken out, pick up the neighbors’ mail and walk the dogs. But I’m hoping to get to bed a little earlier than I did last night (midnight) — I also didn’t sleep well last night and had to get up early, I was out of bed by 5:30 this morning.
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Someone on FB is moving out of California and asking which state to go to — I think all of your states were mentioned by comments, Tennessee and Idaho had especially high marks
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Happy Anniversary to Michelle and Mr. Fit (and his other aliases)!
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DJ – If that person wants to get away from high taxes and high cost of living, tell them to not move to Connecticut. I love where I live, but this is an expensive state to live in.
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That’s why they’re leaving California too — and “no income tax” was a big selling point for some of the states being mentioned. I don’t believe Connecticut was mentioned as a good option. lol
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Plus she was wanting to be somewhat central as family is very spread out. She had a knee replacement but otherwise was really liking the idea of Colorado (but she used to ski and said it would be too hard now to be in a place like that and not be able to ski).
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Georgia is good for retirees, at 62 you can exclude the first 35,000 of retirement income from state income taxes and at age 65 you get to exude the first 65,000. Art tells people it has advantages from that respect. Georgia has some nice mountains and beach/barrier islands along with a big city.
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Georgia was mentioned. She still works in an entertainment field, I think, and is 61.
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I forgot last night to say this:
Happy Anniversary Michelle and Captain. I, too, thought of the Captain and Tenille when I saw that.
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