Peter gave us a break today by driving Robert to work. Alpha’s YAG session was cancelled, I guess due to weather.
Ron snowplowed the driveway. And the street. Don’t ask.
I cooked yesterday. Pizza for supper. Onions, beans, corn, rice, poached egg saute for lunch. Made some good soup out of old acorn squash. Ravenous today.
Trump is popular because the Protestant Work Ethic and “love thy neighbor” have failed his supporters. So, Trump’s getting rich by being a scoundrel and a rogue and saying outrageous things feels like an act of defiance.
We shopped at Trader Joe’s and World Market yesterday.
Got ice cream at Cape Cod Creamery.
Did usual Sunday chores.
Standout this morning in nice weather, no wind.
Filled up at Stop & Shop (2.19, 30 cent coupon), picked up a few things at Job Lot, then treated us to pastry from Maison Villatte, which is closing for winter break tomorrow.
They were out of croissants but West Falmouth Market had ’em. Got lottery scratch tickets; no joy.
We took down the holiday lights. Ron put away all the electrical cords and installed more gutter guards.
We brought the detritus from the Edgewater cleanup to the transfer station.
50° this morning; 33° now.
I did more leaf cleanup at Edgewater today, including mowing the back and shoveling the front road detritus. Got a nice wave from a couple of town employees; I think they were cleaning sewers.
It was 50 degrees today but still too wet to pick up everything. Swept the shed of leaves and Calcium Chloride; that at least is neater and cleaner.
It’s raining now, as expected, and supposed to get cold again.
We met with an attorney yesterday about credit card collection what-ifs after we die. She’s looking into Medicare issues for us.
Took a drive to Seconsett the other day. Got a pretty sunset pic at the golf course.
Had a cordial telephone conversation today with a woman from the Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards about the lack of heat at iCape.
The state guidelines are just that and OSHA has no regulations on workplace temperature, which seems crazy, but there you have it.
That was the temperature at Robert’s workplace today.
I brought the boys a box of Starbucks dark roast and two hot sandwiches. Robert insisted on giving me tip money to cover cost.
Later, I dropped off our little Duraflame electric heater and a pizza from Zoe’s.
Ron acted like a heartless asshole, giving me a hard time about “proving” that the store really was cold “because of (his) scientific background”. I informed him that the thermostat measured 48 degrees and the thermometer, 45. He argued that maybe the owner wants it cold. I told him there were already 3 space heaters in the store, but only one, which had been provided by no lesser personage than the store manager, was working.
Unbelievable how anyone can have so little feeling for a grandchild.
The tailgate had been frozen, but I managed to get it open eventually, so we were able to do a transfer station run.
Even changed sheets and did laundry, per usual Sunday routine.
Watched a Schwarzenegger film “Sabotage”.
I defrosted both vehicles yesterday. Ron went out for gas and isopropyl alcohol; he reports it “works great” for de-icing.
Driveway and deck are covered with “popcorn” ice, impossible to shovel.
Ron made us some killer hot chocolate with Drambuie, cinnamon and a pinch of Nobska Farm jalapeno.
We watched “Elmer Gantry”. What a film!
We’ve been inside all day.
I made noodles with mushrooms, greens, cheese and Ron’s spaghetti sauce for lunch.
We are preparing supper: Ron made rice pudding, I put together a broccoli and cheese quiche.
Having Ron’s printer hooked up to my laptops is a huge help.
What is NOT a huge help is Ron’s continual criticism in the form of useless, egotistical “suggestions”.
I badly misjudged the volume needed for his recipe and as a result, he spilled a bunch of the pudding mixture on the table and the floor.
Thus, we needed another container and a new strategy for fitting everything – quiche and two containers of pudding – into the oven. Which I figured out. And which he followed by trying to tell me how he would have done it better.
His “plan” made no sense. Moving air. Listening to his own voice.
Meanwhile, the snow/rain mix has changed to snow. We have about 3/4 inch so far, might have another 5 or so hours of it. We’ve been lucky.
I’ve got Ron’s unused Canon printer set up in the bedroom and just finished loading both ink cartridges.
The test page turned out great.
We haven’t seen “Kitty” in the last couple of days. Too cold.
Roasted acorn squash stuffed with quinoa, corn and cheese, served with mushroom gravy.
Dropped off coffees at iCape. They are still without heat, although the store must be pretty well insulated, since I didn’t notice it during the brief time I was there.
Snapped some photos at Monomoscoy and Popponesset. Intestinal distress afterwards.
