days_unfolding

I forgot to do laundry today. I guess that I start work in my pajamas. I can sleep a little later in that case.

I’ve been using the electric toothbrush and WaterPik. I wind up dousing the mirror with the WaterPik, but my teeth do feel squeaky clean.

Woke up at 7:30 AM. The puppy was sleepy but got up. Now she has her squeaky ball. I’m trying to wake up and warm up.

Submitted a Walmart order. My membership in Walmart+ has really paid off.

Oliver was up on the “kitty highway“ above the cabinets. Bella was looking at him like, what are you doing up there? Now she’s chasing the youngsters. It’s a zoo here. I told her that I was told that she was chill. She’s not acting like it :)

Got the clothes in the dryer.

Hmm. There is a “new to CU” mixer in February. Also, Hospice Hearts (the organization that takes care of pets when their owner is sick or dies) is looking for volunteers. I might join. I could do pet transport and work adoption events on the weekend. Hmm, I wonder if I should foster a dog? That would get Bella a friend but I could give it back :) But the dog would need to like cats. Maybe not.

Oy vey. Oliver ate some of Lily's wet food. I gave her some dry food, and he knocked into it and spilled it. I threw my hands up. At least, she got SOME food in her.

I was pondering on how to set up Mimi when I'm gone in March. I might take the gate down so that she can get water if something happens with the pet sitter. Better to deal with Oliver than no water. Yeah, I worry.

Bella is being manic. She’s been squishing Oliver, which he doesn’t like. I told her to cut it out and that I wouldn’t like it either. I’m worried because he’s crying out and she could hurt him.

Napped over lunch. The puppy is still dozing.

The ladder is here. It's tall enough that I should be able to change light bulbs in the living room. And the light in the cold bathroom, which is why I bought it. The critters are like, what is THAT? I also got the binder for my piano music. I forgot to get sheet protectors, so I ordered some from Amazon. And I got my Google Home speaker, so I'm going to set it up and play Bach while I excavate the kitchen.

Mimi has been picking at her food. I wonder if I could ask the vet for an appetite stimulant. She must have heard my thought because she went over to nose at the food.

Bella lay down in the yard to chew on a big stick, so she clearly thinks that it's warm. I talked her into coming inside though.

Hmm. I saw susandennis' post mentioning yoga pants with pockets, and I thought, oh that would be good. But I wear petites. But I found some on Amazon. Excellent.

I want to get Bella one of those round fluffy faux fur beds, but they're kind of expensive. They have them on Amazon though. I would like one myself! They sell small ones for cats too, but I was going to get the cats heated beds. But Oliver would like one because he's been sleeping on the folded faux fur rug from the bedroom.

Now Mimi is seriously eating. Good. And drinking.

Fed the poochka. Now I’m working on the cats (done).

Hmm. I want some white plastic baskets to organize pet stuff. I need to go to Dollar Tree and see what they have.

Got my Google Home speaker set up. It’s a lot easier than Echo Dot. The sound is better too. I decided to play classic rock.

I’ve got 2/3rds of the kitchen floor done. (Yes, it was trashed.) I also soaked and filled a litter box and scooped litter boxes. I need to take out the garbage and recycling. I’m planning to get up early to do more and drag the recycling to the curb.

I’m also planning to fill the fish tank and turn on the heater and filter. Then I’ll post and go to bed. I got a lot done tonight though. The music helped. My goal is to clean the kitchen and bathrooms this weekend. Oh, I forgot to mention that I got the hamper today too. I want to get it set up this weekend too.

Oh crap. The water bucket is in the bathroom with Oliver. I guess that I’ll fill the tank in the morning.

Did dishes. Fed the cats. I had a hard time keeping Bella from eating Lily’s food. And Bella and Oliver charged into Zara’s room. I have to hand it to Zara. Bella kind of got in Zara's face, and Zara went Wap! Wap! Wap! across Bella’s nose. That was gutsy.

More crap. Bella completely chewed up one of my shoes. And now she’s going into the cats’ litter box and digging. She scattered litter all over the floor. I’m feeling annoyed with her and Oliver. I need to get to bed and sleep it off.

Got the flannel sheets and flannel duvet cover on the bed. They’re so soft! Zara came in partway through but decided that she didn’t like what was going on. Later, I came in to go to bed, and she was happily curled up on top of the comforter with the flannel cover. Now she's glued to it except when she wants food :)

I had problems falling asleep. I got up once because I realized that I scheduled my piano lesson at the same time as Dial-A-Carol. I ate oatmeal and finally fell asleep. And overslept, sigh. I have to find the box with the "Sonic Boom" alarm.

Yeah, I think that staying home over Winter Break is a good idea. Hard to believe that I work Monday, and then I'll be off!

Very quiet at work. My boss told me to "feel better" when I went out sick yesterday, which was nice.

I'm about done with Walmart delivery. They dumped my groceries by the gate, and I had to go across my lawn with slippers on. How hard is it to put them on my porch?

I just emailed the real estate guy about the closing date on Mom's house. He said "sometime this week".

Ugh. My back and shoulder hurt. I shouldn’t be this sore shortly after a massage. Showered, so at least I'm clean.

Went down to get the mail and found a Jenny Craig order. I need to cancel them, but at least I'll have a stash. I'm now thinking of doing a bunch of cooking and freezing stuff next week, when I'll have time. I'm getting a bunch of emails from Costco, but no card yet. I plan to bring the cars up to Costco for gas because, why not? And maybe I could get new windshield wipers for the Honda there. And investigate moving my prescriptions, although it's convenient having them down the street. Maybe not.

I think that getting a used aquarium is the right idea. I priced new ones and geesh. Expensive. And I'm getting only a 20-gallon tank! Though I also want a 55-gallon tank for the library room. Actually, I found a used 50-gallon tank that I like, but I'd need movers to move it. And I need someone to check that the floor is stressed for it.

I've decided that I don't like the prescription face cream that I've been using. (It was making my skin flake.) I'm trying something new from Dermstore, and we'll see how I like it. But the shipment is delayed.

I forgot to say that I'm proud of myself. I had been having problems with the sound on the laptop that I had on the digital piano. I bought two computer speakers to try to fix it, but they didn't help. Eventually, I got rid of the laptop and swapped in my mom's laptop. So I still had the speakers, but didn't need them, so I gave them away on Buy Nothing! It's a drop in the bucket, but still, I'm pleased with myself.

Hmm. I had been thinking of getting a used grandfather clock for the library room, but now I'm thinking that I should move the Buddha in there and put a wall clock (with chimes) above it. Also cheaper. Though I wanted a "Namaste" hanging above the Buddha. And maybe, above the aquarium-to-be, I want one of those maps where you can rub off the paper on the country if you have visited it.

I got my Beaches calendar for by my computer. December is Maui. Excellent. I just need a nail with which to hang it. I need to make a list of things to get done over break.

I was eyeing the treadmill. I think that the first errand on my list is to get the small Smart TV for in front of my treadmill. I'll watch The Golden Girls and The Big Bang Theory while exercising!

I found the “Sonic Boom” clock! Good because I need to get up early tomorrow because the house cleaner is coming tomorrow morning. I also found my hatchet, which should go in the basement.

Now I’m eating dinner and putting the Jenny Craig meals away (done).

Hmm. Holland America is trying to upsell me on dining. They have a steakhouse and an Italian restaurant. I need to think about it.

I'm back from Dial-A-Carol. This apparently was Pros night. There was a group that was singing in four-part harmony and sounded fantastic! (One of looked embarrassed when she saw me listening, but I don't know why.) And there was a young woman who must have been a singing major. (In fact, I think that she might have been at the carols concert?) I was somewhere in the middle. I'm usually on tune if I know the song, but I don't sound as polished. I just bought the sheet music and a couple of CDs of "traditional" Christmas music. I'll work on them during break. Driving home, I felt full of love for Champaign-Urbana because there are so many fun things to do here.

I'm sitting for a moment with Mimi, and then I need to tidy up the kitchen and bathrooms for the house cleaner. Oh, I think that I'll post because I'm here. No one needs the blow-by-blow of my tidying :)

Woke up on time for my meeting this morning. Zara is patrolling like a shark.

The meeting went okay, but I was tired and sleepy. I was glad when it was over.

Renewed my driver's license and registration. I didn't have an appointment, but it still took me only a half-hour. One advantage of living in a smallish town.

On my way back, I was following a car with a bumper sticker, "Read books/Be kind/Stay weird". That, in a nutshell, is why I live in Champaign-Urbana.

I went to pay my (late) property taxes, when I found out that I would need a cashier's check. So I went to the bank. I'll go back tomorrow morning.

Told my piano teacher that I was too tired for the lesson. She recorded a lesson for me. Took a nap. Woke up with a start at 8, thinking that it was 8 the next morning. Realized that it was night, and went back to sleep. Woke up at midnight. Brought my groceries in. Fed the cats. Paid a bill.

Got my clothes for the day together. Requested a refill on one of my meds. Submitted a Kroger order and Amazon order. Zara wants food!

My work computer is being annoying and not connecting to the Internet. Sigh. It turned out that I needed to reboot the router.

So sleepy today. And I have lots of meetings.

I contacted a mover for the stuff from the Urbana house. I'm trying to make appointments to see houses on Saturday.

The refill on my meds went to Lincoln. It was only for a seven-day supply, but when I called the doctor's office, I couldn't get through. I guess that I'll have to see someone up here. Le sigh. No, the number on their Internet page was wrong, so I called. I hope that it gets filled tomorrow.

Took a nap and slept for three hours. I was tired! Had strange dreams. I was planning to have a child, so I was looking for ways to introduce them to computers. Then I dreamed about a guy that I thought about dating, but I decided that he was too much of a player. Then I woke up :)

Just booked a hotel in Champaign with laundry facilities (Extended Stay America). Zara wants food again. Speaking of laundry, I need to do a load after I feed the hordes. I bought the nail polish that they used at the spa. Placed a Meijer order because I forgot to get oatmeal.

Started laundry. I'm feeling tired again, so I think that I'll go to sleep and pack in the morning. I'm leaving for Urbana tomorrow.

The handyman wants to come tomorrow. So much for sleeping in. Oh well.

It's a gloomy day. I went back to sleep and overslept a little. Now I'm working.

Yikes. A colleague of mine said that her power is STILL down in Champaign. And no one has taken down the tree of hers that fell.

According to the Michigan DMV, I'd have to get an in-transit permit for the van. The insurance guy said that I would register it and get insurance for it in Illinois. Now I just need to decide whether to buy it. I found a black Ford Transit Connect that I like, but I probably should wait to buy one closer to when I'm about to leave.

I want to buy stock in Amazon. Its price looks good as compared to its possible earnings. I transferred some money to my brokerage account. Enphase Energy is a solar company that also looks good. I asked Zara what I should invest in, and she said, "Chewy". Figures :)

I wish my bank would contact me when they aren't sure about a transaction instead of just declining the transaction. I had to get on the phone with them.

I watched a Mentour Pilot video. Then one of the next ones up was "The Miracle on the Hudson," so I had to watch that. It was amazing how quickly it happened and how quickly the passengers were loaded onto boats.

I did the dishes and scrubbed the sink. I need to get to bed because the handyman guy will be here tomorrow morning.

Overslept a little, but still got up at 5 AM. Tired, but it's manageable.

The guys came and were complimentary about how I cleaned the place up. They did a fantastic job and were fast.(I'll leave them a good review on Yelp.) But when I tried to pay on Venmo, it wouldn't go through with my debit card. I tried entering my bank account number, but Venmo said that it didn't have automatic verification with my bank. So then we drove over to my bank. Today is a bank holiday. So I withdrew money from the ATM, but it would let me withdraw only $1000. So they let me write a check for the rest. I showed them that I had the money in my account and wasn't trying to stiff them. What a hassle.

Right now, I'm chilling in my back yard. I need to unload my car and get a few things at the store. And find the folding table that I'm using until I get a nice dining room table. And find my sheets, towels, and blankets. After all that, it'll be time for a nap. Maybe I'll nap before going to the store. Oh, and I need to set stuff up for work tomorrow.

Whew.

I found my sheets, blankets, and towels easily. Nap time. Couldn't sleep. Too keyed up. Found the folding table for my dining table too.

I'm looking at gyms in the area to which I can get access through BCBS. There's a Planet Fitness nearby. Which reminds me to check out the pool, yoga, and Tai chi offered by the Urbana Park District. Oh, living here will be so much fun. I also want to take a walk and explore downtown Urbana.

I was also looking at used lift-recliner chairs for my mom to use, but they are pricey even used. I'd like her to be able to stay here though, and she's no longer able to get up from her couch.

Well, hell. I don't have the right hardware to hook up my cable modem. I probably have it at the old place, but I really don't feel like getting it right now. I wonder if I could get something at Lowe's? Yes. Yay, Lowe's. I better get moving. I guess that I'll go to Meijer for food because it's near Lowe's.

Ate at Steak N' Shake. It's weird how hanging out here is bringing back memories of my college days. (I went to college at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.) It's strange to be back here again at age 60. I also realized why I like Urbana. It's a lot like Evanston, the town in which I grew up. Lots of trees, older houses, quaint streetlights....My mom loved Evanston and she loved Urbana too. Funny how we get "imprinted".

Ran my errands. I was looking at my cart at Meijer and thought, "That's a $200 cart." I was right. And it didn't even fill up the back seat of my car. I have to be careful because I wanted new dish towels because my old ones are well, old, and stained, and a new dish drainer....Neither of which were horribly expensive, but it adds up. And for some reason, I was looking at their small tropical fish section. Like I need a new project. Kitty TV though!

The rain nicely held off until I was on my way home.

The coax cable doohickey from Lowe's didn't work, so I'll use my phone's hotspot for work tomorrow morning. I have to go to Lincoln to pick up the cats tomorrow afternoon, so I'll get the rest of the hardware from the old TV room.

I don't have my full work setup set up, but I'm too tired to deal with it now. I'm going to crash and get up early.

Persistence pays off: I was approved for the house in Urbana!!!! I'll be very happy there. I've paid the deposit and have an appointment to sign the lease on Monday. And a lot of places are walking distance from the house, including the library and the Unitarian Church! And the Urbana Park District has an indoor pool and yoga and tai chi classes and other exercise classes! Did I mention that I'll be happy there :) I'm so stoked. Pictures of the house

I found a vet in Urbana that I would like to try. They're certified for working with cats, and Zara is a holy terror at the vet. Mimi is pretty laid-back. My vet likes Mimi and gives her the run of the place when I board her.

And the check from my aunt's estate won't get here until Monday morning, so I can sleep in on Saturday. I hope that it does get here Monday morning so that I can bring it to the bank in Champaign or Urbana when I go there Monday afternoon.

I got my homework done. Yay. And it's still early. I need to do some cleaning because the guy is coming tomorrow to fix my hot water heater. And I'd like to start the ball rolling on getting a mover. And I'd like to open a money market account for my aunt's money, although that might have to wait until the weekend.

Hmm. I'm really tired. I guess that I'll get up early and clean. I need sleep. And Zara wants her late-night snack.

I started making a packing checklist for my trip to Chicago this weekend. This one is complicated because I need to bring packing materials and moving materials with me to Chicago, plus some tools. At least it's just an overnight as far as clothes go.

Talked to Mom briefly to tell her that I got the credit card for her account. She still isn't sure if she'll be able to go to Chicago the following weekend. She's still having health issues and is wondering if she'll make it to the doctor on Friday. I told her that I could order her an Uber if need be. She does have her new smartphone, but who knows if she'll get Uber up and running before then.

Hmm. I'm supposed to get a first payout from my aunt's estate. Maybe I should sign up for a (precooked) meal plan from whenever I get the payout until the move to maximize my time. I've been buying frozen dinners a lot anyway, although those are cheaper. I should keep an eye out for a sale on them. Though I need to eat the items in my freezer too. That could be one thing that I drive over to Champaign from my place, anything that's still in the freezer/refrigerator.

I had a dental cleaning and picked up my fixed partial. The replacement tooth on the partial feels funny, but I guess that it will wear down. I got a list of dentists in Champaign that are in the same network as the one that I'd been going to.

Then I worked on homework. I told my professor that it's going to be late; it was due at midnight. I got one problem working, and my brain is tired, so I'm going to go to sleep soon. I need some serious sleep.

Because of the late assignment, I'm going to have to pack on Friday. It shouldn't take long though.

Hmm. I'd kind of like to spend some time on Lake Michigan this summer, but I have too much on my plate. I'll look at hotels though. Note to self: New Buffalo Inn and Spa. Go for a walk on the beach and then get a spa treatment :) Oooh: Total Relaxation Package: Relax and have the ultimate Spa Day with an 80 Minute Massage, a Custom Facial and an Herbal Bath in our hydrotherapy tub! Expensive, but sounds heavenly. That would be nice after the move if I have the money. Or maybe I could do a spa day in Champaign and save on the hotel and time.

I connected with a guy who really wants the bike that I'm selling for his wife. He'll come by tomorrow. I hope that this wife likes it.

Took a nap and slept through until morning. I didn't wake up until my alarm went off again at 9 AM, and went, "Shit, I need to get to work."

Because I slept through last night, I missed the news that there was another Sandy Hook-type shooting. When are we going to pass stronger background check laws? It won't solve everything, but it surely will help. The Onion has it right: "‘No Way To Prevent This,’ Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens".

It was a meeting-o'rama at work. Finally, I can work on stuff.

I sold the bicycle. Far out. We had some problems getting the tires pumped up, but he got it to work.

I looked at a backpack that I have to see if I want to keep it, but no, it's going to Goodwill if they'll take it. (They don't take luggage.) Then I looked at travel backpacks because I want one for traveling and found a few possibilities.

Here comes some rain. They're predicting more tonight. And I need to go grocery shopping.

Lay down for a while because I have a headache. Couldn't sleep. Looked at house prices in Champaign-Urbana, and there are some that would be in my price range in a couple of years. Awesome.

Hmm. The storms are supposed to be over at 10, so I'll hole up for the meanwhile and work on my file drawers. I'm glad that I'm keeping one of the filing cabinets because there are some files that I want to keep. But I'm chucking a lot of stuff out.

Back from the store with ingredients for Apple Spinach Salad and veggie burritos. Walmart was out of butternut squash for the burritos, so I substituted sweet potatoes and bought a bag of them and doubled my ingredients for my recipe. I'll feed the freezer too. Burritos are great food for not wanting to cook. I didn't get peanut butter because it wasn't on my list. I need to run to Aldi.

I need to load and start the dishwasher and crash.

I've decided to make Black Bean and Butternut Squash Burritos, after I make spaghetti. Mediterranean Stuffed Pitas sounds good too. Note to self: see if Meijer in Champaign has whole-wheat pitas and tortillas.

I made an appointment to have a COVID rapid test tomorrow because I'm going to the shindig in Champaign in Friday. I also made a note to call Barnes and Noble in Champaign to see if I can score some boxes.

Ran errands. I got two file cabinet drawers out of storage along with a laundry drying thing and a broken lamp. Went to Aldi and got cake, bread, garlic bread, pizza, and ice cream. Went to Walmart and dropped off plastic bags for recycling and bought cookies. Picked up a prescription. Dropped off library books. Went to a bank to deposit my Facebook check, only to find that I was unable to do a deposit at their ATM. I guess that I need to go there over lunch tomorrow.

Now I'm melting and making pizza. The pizza was really good. It was mushroom, mascarpone, and "authentic Italian cheese".

I had to break up a major cat fight. Mimi kept chasing Zara, even though I told her to quit it. Eventually, Zara got away, and I chewed Mimi out.

Worked for a while. Packaged up my eBay item. I guess that it's time to crash. Zara has finally emerged from my home office.