Month: January 2023

Ron signed the paperwork to relinquish the Corolla at Haddad yesterday. We removed the remaining personal items, including Lizzie’s harness. I am sad; Ron is resigned.

I am in shock that the damage was so extensive that the car couldn’t be repaired.

Ron gassed up the rental at BJ’s – $3.03/gallon – and returned it to Enterprise yesterday. I am not eager for him to get another vehicle or for that matter, to drive mine. We’ll see how it goes.

Heard from A1!

Got a proposal from Abide.

Building permit for the roof and window replacement is in the works.

I’ve been up for a couple of hours, getting my head ready for today.

I’d contacted the wrong company about a refund but think it’s squared away now.

Requested quotes from two other asbestos/vermiculite removal companies.

Pleased to see reactions with which I agree in the WSJ on the GOP attempt to defund the IRS and the CCT on racism in the Mashpee schools.

Conversations yesterday around Ron’s car, which after inspection by techs was declared a total loss. A stupid, unnecessary, idiotic business which never should have happened if he’d taken my advice and stayed in a motel the night we moved.

Fortunately, it appears the settlement from GEICO will cover the amount he owes to Toyota/Bank of America. Unfortunately, the downpayment he made from his prior accident settlement is essentially money thrown away.

He wanted me to go with him to the body shop because he a) can’t rely on GPS because his phone can’t keep a charge and b) claims he can’t follow written directions. He couldn’t figure out the location even though the address is in the letter I printed off for him (heaven forfend that I simply forward the adjuster’s email, he’d never find it in the mess that is his inbox) and started raving that it was somewhere around Sturbridge. In fact, the body shop is in Pittsfield.

Enterprise was good, they agreed to allow him to return their rental today or tomorrow, and are charging us the insurance rate for the days that GEICO won’t cover.

Up early today. Slept from 6:30 last evening to 3:30 this morning.

Watched the last Patriots game of the season on Paramount Plus. Ron made popcorn.

Ron got another piece of furniture out of the garage and set it up in the living room. I cleared more boxes out of the “sunroom”.

Fixed a living room lamp this morning that Lizzie had knocked over and put on its proper shade.

Found the parts for the IKEA bookcase. I’d moved them after the end table they were sitting on collapsed.

The inspector from Abide just left. Both sections of the attic are a mess and will take a week to clean. They would set up a work area in the bedroom, closing it off with plastic sheeting. They can deal with the bureaus but we’ll need to move the bed.

He took a sample of the vermiculite; we’ll get a proposal from his office and a report on its origin. If Zonolite, we could get a settlement from their Attic Insulation Trust, Claim #27975.

Took Ron out to breakfast at Brewhaha, then we stopped by the North Adams Farmers Market.

Figured we’d take in MoCA while we were there. So impressive, brilliantly curated. I’d forgotten what good art is, and what a pleasure to see so many young people.

Ron seemed to enjoy it although before and after the visit to the museum, he spewed the usual criticism, complaints and third person commands, like “the cardboard must be removed” as opposed to “I can work on removing the cardboard”.

I think he doesn’t realize that most of the time, every word out of his mouth is a swear and/or complaint about something.

I woke up at 2 AM after involuntarily recalling my nightmarish experience at that wretched company in Maryland.

I’m concerned about having tools in the garage, which is not just damp but soggy. I mentioned it to Ron, who had just come in from walking Lizzie in the back yard.

Our Wareham friends had worked so hard to get everything organized, it seems a shame to disrupt it, never mind using up a fairly liveable space on storage.

Still, perhaps we could make the garage more water-tight at some point. Until then, I think we need to take better care of our things. At least my things.

Ron will be too lazy or too passive, then when his tools rust and become unusable, he’ll enjoy complaining about it.

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.