Humorous Break

 Been doing a lot of necessary meetings and paper work the last few days.  My brain is TIRED so I'm just going to share some funny signs from El Arroya restaurant in Austin, TX.

Enjoy!

Review: The BEST tweezers ever

 One of Himself's super powers is attracting splinters.  Splinters of every size, shape, and length one could imagine driven in as to be nearly impossible to remove.

Then I came across this little jewel...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09D9N1D22?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details  

They are amazing, better than I expected!  The tips are super thin and sharp so they can get where they need to be.  They have a great grip too.  You get 2 pair for $9.  I recommend them highly!

Getting My Chain Jerked

 

What is it with people?? 

 A little bit ago I had three items to get rid of.  They would not fit into my car for me to take where I normally drop off charity items.  So I decided to try Facebook marketplace.  I put really low prices so they would move quickly.

 HUGE mistake!

 Each item got the "is this still available?" button clicked about 50 times but no replies when I answered Yes.

 Each item got at least 5 insane offers.  Say it was worth $40, but I asked only $20.  These donkeys would "offer" $5.  One person even suggested I just give it to him.

 Each item got 3 "I want it".  Pick up times were set... and they never showed.

 ONE person came as he said he would.  I GAVE him one of the other items free (he was thrilled!).  The third item I managed to stuff into the car to give to my usual person.

 I talked to someone else after that and the same thing happened to them.

 Which is why I give things to my decluttering buddy instead!

Winter Weather Round 2

 Once again we were captive in our home because of winter weather.  This time it was three nights of light freezing rain and sleet. Which meant each morning we looked out at the shiny glazed road and said "Not today".  But it was fine since we were once again ready.  The fourth day it had warmed enough to get up the hill.

 Ice makes me nervous tho.  Twenty nine years ago we had an ice storm that crippled the region.   The day had been a rainy low 70s*F... but that night it dropped to the low 20s*F.  With the rain still coming down.  It was bad folks.  I woke up to what sounded like gun shoots.  The sound was branches snapping under the 2 inches of ice coating them.  Not just branches either; trees came down with a soft moan and a crash.  Our power went out on 9 Feb, not to come back on until the 18th.

 Yep, I was nervous.

 It went well for us this time.  There was an ice coating of a 1/4" to a 1/2", and no electrical issues.

First morning ice.

The fourth day...

Out With The Old, In With The New

Hi... I'm back.  The last couple of months been life altering.  I made decisions I never dreamed I would be forced to do.  But for all forms of my health, it all had to be done.  Now I can move forward.  Reset my life so to speak.

 December was quiet. 

 We were tapped by the big snow storm.  

(Lifted photo from 2nd day)

Not bad here (compared to other places in the US), but the county road department did NOTHING to our hill. 

 

So we were stuck for 6 days.  It wasn't an issue since we knew it was coming.  We did a good shopping, readied the kerosene heater, and made sure the bird seed bucket was upstairs.  However I am very ticked that I forgot to make snow ice cream!!

 Our Christmas was uncomplicated.  We got our fresh tree and decorated it very simply.  Blue lights, silver garland, and our 40 year old angel on top.  Plus our single ornament for this year.  Next to it, our nativity village was set up on the hearth.  It was beautiful.  Christmas Eve meal was a charcutier platter.  Christmas dinner was Porterhouse steaks, Golden Cauliflower, and some seasoned pasta.  I had planned to fire grill the steaks... -2*F nixed that idea really fast.  Broiled was just fine.

 January was busy.

  

For both of us, it was (is) time to get rid of baggage. 

 My main project was to do a final declutter.  I'm going from "good" to "done".  Very therapeutic.  During January I finished the entire upstairs by removing any remaining clutter and got what was left organized.  It is really crazy how you can think you're done but still find more that needs to away.  Downstairs will happen in February.  Attic in March.  Shed in April.  Himself is working on his clutter too.

 I'm starting to get this Medicare garbage figured out.  I still hate it with a passion but what is, is. 

 All the above, along with other 'get it done or started' stuff, has made for a satisfying month.

True!!

 

Swatted

 Swatting.

If you don't know what that is, it is when a scumbag (keeping this blog with a G rating) calls 911 and makes a false report on an innocent person.  The caller says there is a hostage situation or a murder or whatever to get the local police to dispatch a SWAT team.  And SWAT teams are understandably hyper. 

The victim is usually disoriented and 'upset' because they have no idea what is going on; most thinking they are being attacked by an intruder.  They respond aggressively.  Or a victim can be literally scared to death.

The combination can be - and has been - deadly. 

The world is getting mean. 

Late this winter – Valentine's Day to be exact – I had a visit from 2 deputies.  Two very tense deputies.  Long story made short, there had been made a 911 call stating I was being held hostage. 

Excuse me?? 

Yep, supposedly Himself was not letting me leave the house.  Because of privacy issues (!!!) they couldn't say who called.  BUT they told me 911 logs are public record and I REALLY needed to listen to the call. 

It took a bit (weeks) to actually get the recording copy (like finally contacting the head of the 911 department asking if I needed to go to the newspaper and my lawyer about being denied my rights). 

When I heard what was said by my COUSIN - A cousin I haven't really seen in 40 years - it sickened me.  

We were SWATTED. 

Said POS cousin said:

*I was being held hostage (yeah right)

*That Himself owes a LOT of guns (he does not)

*That Himself had threaten to basically kill the entire planet (he who will not kill a stink bug in our house!)

*That Himself was retired military (only true thing said)

*That Himself had "gone goofy" (????)

*That he (cousin) was getting this "3rd" hand (which would be 59 year old cousin's 'mommy' and a direct family member of mine). 

And the POS used his knowledge as a former cop both to say things in a way that would make it difficult to prove he is evil AND to try to get the old "cop brotherhood - I'm one of you" feelings going so he would be believed. 

Freaking EVIL. 

However, he sounded like such a complete moron on the call that dispatch sent two deputies instead.  Two intelligent, professional, and experienced deputies.  Thank you Jesus. 

I tried to press charges (it is a felony in many states) but there wasn't enough.  However my very PO-ed Sheriff has flagged us.  So that if I get anymore *garbage* from ANYONE of my "DNA" or their family/friends, I will be able to press Criminal Harassment" charges.

 And I will... 

It is hard enough to know your "family" doesn't care about you anymore. But it is a whole different level when you realize they initiated an action that could lead to your death.

I am a very different person than I was on 13 February...