TheCapeBlog

Participated in a January 6 standout in front of First Congregational Church.

Learned about the Caretaker Farm and the former owner of 71 Henderson, an elementary school art teacher who caused a stir in town.

Jesse dropped by to pick up his lock box. Gave me the name of a carpenter who might be able to do some work here at a more reasonable price than the so-called handyman quoted.

Ryan came by to take window measurements. We realized he skipped one in his earlier visit: 12 in all. I picked out a shingle color that simulates the look of slate.

Deposited a check at the credit union and filled up the truck at Cumby.

Lined up a visit by Abide Environmental Services for Monday. Started a claim with the Zonolite Attic Insulation Trust. Still no word from A1.

Re-upped with Vonage, disgusted with Spectrum landline service. Switch should happen some time next week.

Lizzie was awake when I got downstairs at 4:30 this morning.

Received correspondence from GEICO about Ron’s car but am confused by what it means: can the car be repaired or has the adjuster declared it a total loss? Two sets of correspondence, two different messages. Guess he needs to call them.

We tried removing the old cylinder from the office chair but couldn’t budge it.

I wish Ron would get it through his head that his whining and complaining accomplishes nothing and grates on my nerves like sandpaper laced with acid.

Fighting with cardboard boxes.

Picking poor Lizzie up.

Cleaning up after poor Lizzie.

Clutter.

Media obsession with Kevin McCarthy and the Chaos Caucus.

Finished unpacking the LPs, though, and Peter the electrician cleaned up the disasters in the garage and will be back next week to work on the upstairs outlets.

Unpacked the CD storage rack. I seem to have foisted a real carpentry project on Ron!

Switched to the Williamstown Community Choice Power Supply Program and Dynegy Energy Services. https://colonialpowergroup.com/williamstown/

Picked up my med and a few frozen entrees at Walmart.

Set up bill pay for National Grid at the credit union.

Lizzie had a rough time at the end of the day.

Ron put the second LP cube together. Filled it up, one more box to unload. Damn.

Carville nailed the Chaos Caucus in his interview with Ari Melber: “You’re supposed to throw the grenade after you pull the pin,” he said. “They pulled the pin and passed the grenade around!”

Found an NP/MD who are taking new patients – in Williamstown! Appointment at 12:30 on March 2.

Booked another appointment, this one with the electrician for this Thursday.

Finally got a responsive customer service person at the electric company. Hope they can square away my online account.

Called in to A1.

Unloaded 3 boxes of LPs in the cube Ron put together the other day. Spilled a nasty Calcium Chloride-based desiccator in the process, cleaned it up with the Little Green.

Spoke with a vet at Mount Anthony about Lizzie. She ordered a steroidal med that we picked up for her at Stop & Shop: convenience! Can continue Gabapentin at a higher dose.

Received proposal from Ryan. Same $$ as in November.

Used the self-cleaning oven setting. Billows of choking fumes. Ron plugged in the range hood with an extension cord. I opened the double-hung and casement kitchen windows and for a while, the garage, sunroom and deck doors as well. Set up the Japanese screens to block the smoke alarm.

Lizzie slept through it all.

When the oven completely cooled, Ron and I worked on cleanup. The misery of the fumes was almost worth it: the oven looks practically new.

Around 3 we managed a trip in the rain to the transfer station to dispose of cardboard and recyclables, then got cards at our library and finally did a grocery and med pickup at Stop & Shop.

Rough start with Lizzie this morning around 4 am, she’d gotten herself stuck and was crying.

After a long rest, she did go out in the yard but isn’t interested in food.

I’ve got a pile of boxes ready for the transfer station but have no ambition to break them down. Ron and I did it anyway and loaded up the truck for a transfer station run tomorrow. Found more canned goods and shop stuff to put away.

Swept the deck. It’s still pretty wet and we are due for more rain this week.

Made a quick run to Dollar General for snacks.

We heated up the oven for pizza. The thermostat seems to be off, the oven stopped at a little under 350. It started smoking; the fire alarm works. Had to finish the pizza on broil.

I did a transfer station run yesterday.

Later, Ron and I did a huge grocery shop, including fruit and vegetable trays and mushroom bites for our New Year’s Eve meal. Finished the prosecco.

I woke up at 1:50 am. Lizzie was awake, too. I gave her a gabapentin, chow and water. Caught a couple hours of sleep until 5:41. Lizzie was banging around, still in pain but finally dosed off. Made eggs for Ron and me.

Tried to watch the Patriots on TV; no luck, we wuz shut out. After much time wasted with thrashing and research, signed up for Sling, then canceled it.

Sorted through a few more papers, finished vacuuming the “mud room”, raked more leaves off the deck and the front walk, moved the big extension ladder and propped it on the fence, removed the decals from the outer doors.

Meanwhile, Ron put together one of the LP cubes.

We enjoyed champagne and finished the cut fruit.

The vet thinks that Lizzie is suffering from granulomatous meningoencephalomyelitis (GME), a disease that is similar to multiple sclerosis in humans. It is incurable.

The doctor gave her a shot of an anti-inflammatory which he hopes will give her some relief. If it doesn’t work, he believes that would prove that her disease is so advanced that her symptoms can’t be treated.

She had a rough ride home, slid on the floor and cried in a heartbreaking way. I pulled over and propped her back on the seat, and that seemed to be more comfortable for her.

Meanwhile, it was “wheels up” for me. I have bone-on-bone myself, not nearly as bad as hers to be sure, but enough to put off shopping or going to the transfer station today.

Ryan was by this morning to take another look at windows and spotted one that doesn’t need to be replaced.

Ron was up until 2.

Finally made it there with Ron, two trips. Recycled cans, cardboard and paper, got refuse stickers, disposed of a bag of trash.

Stopped at Spirits, Ron selected two bottles of bubbly for New Year’s.

Organized another transfer station load for tomorrow. Whether early or late morning depends on how things go with the vet visit.

Ron had been talking about “the Mish” and how he missed Mexican food, so we ordered take-out from one of the local restaurants.

Rather than listening to me or his own eyes, Ron decided to take a different route to the restaurant and ended up getting lost. The enchiladas verdes were edible but I’m not a fan so it didn’t matter.

Meanwhile, one of us had the clever idea to put the huge box of Ron’s older LPs in the coal closet. Good excuse to vacuum the closet and “mud room”.

Ron got an offer from his credit union for a car loan.

Unfortunately, it’s about $3,800 less than what he needs to pay off his contract. That’s because he opted for all kinds of extras, and the total he requested is more than the car is worth.

He has some money from his settlement with GEICO. I offered to give him the difference. Give. Not lend.

What was his answer?

A nonchalant “Okay.” Not “thank you” or “that’s very generous” or “I really appreciate it; thanks.”

“Okay” in a world-weary voice.

I took back the offer. Pearls before frigging swine.

I just perused through piles of junk in the room we are calling The Office, hoping to find Ron’s checkbooks.

I’m appalled at the volume of odds and ends, every piece of which represents money wasted.

I did find some of Ron’s checkbooks, in plain view in the Guest Room, along with some of my files, and emptied two more oversized cardboard boxes.

Packed linens into the wardrobe; not organized but at least out of the way for now.

Gorgeous sunrise this morning: pink and blue. Warm spell coming up.

John the plumber from Mr. Rooter just went over options for a new hot water tank; we decided on a 50 gallon, price for removal and installation is fair, and I hope they can install it next week.

Meanwhile, received a 100 gallon oil delivery; last was 24 days ago. Heat is costing about $22/day. Yikes.

Found the last extension phone.

Email correspondence with Cape Cod Five about closing. Returned a call yesterday from Lemonade, left message.