Cardboard Boxes

I’ve been moving Ron’s stuff to the second bedroom and have been able to actually empty and recycle a couple more boxes.

Ron made a nice supper last night, rigatoni and veg “meatballs” with Ragu. We watched “Bite the Bullet” and cleaned the kitchen. He woke me up at 8 this morning.

Safelite was here to fix the ding in the Corolla’s windshield.

Ron made runs to the recycling center and transfer station.

Easter, Hospital Visit, Warranty, Taxes

We visited Linnea last Thursday at BMC and dropped off a box of donate-ables to Goodwill on Saturday. Ron thought he’d lost his glasses; they were on the washing machine at home.

Spent Easter at home enjoying a champagne, stuffed mushroom, asparagus and salad midday meal. Watched “Pulp Fiction”, which delighted Ron. He “gets it”, I still don’t.

I uploaded a new set of files for Warranty.

Advertised the former owner’s bedroom linens on the free FB site and found an interested neighbor; she picked them up today.

Finally figured out that I did almost no web work in 2023, so with the necessary info previously compiled, was able to file our state and federal taxes through a new free online service: slick!

Thunderfest, Insight

We dropped by Thunderfest yesterday and enjoyed a better than good rock band Midnite:30.

A tech from Insight was here today to do an engineering study for solar.

Preite delivered 100 gallons of heating oil. Good, we were almost out.

I’ve been doing more unpacking and offering things we don’t need to a Facebook group. Gifted a huge light fixture, some artificial flowers and a couple of little plug-in heating units. Two people came by today to pick up their goods.

More Warranty work. Received checks last week.

More Cleanup

Managed to acetone-out the ring of yellow paint I’d left on the sunroom rug and squared away an overcharge by RentACenter.

Big laundry, seems like Rondromat skipped a day this week.

Found a red and white afghan in the sunroom; it washed and dried beautifully.

Made a Kevin recipe, sweet potato chili with tomatoes, onions and black beans. Good!

More Cleanup

I’ve been working on the sunroom, the goal being to make space for the exercise equipment.

Have emptied a number of cardboard boxes and offloaded a few to Ron’s office. He does have a lot of fun things: even a second plush buffalo toy for a long-desired gifting to the boys.

Ron loaded a pile of carboard on the truck and brought it, along with trash, to the dump yesterday. He got there just as the place was closing.

Birthday: Clear as a Bell(amy)

Waved to the boys. Showed up for a 9 am appointment at the RMV in North Adams. Easy process to renew my license.

Drove up to Hairpin Turn and on the way back, stopped at Eclipse Mill. Gorgeous displays of resident artwork. Strolled the grounds a little to view the Hoosic River and waterfall.

Stopped at BigY for cannoli and veggies. Picked Ron up for lunch at the Berkshire Food Project, then back to Eclipse Mill so he could see the artwork. He met an artist who’s having an open house tomorrow and was enchanted. Maybe I’ll get to be single again, who knows?

We drove to Pownal to restock our liquor cabinet: wine, Irish cream, Prosecco, champagne, Hennessey’s.

Ron tied up the last of the stakes from the back yard and did some raking. We sat outside, greeted the kids and enjoyed the gorgeous weather and wine.

Ate way too much and planted myself in front of the tv, thus forgot about the open mic session at Studio 9. Next Tuesday, I hope.

Rented and watched “The Zone of Interest”. Ron was moved, thought it is a great film.

I’d put the Prosecco in the freezer and didn’t pull it out in time. It was part liquid, part slush. I drank almost the entire bottle.

Some do-gooders are annoying the rest of us and scaring at least one resident by plugging a Gaza resolution to the Select Board. Go away.

Catching Up

Reset the clocks.

Ordered OTC items from Optum and tomatoes and cukes from Holiday Brook Farm, renewed membership with AAA and changed credit cards.

Also completed the license renewal paperwork for tomorrow’s appointment at the North Adams RMV.

Spent part of yesterday going through the last stack of paperwork in the third bedroom.

Ron switched out the furnace filter a couple of days ago.

Handyman

Our handyman was here for a few hours yesterday caulking and priming window trim. It’s one of those improvements that has a favorable cost:benefit ratio.

I picked up lunches at the Senior Center and filled out menus for March.

Afterwards, we attended our first Friday LOG lunch, which was great: all-vegetarian buffet menu – salad, roasted veg skewers, barley/veg soup, flatbread, yogurt/dill sauce, trays of baklava passed around for dessert.

An attorney with DOJ gave the presentation on prosecuting environmental crimes.

Did a small shop at Aubuchon. Spread varmint repellent on the tulip bed, which is starting to sprout.

This afternoon, did a transfer station run.

Sent a message via form to Williams College about the passing of one of their students last month. I’m disturbed by the lack of contrition and acceptance of responsibility on the part of the college’s administration for what seems to me a failure of stewardship.

This young person – age 18 – was in my view overwhelmed. He was involved in enough academic activities to fill a full-time schedule, yet he was also a member of the Berkshire Symphony, participated in a weekend long competition run by the college’s volunteer economic consulting group and worked on projects for the Special Olympics and a local restaurant.

I remember freshman year at an Ivy League school as a living horror.