Medical Appointments

Ron drove us to my Cardio appointment this morning. We’d feared the worst for driving, but the roads were fine. Appointment went well and we stopped for donut holes at Dunkin’ and the Senior Center so I could cancel lunch reservations for Ron and me. I kept my res for Karyn’s tea next week.

Greylock paid off my four loans with them. This morning I got an email from HFCU; the check from Greylock was honored and I have less than $50 in interest charges left to clear the account. Hoping my credit card account will close this week, fingers crossed.

I had some updating to do for YouTube premium and MyHeritage. Unpleasant surprise, MyHeritage renewed for the year from Rockland Personal. Moved funds to cover it.

Picked up a couple of books and tax return forms at the library.

Good appointment with my primary. Able to pay with the Additional Benefits Card? Researching, need to call them for clarification.

Received check and a nice note from Nicole for the 2025 MRS work.

Bye Bye McCann and AMT

Last night was my last, and I left early. This 4-day a week evening schedule is wearing. I was okay with operating the lathe with my lab partner, in spite of the delays, poor instructor communication and waste of time, but the classwork was frustrating.

Thirteen people is 3-5 too many. Instructions were usually not in writing and even when in writing, incomplete or wrong or included abbreviations that were undefined.

Most importantly, I haven’t seen very many jobs in this area. Based on past experience with incels, if you’re a woman, you might get hired as a novelty or maybe whipping girl but you have to be twice as good as the best performing man to keep your job and I wasn’t anywhere near the performance of the men in the class. No talent for the work, evidently.

More Snow

Ron is working, snow blowing the driveway. I am plowing through the OSHA materials for class and, thus, sparing my back.

We have a gigantic icicle outside the kitchen window, which is not good, that part of the attic above it is supposed to be insulated.

I did mushroom soup and salad for lunch. Ron is settling for broccoli and cheese and salad if he wants it. We have plenty of desserts for now and wine and beer later for the Superbowl.

I signed us up yesterday for the commercial FOX affiliate, Tubi, so we can watch the game this evening.

Emailed Nicole with ideas for the private lesson web pages.

Week 1

Oh what a week it was.

Finally closed on the home equity loan. It’s not as good as I’d hoped but I’ll still save interest payments on the two old loans.

Picked up groceries at the Williamstown Food Pantry. Signed us up for lunches at the Harper Center.

Finished the first week of classes, lathe. 12 to go. We were lucky, the winter storm ended early enough that we could attend on schedule even though the day school cancelled.

Ordered more incense.

We visited a fun art installation at Future Labs and a performance by Five Pound Horse in North Adams last night. One of my fellow Advanced Manufacturing Technology students has work in the show.

We stopped to pick up yet more groceries afterwards. Stunned at the price of eggs: $10 and more a dozen.

I stopped at the car wash yesterday to get the Corolla cleaned up and managed to misplace my debit card. Got a new one.

Picked up wine today at West’s. That and laundry were about the only productive things I did today. Was thinking about getting the truck washed but there was a line. Stopped by Aubuchon to check out their store remodeling event. Made a simple supper with salad, beets and the expensive eggs.

February 2

Got an email from my loan officer requesting yet more information on accounts.

We did errands on Friday. Couple of trips to the transfer station, a few groceries and bottle/can redemption.

Snowed the night before. Ron plowed the driveway. Stayed put all weekend.

Made sandwiches with the plant-based tuna; not bad.

Trying to finish The Known World. Finished OSHA reading for AMT night class.

Ron’s been fussing all day about the tariffs against Canada, Mexico and China. Musks’ people have taken over records at Treasury and Human Resources. It certainly feels like a coup, if a bloodless one.

Winter Ale

We picked up three 12-packs of Sam Adams Holiday White Ale at Spirits. We were lucky to find it since it was made only in November and December.

Watched a pilot of a new series “Watson” on Paramount Plus. Based in Pittsburgh. Texted Alyssa to check it out: last scene shows “their” bridge!

Spent way too much time following politics again. Trump reached a new level of despicable by blaming Biden and even Obama for yesterday’s disastrous crash over the Potomac.

100 pages left in The Known World. Finally got the MySQL connection to work by using “localhost” in the connection string.

Ron and I cracked each other up doing the “Trump Dance” to “I Feel For You”.

Snow

We had snow last night and for a good part of today.

Ron cleared the driveway with the snow blower and did a fine job.

We went to Stop & Shop; he went out again later for beer.

I did more work on the Remedy Hall project and a little more reading for the book club. Problem with SQL connection from Visual Studio, will try something different tomorrow.

Got an email with setup info for McCann Google docs. Read the materials about lathing.

No cooking.

The Trump fool at OMB had to step back an illegal attempt to withhold funding that was previously approved by Congress. Two judges issued injunctions. It’s a mess.

Better

After breakfast I picked up yesterday’s mail and emptied the big pail of defrosted ice, thus freeing up the set tub.

Ron and I changed the sheets.

Ron baked some nice rolls from a premade package and heated broccoli and cheddar soup for lunch.

I’d missed emails from Nicole and Sara, a Greylock closing team member. Caught up with them and in the process, got a tip from Homesite about how to find my most current Homeowners policy which was already updated with current Mortgage information.

Luckily, I was able to make a database rather than a code change to accommodate Nicole’s request.

I received calls yesterday from McCann and a new program Wealth Rewards. Also received an email from McCann with more info about what to expect next week.

Ron reloaded the mousetraps from the basement floor. I vacuumed the living room a bit.

Sent photos of meds and breakfast to Wealth Rewards for cash.

Pretty morning.

Continuing to plow through The Known World.

We are better today but still not great.

Ron insisted on going to Walmart. He’s beside himself with rumors of crazy prices for coffee and eggs less than 8 days into Trump 2. Came back with only some of the items on the shopping list.

Leftover lasagna for supper.

Tired.

Bloody Sick

Impossible to get a solid eight hours of rest. We are hurting and suffering, Ron especially. All I wanted to do yesterday, Sunday, was sleep and watch tv.

We’re snacking on simple foods instead of regular meals: fruit salad, broth, homemade squash soup, whole wheat toast.

I haven’t been out. Ron made a short, futile trip to the drugstore for Dristan.