Lizzie, Night Watchdog

Lizzie woke me up this morning around 4:15. Ron thinks the boxes and general disruption are upsetting her. Actually, I think it’s upsetting him.

Had long conversations yesterday with HyToy and a USE loan officer about Ron’s auto deal. His credit union offers better terms and he can at least get rid of one or more warranties but not the purchase of the car itself.

He likes the car and wants to pay off Toyota with a loan from the credit union, but the explanation was pretty twisted. Supposedly he has to wait about 4 months.

Guess we’ll have to contact Toyota Motor Credit Corp for instructions. His salesman did send me a link to cancel the warranties, which is helpful.

Meanwhile, I’m having an awful time getting through to GEICO to add the Corolla to our policy.

Bought more CBD mini bones for Lizzie and some gummies and Pinot Grigio for me.

Ron made a really good mac and cheese for supper.

Ron Buys a Car

Ron opted to buy a 2015 Toyota Corolla! Looks like a good car from the Carfax report.

Lizzie went with him to “try on” the car. She didn’t actually get in it but Ron’s confident that she’ll be comfortable in the back seat.

It’ll be great to have a car with an actual trunk!

Productive

Ron loaded the truck around 3 yesterday. We had a lot of recyclables from the basement cleanout/packing but completed the transfer station run quite efficiently.

We did a shop at Shaw’s and picked up more trash bags at Job Lot.

I had conversations with Berkshire Gas and signed us up for Spectrum cable. Made a decision about hotel reservations for the week of the 28th. Thought it was stupid but turns out it wasn’t.

With Vonage, we won’t need to change phone numbers.

Ron and Lizzie went to Hyannis Toyota this afternoon to look at vehicles. He may lease instead of purchase. We’ll have a Toyota dealership about 10 minutes away when we move. He called with not a lot of details, but it sounds like he found one he likes!

Gave Jesse a list of furniture we’d like to be left behind and asked if the sellers would give me access to the house for work to be done before we move.

Ryan checked out the house yesterday for siding and windows. We had a good conversation this morning about colors, among other things.

Berkshire Gas estimates $18-20,000 to bring a gas line to the house. They will ask one of the neighbors if they’d be interested.

Today I’ve been closing and setting up accounts for utilities, solar, home warranty, oil. Got the final payoff for Cape Coop; Michael reminded me.

GEICO approved my glass claim! I will have a new windshield on Friday morning.

Fire Department inspection on Thursday; Barbara reminded me.

Was going to board Lizzie the week of the 28th but couldn’t get an appointment for the required vaccines. So, she’ll stay with us. She had a very tough day today, constipated and fell several times. Poor girl!

Failed Election Deniers

Nevada Secretary of State: Marchant

New Mexico Secretary of State: Trujillo

Pennsylvania Governor: Mastriano

Pennsylvania Senator: Oz

Wisconsin Governor: Michels

Michigan Attorney General: DePerno

Arizona Governor: Lake

Michigan Governor: Dixon

Michigan Secretary of State: Karamo

Arizona Secretary of State: Finchem

Nevada Senator: Laxalt

New Hampshire Senator: Bolduc

Minnesota Secretary of State: Crockett

Minnesota Governor: Jensen

Minnesota Attorney General: Schultz

Arizona Attorney General: (too close to call but Democrat Mayes is leading as of 11/14)

Arizona Senator: Masters

Nevada Attorney General: Chattah

Massachusetts Governor: Diehl

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2022-election/republicans-denied-questioned-2020-election-on-ballot-rcna55824

Lunch at Crabapples

Cindy and Cathy took us to lunch yesterday and gifted us with a “V for Victory” sculpture. We talked politics and got caught up on everyone’s news.

Absentmindedly forgot to get gas, warning light on the way home. Overpriced station on 28A was open, fortunately.

Unbelievable: the Democrats held the Senate with Cortez Masto’s victory in Nevada. Reno and Las Vegas went Blue, carrying the rest of the state.

Great deal on Progresso soup at Stop & Shop: buy 2, get an additional 3 for free: 5 cans for around $9.

Did two washes. Sorted through a pile of photos and greeting cards that were in the sideboard.

Actually slept until a reasonable hour both this morning (5:00) and yesterday(5:30).

Lizzie is having more difficulty walking. She woke us last night.

Ideas for holiday lights: Shelburne Falls, Pittsfield

Veterans Day

It’s a 3-day weekend, which I hadn’t thought about until this morning. Odd to have a holiday on a Friday, but nice for government workers who seem to get an awful lot more time off than the people who pay their salaries.

Poor Lizzie. I’ve barricaded parts of the kitchen and the living room with boxes and picked up two more yesterday from the moving company.

Started packing the kitchen yesterday. My goal is to have enough boxed that we can avoid a dedicated packing day.

Ron is not in a hurry to buy another vehicle, and I think that’s smart.

A neighbor dropped by the other day to see if we were renting the house. This was a rumor apparently created and circulated by another neighbor. Bizarre.

It would be nice to put up the Christmas tree this year, maybe in the sunroom. Come to think of it, that mightn’t be a bad place for a lot of items we’ve been storing in the cellar. Funny not to have considered it before.

Season 5 of “The Crown” started strong but tapered off in the last episodes. Disappointing.

Enterprise offered Ron a chance to look at vehicles – in Woburn. While we enjoyed pizza and beer on the deck, I asked him how he was planning to get there. He thought better of it. He actually could buy it sight unseen if they would deliver it.

Thinking about what a lack of empathy means, psychologically. It’s a synonym of narcissism which on Cape Cod seems to enhance rather than undermine social interactions.

Not listening to other people’s perspectives or opinions. An inability to cope with emotional situations. Lack of patience for other people’s emotional reactions. Reacting with impatience or anger when frustrated with other people.”

“(It) can be the result of genetics (or the characteristics you inherited from your parents), environment (especially in early childhood), disease, or physical or psychological damage and trauma related to an event. Two psychological terms particularly associated with a lack of empathy are sociopathy and psychopathy.”

In a study published in 2015, researchers found a link between location, genetics and mental illness. In Mashpee.

Maybe “it” really is “in the water.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4508761/

Late afternoon I cut down the peonies and a couple of other plants. Was wearing jeans; it was so warm (mid-60’s), thought I’d melt. I am really not eager to do much more cutting down of things until it cools off.

Supposed to rain tonight starting around 8 and continue through Sunday. We may have thunderstorms late, around 11.

Election Day: Midterms

The roofing contractor called early to go over some details, including materials. He’s going to contact the realtor to get inside the house so he can give me an estimate on replacing windows.

Ron and I made it to the polls this morning and were greeted by a number of friends who were politicking for some very good candidates.

Caught up with our new selectwoman to discuss last night’s Board meeting.

I picked up more free packing materials from the moving company.

Started packing the kitchen.

I think we have about 25 boxes so far, including about 15 in the attic, some of which need to be sealed.

We had ravioli and a simple salad for lunch. Ron made tea after we unloaded the truck.

Had a good conversation with an insurance agent.

Dumfungled

I’ve been working on different rooms instead of one at a time, reason being we are still weeks away from the move and we do live here.

Lizzie was up last night and ravenous this morning.

She is terrified of the scissors and I feel awful about that.

Via Benefits answered their phone immediately this morning and changed our address so I could check out medical plans in our new area.

Everything to do with the move is out of my control except packing. Picking up more boxes tomorrow morning.

Dumfungled: worn out, and in a state of near-imbecility.

Also terrified that everything will fall apart between now and the end of the month.