Month: September 2013

We had a long conversation today with the group that is assisting Cal retirees with their new benefit choices.

Turns out, I’m eligible to join Ron’s plans, which could be to our benefit, especially if my Medicare Advantage plan premium goes through the roof.  I believe that also means that I can participate in his new FSA, which could save us money in co-pays and other out-of-pocket costs.

We’ll find out more on October 23, when we have a call scheduled with a benefits person at Cal.

I changed out the print cartridge in my laser printer today.

Lunch was the only bad thing about today; I ordered poorly and got a heavy dip instead of the chicken wings I wanted.

Spent an hour or so with Peter W. and Sandy F-S at Walmart collecting signatures for the minimum wage and sick leave initiatives.  At least I did it, mortal terror or not, successful or not.  Judy Z. was a champion, she collected a gigantic number before she quit for lunch.

Stopped at Job Lot after lunch for candy, adding nutritional injury to injury.

Hammered into pieces a huge bowlful of stale bread and fed the gulls at Menahaunt.  They didn’t like eating crumbs out of the bowl.

Found some tiny pieces of sea glass that had been “cooked” enough to bring home, and some milkweed pods!

Ron went to the Woods Hole Folk Music Society concert, and I have the house to myself – luxury!

We helped a friend clean up her front yard today.  It mostly involved Ron’s chain-sawing a felled cherry tree that was blocking the entrance to our friend’s garage.

We piled a load of leaves on the truck and dumped it at the Transfer Station.  Our friend decided to keep the tree for fire wood.

Ron’s done a lot of watering over here, which is very good, it’s been a dry September.

Fought through the Senior Center hoard this morning, an ugly combination of wedding dress day at Filene’s Basement and pigs feeding at a trough. These aren’t poor people, either: we spotted several brand new cars, plus a Lexus and a Cadillac in the parking lot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ron and I finished the beach parking lot entrance project with two more loads of wood chips.  We didn’t get home until 3, had a late lunch that turned into supper.  We’re quite pleased with how it turned out.

 

Received a series of horrible emails today from more than one person.

It rained a little this morning, but Ron got the laundry done and we did a transfer station run, plus picked up more woodchips for SPE.

Visited Lori N in the morning. She showed me the tennis court; we did a little pruning on the way. Gave Ron the tour in the afternoon.

http://www.linktv.org/programs/chris-hedges-days-of-revolt

Billionaire bailout society http://www.alternet.org/economy/weve-got-billionaire-bailout-society-and-99-may-never-recover-it-our-lifetimes?page=0%2C1

Koch Brothers Exposed

Shoveled about 1/4 yard of wood chips in the truck for the beach entrance.  Will try to do more tomorrow.

Good supper: steak, corn, salad.  Corn was from Sprout Farm – fantastic, best of the season.

Mowed yesterday, set the mower at 3″.

Someone called China a 30-yard country.  Everything looks good from 30 yards away.  We have a 30-foot yard – looks great until you see the amount of crabgrass and number of weeds.

I’m very depressed about the gardens this year.  Mildew seems to have attacked almost everything.  I didn’t plant the right vegetables – people have been crowing about their squash.  The best tomatoes seem to be on a plant growing out of a compost pile in one of our wooded areas!

It’s been many days since we’ve seen even one hummingbird.

I’ve made several half-hearted attempts at fall cleanup.  No desire to plant anything.

Ron on the other hand has almost finished the deck at Edgewater!  He also put up a shelf in the kitchen and a wood tissue holder and circular shower curtain rod in the bathroom.  Plus, he repaired the message box at Santuit Pond Estates.

I’m on several activist mailing lists.

This week alone, there are five different action items being pushed:

• protest against pesticide spraying by NSTAR;
• amendment to the state constitution saying that corporations are not persons and thus, not entitled to the same rights that citizens have;
• report nuclear plant bills out of the Joint Committee on Public Health;
• support green energy; and
• raise the minimum wage and require paid sick leave.

Of course, there’s also the long-standing protest against war which has recently focused on Syria and the federal Move To Amend.  Plus the race for governor is heating up, and we are still waiting to see if Dan Wolf can keep his job as our state senator.

Recently, I’ve gotten more involved with the HOA at Santuit Pond Estates, something that affects us personally or at least less abstractly than these other matters.

Ron was invited to help out at the first WHFMS event of the season, something he really enjoys.  I received notices of some science-oriented talks which we both enjoy.

Looming ahead are decisions about health insurance, fall yardwork and finishing up projects at Edgewater.

Stick a fork in us.