Month: March 2023

I’m not sure who is stupider about finance: Ron or First Citizens Credit Union.

Ron screwed up his password and needed to have it reset.

The officious “customer service” people refused to speak with him if I was included in the conversation. Even though the call was about our joint savings account. Evidently they haven’t heard of ADA or accommodations for people with hearing problems.

Since I couldn’t help him according to the credit union, I wrote everything down that Ron needed to slog through a conversation with one of these cretins. Didn’t work.

Ron couldn’t figure out the difference between their 800 number, a local 413 number and his account number. He couldn’t tell them our old Mashpee phone number. He didn’t know the difference between his login ID and his email address.

I was so angry that I slipped and fell, tore off a handle on the hutch and landed on the floor. Ron thought it was more important to retrieve the handle than help me. Luckily, I don’t seem to be hurt more than a long scratch on my back. It’s a good thing I can get myself up off the floor when I need to! No assistance available here.

As if this wasn’t enough idiocy for the morning, I called the people at Mt. Greylock Visitors Center to let them know, in accordance with their email earlier today, that I wouldn’t be attending their program. They asked if I’d cancelled on Event Brite. This wasn’t mentioned as a necessary step in their email, so I suggested next time, they add it. I got an argument about that.

Figuring I was already in trouble with them, I plowed ahead with another suggestion: shorter walks, perhaps 1 hour instead of 3. Reason is that if someone is on a trail and needs to quit, it might be difficult or even impossible to find their way back. Got another argument about that: I should take that into consideration myself before signing up for a walk.

I think that’s enough dealing with people for one day.

Day started with a visit from the DryZone rep, who gave the cellar the best walk-through and analysis of anyone so far.

I signed my life away to get the crawl spaces encapsulated.

Ron kept his dental appointment. I filled out medical records requests for my five Cape-based providers.

We trekked to Home Depot. Ron wanted new drain covers but couldn’t find any that didn’t require installation. I was guessing we might have been in the wrong aisle but turns out, this is a ship-to-store/delivery item, not in stock!

I bought a front door bell and Ron got Gorilla tape, so it wasn’t a wasted trip.

We stopped at the Apple Barn for cider donuts, strawberry/rhubarb pie and an apple fritter. I devoured the fritter and a donut – not exactly Mediterranean diet fare. On the way back, we also made a stop at the liquor store in Pownal.

I dug out a path from the driveway. Also removed snow and dirt from Ron’s snow blower that had packed the Rose of Sharon by the front door. I fear the poor plant has been damaged by snow and the snow blower as well as my careless shoveling. Am never sure whether to let nature run its course or interfere. Guess we’ll know in a couple of weeks, assuming we are in for warmer temps.

Our outdoor lights arrived from Lowes.

Finally, we attended a concert by Linda May Han Oh and her trio at Williams College. Ron loved it, I thought it was – an experience.

Almost a foot.

The predictions were accurate.

It’s pretty and our road is down to pavement. We could try snow blowing but why. We could go for a walk but again, why.

Postponed Ron’s dental appointment to tomorrow morning.

We lost power, briefly. Lit candles.

Sean was here a short while ago to plow.

Have the casement windows open a little to air out the dead mouse odor.

I could use this time productively, for example, painting the kitchen, but Ron would bitch, moan and complain, so, why.

Occurred that I hate the paint job here not so much because of the color but because it’s flat, not semi-gloss.

Anyway, this living room is going to be a mess in a while, so no point in bothering with it now.

Last night we attended Gramercy Bistro’s Oscar party.

I got us home in one piece and even found my phone and debit card this morning.

Ron woke up with a bruise on his left eye. Discovered that we have an emergency room only 10 minutes and one stoplight away at the North Adams BMC campus. With free parking!

Ron was very pleased with the care he got and has an antibiotic to prevent infection.

I’d promised him that the move would be within easy distance of good medical care. BMC North Adams is a complete outpatient facility, including doctors’ offices, diagnostic labs and outpatient surgery.

Daylight Savings Time started last night. We reset the clocks.

Heard from Peter, Bennett, Cathy and Cindy, as well as numerous people on Facebook.

Ron and I have been organizing paperwork. He’s working on his “stuff” in the “office”. It’s a shame we can’t claim his stuff as a dependent: Ron Junior.

We were up for a walk on the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail in Cheshire but it was snowbound. Looks like a good place to try out later on. Ron had correspondence to mail and was impressed that their post office has a 7:30 am pickup.

On the way back to Williamstown, I filled up the car at a Cumby, I think in Adams, that was giving members 20 cents off a gallon.

We stopped at a roadside takeout restaurant with a nicely varied menu, including ice cream sundaes and several vegetarian choices. Came home with burritos, chocolate croissants and cinnamon rolls.

I finally figured out how to change the clock in the Corolla dashboard. The user manual was not helpful.

I think we have a dead mouse in one of the kitchen walls, the one behind the sink.

Renewed my subscription to The Atlantic Monthly.

Ordered outdoor light fixtures from Lowes. Finally found a use for the gift certificate we received as a claim payout from the old home warranty company.

Delighted that both our state legislators have sponsored An Act Relative To End of Life Options. Unfortunately, it never made it out of committee in the last session, surprise, surprise. They are scheduled to be in Williamstown this Tuesday during the Big Storm. Wonder if they’ll Zoom.

Hopkins Memorial Forest, Williamstown

We braved icy trails to visit the sugar shack. I stood in slow-moving lines for pancakes and tiny bits of frozen maple syrup while Ron gabbed. Took some of the nicest photos this Winter; new phone has a better camera, I think.

We made a stop afterwards at the South Williamstown Farmers Market and picked up veg and pasta soup and delicious baked goods.

I was hurting from the walks on ice. Took some acetaminophen and fell asleep in front of the tv.

Afterwards, I finally figured out how to set the door lights in the Corolla. Did a bunch of filing. Loose paperwork has been driving me nuts.

We had our first appointment at Williamstown Dental. My teeth are okay, Ron has work to be done. Sakina described Williamstown as a “bubble”, which pretty much synchs with our impressions so far.

After a little wandering to find the building, we sat in on a lecture explaining how spectra from the atmospheres of other worlds could reveal molecules associated with life.

We ate afterwards at a snack bar in Paresky Center. A chef invited me to help myself to cookies!

We stopped at the library and then Walmart so I could pick up a script.

Cold to start but warmed up enough that Ryan and Bill came over a day early to finish the windows. Covering the ugly wood around them makes all the difference.

Ron and I took off in different directions to do errands, followed by a mid-afternoon visit to the Williams College Museum of Art.

Earlier, I treated myself to a croissant and coffee at Five Corners.

We ran out of coffee yesterday! Ron made tea.

We had visitors, a construction supervisor and the electrician, who did his usual “above and beyond”. Wish I’d gotten a picture of him holding a rat’s nest of low-voltage wires that he pulled out of the basement!

I finally got my act together around 2 in the afternoon. Showered, dressed and drove to Walmart for meds. One script was wrong so asked for a corrected one.

Ron did a shop at Stop & Shop.

Reviewed home improvement expenditures to date. Decided we can’t afford to put in a new driveway this Spring. Triple the cost of Dixon or Edgewater.

A solar company sent an outrageous proposal. How things have changed in the last five years! Either that or they are vastly overpriced. Maybe that explains the financing logic behind “add solar, get a new roof” ads.