I have guests coming this weekend, so I know the house is not ready to receive. I started at 6:15 with this knowledge, and also I am working long term goals, and I am making changes to align with these goals. It is Monday, so I am not rushing to the office and can afford not to dress until needed. My meetings in the morning required nothing from me but to listen. I finally dressed at 8ish and made the 8:30 meeting without issue.
I made coffee using the French press and enjoyed liberal coffee all morning. I had some canned peaches and a bowl of cereal for breakfast.
I also called Comcast and closed my account as of today–just before the month-end; perfect. I packed up the equipment. I had to use needlenose plyers to loosen the cable and was amused that whatever made the Internet slow at the house was not the cables. They were new and well-mounted. The TV box, router, and remote were all in the bag.
I loaded up Air Volvo and made it to the Xfinity store just as it opened. There was a line to get in! I gave the equipment to someone with a name tag, and that was all I needed to do. I am free of Xfinity now!
I stopped by Einstein’s Bagels and got the Monday special of a slightly cheaper bagel-like product. I got some shmear to go with the bagels, plain and onion with chives. While their bagels are more bread-like than I like, they are fresh and toast well.
I stopped next at Safeway and got some cleaner–Pine-Sol, mop, and flowers for Susie. I got two bunches, one summer and another fall colors. After that, rushing the whole time, I went to the Volvo Cave, unloaded, and then headed to the hummingbird house.
There was no traffic other than construction popping up on the local roads like the fairy circles on my lawn in the summer. Being careful to not hit an orange cone, I made it to the hummingbird house. Susie was happy to see me. She had already finished breakfast and was waiting for me. After talking with her mother, Leta, on my iPhone using FaceTime to see each other, Susie threw off her blanket–she was in her recliner and was ready to get out of there. Jennifer got Susie in her unusual wheelchair–Susie showed some impatience that Jennifer just smiled at.
It was still in the low 80s (26.7C), but the day would bake in the late afternoon, reaching 94F (34.4C) at the Volvo Cave. The park was busy with dogs, runners, walkers, and small kids who were not in school yet. Everyone wants to get the park in before the heat, and the rains start in forty-five days (with highs then of only 65F/18.3C and one in three days being wet). Susie loves the cedars and just watches and is part of the park. The staff sees us as regulars and waves and ensures we are OK.
I stayed longer than usual as Susie was so happy to see me and hang out in the park. But, soon, I had to return to the Volvo Cave and leave with a kiss. Susie looked happy when I left–excellent.
There was no issue on my return, and I found the last of the pizza I bought a few days ago. So, yes, I had leftovers! While reading my email and getting caught up. I had an ad hoc meeting with the upgrade team lead, and we discussed the process. I then followed along as they proceeded through the process.
I took the two overlapping meetings at 5PM and finished with the status meeting.
Once done with work, I got out the old bucket I used to mop with. I found it this morning thrown off the deck and lying in the ivy. I got it and poured water from the hose into it, adding dish soap to help clean it. This brought the wildlife out of it–the slugs had claimed it. Now slugless (don’t ask), I dumped the soapy water on the yellow jackets who so far had resisted my efforts to kill-evict their nest near the deck.
I had to clean the bucket more in the kitchen, but finally, it was now not dirty or infested, and I loaded it with hot water and Pine-Sol. I had my workout; I mopped the kitchen. The floor was dirty. I dumped that water on, you can guess, on very disagreeable wasps.
Next, I cleaned the vanity in the main bathroom and removed much of the flotsam jetsam from Corwin leaving and not cleaning. I had to clean even the walls and toss some old candles from Susie’s long-lost fascination with Candlelight parties.
After a break, I mopped the bathroom floor. Even with it being hot today, I have all the windows open to help dry the mopped floors. I dumped that too on the local pests and made another mix of hot water and Pine-Sol. Next, I mopped the entrance from the front door and the garage entrance. The water was nearly black when I was done. It was dark when I finished.
Moving backward, I stopped for a bit and got gas for Air Volvo for $4.89; I next visited Aloha Teriyaki and got some prawns, chicken, and rice. This was one of Susie’s fav, and I always think of her when I stop there. Susie would get the chicken bowl and chat with the owner. Tonight the owner’s husband went to take my order, and his wife returned and told him to give her the pen, and she named my usual order and put it in. The husband smiled like a naughty child caught with a cookie and went to the back and got back to wrapping plasticware. She was smiling; she was a bit stern and all business, but tonight she gave my meal to me with a thank you and a huge smile. I think they are happy to see the old customers survived Covid-19 and time.
I ate my dinner while watching the second episode of House of Dragons, which started going full Game of Thrones with marriages and family troubles (plus dragons). It felt more like a later GOT episode than a new show. The actors are starting to find their roles, with Matt Smith, formally The Doctor, continuing his role as a troublemaker. The ending was a surprise and, like I said, very GOT.
Aside: Folks have firm opinions on GOT and the last season. I liked it–an aberration, I understand from GOT purists. I also like this new show.
More: I managed to find the remote for the TV and the Amazon Fire so I can still use the TV. I returned the do-everything Comcast remote. I did have a moment when nothing worked but using my twenty years of computer and networking experience, I turned it off and then turned it on. Now it works.
I then did the mopping I mentioned and feel like I got my exercise too.
I also chatted with the Smiths with Cat here for another week. Cat is working NYC hours–we will try to have dinner together on Tuesday. We are looking forward to Indian Food together.
Alohawild (Michael Wild's) Website 