Friday, July 19th, 2024
Friday Five
TGIF!!! Who is the wise witch making the weeks go faster lately? Or is that just me??? Anyhow, it’s time to share five random things about our week. Here’s mine:
- Monday I got my mammogram done. Um, it was the same as it usually was — the procedure is tolerable and quick. I had a harder time tolerating a lady in the waiting room being annoyed at everything and hassling the staff because — obviously — she had more important things to do that the rest of us did.
- This week was a first at the grocery store — Wizard and I were both stunned at how low our total bill was. Like…we were confused, LOL. I mean we knew it’d be a light week but are we even eating??? Oh wait, the scale says we are
Anyway, those kinds of shocks are few and far between. - Then I went to Trader Joes “for fun” and $75.00 dollars later….it all made sense, LOL. I filled in some things like fruit, good parmesan cheese, baking vanilla and various other items. None of that really adds up to $75.00 though…until I added in two bottles of wine (see #4 for why the wine). So why do I think Traders is fun? Because it’s not a required task, and most of what I get is stuff I want, or ingredients to cook or bake something fun and basically use a little creativity.
- Okay, so I’m still working on getting into UCI. I *think* I’m making progress, but man it’s been hassle. I’ve been making endless calls trying to get my referral faxed from one entity to another and finally realized my mistake. I was expecting people to do their job! Silly of me, right? So I drove across town to UPS and paid them to Fax the referral to two of UCI fax numbers I’d been given. Finally yesterday I was told they had a referral! See what happens when I stop being lazy and do other people’s jobs for them? Now the referral needs to be “verified” and then they’ll call me with an appointment. Before that I got bounced around between surgeons and in total, I’ve seen or talked to 5 doctors, spent a few hundred dollars and mountains of worry, and still waiting. And so…I built a documentation file (which I am prepared to use if needed) and, also, bought some wine The stress on me is expected, but the stress on Wizard is what’s really pissing me off. So…wine for him too! Plus I’m probably making peanut butter cookies with chocolate chips because duh chocolate and peanut butter are soul mates!
- Oh and before I forget, Maggie met a very young puppy today. She was fine with him, but way more interested with his big brother — whom she has a crush on. That makes me smile! And the puppy was too adorable! Her son brought him home (say he found the puppy in a box), and they believe he’s a six to eight week old Miniature Rottweiler. To me, he had the markings of a Rottie, but had a slimmer build like a miniature pincher. But I am definitely not a breed expert, and it doesn’t matter anyway. I’m happy for them
I’m seeing my sister today and the rest of my weekend is nothing special so we’ll see what happens. Now it’s your turn to share five random things about your week! I hope everyone has a great weekend!
July 19th, 2024 at 8:33 am · Link
Ugh, people. I’m glad your mammogram went okay, though. Yay for a lower-than-expected grocery bill. LOL about the Trader Joe’s. Gah, you shouldn’t have to go through all that crap to see a doctor that you need to see. Yay for Maggie and her maybe new friend and her getting to see her crush.
1) I went to Wallyworld yesterday and came in under budget, so that’s one for me.
2) The feed store had the cutest bird feeder – it looked like a little red barn with a rooster weather vane on top. It was all metal, too. And the gals there said they’d cut me a good deal. Unfortunately, it’s not in the budget for this month. So they told me they’d give me the same deal next month. They bought a bunch and they’re not selling, so they’re trying to offload them. Yay.
3) After weeks of above average temps, we’re in a bit of a cool down. Only the 80s this week instead of 90s. I’m taking advantage of it and getting some walks in while the walkin’ is good.
4) Lately, we’ve been experiencing an influx of spiders – probably due to the heat – so I’ve been cleaning like a madwoman to try and make the house inhospitable. And if it doesn’t work, then at least my house is clean. LOL
5) We have a fledgling hawk of some sort hanging out in the woods behind the house. It spends most mornings shrieking for its mommy to come feed it. I think she’s ignoring it so it learns to hunt for itself. We’re not sure what kind of raptor it is… might be a peregrine, but we never get a good look at it.
July 19th, 2024 at 9:04 am · Link
I keep singing the time warp song from Rocky Horror. Where’s it going?!?! Entitled people just piss me off and I’m getting crotchety enough that I tend to tell them off instead of ignoring their BS. You are much nicer than me.
Glad some of your prices have gone down! Wish that was across the board. Sorry for the frustration. 
Dealing with the health care system is the pits! Hang in there. PUPPIES! FTW! And yay for Biker Witch time. Okay, my five:
1. Poor Pete. I’m worried. He’s not eating (though is drinking water) and he disappears for hours at a time and when he is around, he’s sleeping. He doesn’t feel good but every time I think about taking him to the vet’s, he’s gone. I swear he’s a mindreader. Hopefully, it will pass.
2. My source of frustration these days is the dang book. I spent yesterday rearranging two chapters and rewriting parts of them each time. About 7 p.m. I called it quits. I’ll get back on it this morning. After waaaay more coffee.
3. Woke up to 62 degrees this morning. The high yesterday was only 86 and supposed to be the same today with low humidity. It feels like late September out there instead of mid-July. I’m going to enjoy it while I can because it’ll change and we still have August to suffer through.
4. I’ll see your chocolate chip peanut butter cookies and raise you Reeses Peanut Butter Cups and cheese balls.
5. I cooked this week! Cilantro chicken breasts and herbed potatoes. Yum! … Okay, I opened the deli packs, browned the chicken, added the sauce and stirred and stuck the prepared potatoes in the microwave. Still, it wasn’t a microwaved TV dinner. Progress! Since LG is tired of the TV dinners (even though he picks them out!) I’m hoping he’ll “let” me start grocery shopping again so I can get the basic ingredients to actually make homemade food. He has admitted that picking produce and possibly meat because me trying to tell him exactly what I’m looking for gets very detailed. I do have to laugh here. He shops three different stores. And he compiles three different lists from the “master” list, all strategically listed in order of the way he goes through the store. Ah, Virgos. Gotta love ’em, right?
No real plans this weekend other than working on the book and maybe doing a deep dive into closets and boxes. Only has been deep diving in her house and is having a garage sale next weekend. Good way to get rid of a bunch of stuff. Anything left over will go to our favorite charity resale shop. Have a fun weekend!
July 19th, 2024 at 10:56 am · Link
1. I’m glad you got your mam done. It seems there is always someone moaning and bit**ing about something when I’m out and about too. Everyone is so entitled. My mam is next month 😉.
2/3. That’s a shock on the grocery bill. Mine hasn’t gone down at all. Happy yours did so it could pay for the MUCH needed wine from TJ.
4. I’m sorry you’re having such a difficult time with your referral. I understand. It’s crazy how so many people don’t follow through on their job.
5. I love Maggie. She’s more mature and wiser now and knows that young’ins at crazy so she just stuck with her boyfriend 🥰.
1a. It’s a beautiful day here today. The temp is going to the low 80’s and there is no humidity. Spunk and I had the windows open for a bit when it was 51F. |I had to close them when I got hubs up. He’s always cold.
2a. Sad news on my brother’s dog, Smoke. He stopped eating or would eat one thing and stop, eat something else and stop. He lost 20 pounds this past month. They took him to the vet and his liver is only functioning at 30%. They are going to try special food for his liver but don’t know if he’ll eat it 😔.
3a. I’m making a pizza tonight. I figure it cooled off a bit so I will heat the house back up with a hot oven 😆.
4a. Tomorrow C is taking care of hubs while his C and I go get a pedicure. I never do things like that but I need a break.
5a. I’m still no where with the insurance and the referral. I’m getting tired of calling the Dr. and they are still trying to get the peer to peer set up. I know it’s summer vacation time but my heaven it’s crazy.
I hope you have a great time with Biker Witch today and you and Wizard enjoy the wine.
July 19th, 2024 at 5:34 pm · Link
B.E., Maggie was so happy to see her crush, and she really likes my neighbor too. Getting attention is always a good day for Maggie
The medical stuff is happening to a lot of people in the past couple years, so I’m not alone in that.
1) It’s always a win to come in under budget!
I would imagine it takes a bit of encouragement to teach the babies to hunt for themselves. Nature amazes me.
2) Cool to find something you really like and get a deal. Hopefully next month’s budget will be ready for a new birdfeeder!
3) I’m all for celebrating cooler weather! We’re over a 100 today.
4) I’m crossing my fingers you made the spiders feel unwelcome! We had a lot last month. Maybe they all left CA (like so many others the last few years, LOL) and decided to move to your state. If not, it feels great to have a clean house!
5) Hope you get a chance to see the baby soon. And it sounds like the baby is thriving if it can shriek that much
Hope the cooler temps hang around and you have a good weekend!
July 19th, 2024 at 5:49 pm · Link
Silver, I’m not nicer than you! The girls behind the counter handled her demands, and anything I’d said would only have escalated her entitled behavior. It just wasn’t worth it. I don’t think prices have come down at all, I guess we just didn’t need much and didn’t realize how little we’d bought until we checked out. It’s a nice surprise. Most of the time, the shock goes the other way!
1) Oh no, that’s worrisome about Pete. Could just be something that passes though. I never like when any animal seems to hide. Please keep us updated.
2) Hope you got enough coffee to get the story flowing in the right order. I’m sorry for the frustration.
3) Definitely enjoy the cooler temp and lower humidity!
4) I can’t complete with cheese balls!
5) It’s definitely hard to cook without being the one to shop. But are you up to it yet? You sound better and like you want to, which is good. But maybe go tother once and make sure you’re really ready before going solo? It’s more bending and lifting that we think it is.
Well writing has some fun to it somethings. But deep diving into closets? Well on the upside, it’s a good way to listen to books
Have a good weekend whatever you do! And I sure hope Pete feels better and starts eating again.
July 19th, 2024 at 5:57 pm · Link
Viki, yeah, I run into the complaining here and there too. But I come across nice people too and constantly remind myself of that. I suspect Maggie recognized how little/young this pup is. I’ve seen her soft play with older pups, but this guy is young, maybe 6 to 8 weeks.
1) Wow all three of you are having a nice break to the hot and humid! It’s less humid here today but hot.
2) Oh poor Smoke. He clearly is feeling very unwell since liver clears out toxins. I’m so sorry for your brother and his family — I’m sure they are worried. Fingers crossed her eat the new food and it helps.
3) Yay for pizza!
4) I’m so happy you’re going with C to get a pedicure. And you do need the break. I really hope you enjoy some time away, being with see and the pedicure!
5) It’s ridiculous that you’re having to go through all that with no results. I feel for you, believe me. It just sucks. Hope things get squared away next week.
I had a nice time with Biker Witch, and now I’m going to go open some wine. Have a great weekend!