TheCapeBlog

It was snowing for a while but with Ron’s encouragement I drove us to the Capital Region Flower & Garden Expo in Troy today. Shortly after we started, the car seemed to be making a terrible noise. Ron reassured me that it was probably nothing, and he was right. Turned out that one of the back windows was open.

We had a fine time at the show, brought home astilbe and lilies for planting as well as a splendid hoe that Ron bought, stopped for dinner at Coyote Flaco and got back before dark. Perfect day!

Got a good proposal from A1 for a driveway.

Waiting for another driveway proposal from the guy who was here last week. Also waiting for word from our Mass Save inspector about additional documentation(??) and a proposal from a mold removal company.

Signed us up for the Daffodil and Tulip Festival at Naumkeag in May and Easter Brunch in North Adams.

Also signed up and sent a check for a CSA, produce to be delivered to Wild Soul River.

Ron did a phenomenal job organizing the mess in the sunroom! We can actually use it. He’s been working on clearing out the office as well.

Inspection by the town Building Department went well. The bathroom window needs to have safety glass.

Ryan will order it along with a gutter for the back side of the garage.

A driveway installation person gave us a very good price; we’ll no longer be dirt driveway burdened in a couple of months.

Yesterday Ron and I brought the load of grass cuttings to the transfer station.

I set up an account at rkMILES so Ryan and/or Zan can pay for supplies.

Ron fixed the first floor bathroom door.

Long conversation with MassSave about documentation. I sent them another one.

Yes, it’s Spring, and even at this latitude, the heart says it’s time for yardwork.

I cut down the three grasses by the driveway. Actually four, including one tiny one.

Ron and I put everything on the truck. We also dug up an ugly thorn thing growing next to the Rose of Sharon. At least we managed to dig and pull the bulk of it out of the ground, nasty thing.

I tried raking the snow off the sunroom roof. Too difficult. Wanted to at least stop the drip near the door, but the snow was too heavy and awkward.

Ron did a transfer station run. I picked up our lunches at the Senior Center. Sarah was nice enough to sign us up for doubles on Friday since the Center will be closed next Monday. It’s a good one, too, vegetarian “sausage”.

We got our signatures notarized yesterday by the Town Clerk. Ron wants to close his savings account at First Citizens. I was able to log in to his account today and at his request, moved money into the account so I don’t get any more emails about it.

Ryan and Bill were by to finish sealing the front windows. Big day tomorrow, the Building Inspector will be by to evaluate the work.

Have been corresponding with a couple of mold remediation services. Waiting for a quote from one of them. The other can’t give us an estimate until the end of April: hello?!!

I did a laundry today, whoopee.

And I don’t have to cook tonight. Thank you, Elder Services!

Corolla was behaving badly. When I tried locking it, it unlocked itself. Too tired right now to try to figure it out.

Actual sunshine and cloudless blue skies made it the perfect day for a visit. One of the guides engaged me in cheerful conversation about the area. Unfortunately, the trails were too icy for walking. Our street and in fact a tiny dot for our house are on their North Berkshire maps.

Promise to return to Bob’s Country Kitchen kept: on the way back I stopped for vegetable soup, but it wasn’t as good as the first time we had it.

Ron and I brought the Corolla to the car wash in North Adams. Didn’t do that great a job, though.

We did some shoveling off the deck. Rain is predicted for Thursday.

I want to complete our tax return and hoped to find a hard copy statement, having failed to download one before I closed the account.

Am plowing through the heavy box of unfiled documents moved from Dixon Drive.

This is an exercise filled with memories from the past, i.e., horror, infamy.

We’ve done a good job of diving into areas north and south of us. I’d like to venture east and west. We were going to go to such an event today but it’s probably going to involve a crowd and anyway it’s cloudy and cold: low 20’s. This is enough of a disincentive to keep us housebound.

Since the dinner on Friday, I’ve been too lazy to do much of anything. Turns out, probably wise to have stayed put because of the explosive product of that dinner only a short while ago.

Cladosporium lives in our attic. That’s the word from JEES. I should be getting their report some time next week, but got a preview in a phone conversation yesterday.

I received the architect’s drawings yesterday late afternoon. Looks like minimal disruption to the bedroom, just removal of part of the floor to make room for the revised staircase.

Also yesterday, I had a long-ish conversation with our MassSave inspector. He clarified the vapor barrier requirement for insulation installation, so I was able to cancel the DryZone contract, at least for now.

Ron squared himself away with First Citizens.

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.