Tending Tender Things
Banking
I was on the phone three times today with Rockland, first to get their approval of two transfers of funds to Greylock; second, to get instructions on removing third party accounts; and third, to look into a weird situation with a check that cleared on December 8 but which the receiving bank claimed was returned “insufficient funds”.
I set up mobile banking for Greylock but wasn’t able to deposit the refund check from National Grid. It worked fine for Rockland.
Have not yet received a refund from vinsearchusa.net
Got Ron signed up at the Harvard Pilgrim website. Actually, he was signed up but I didn’t have his password so had to reset it. He still hasn’t looked for a doctor.
Been snowing off and on, but it doesn’t seem to be freezing on the roads.
HELOC is on its way to Greylock underwriting. Terms are confusing, they won’t close the loan until all estimates are in.
Still haven’t found the rest of the linens.
Dragged in five cardboard boxes from the garage. Most of it is Ron’s stuff, for him to go through. He’s already unearthed a Goofy hat.
Electric: Two Rooms Are Safe
We hope the electrician will be back next week to take care of the others.
He fixed the outlets in the upstairs bathroom and master bedroom. The fan in the bedroom was incorrectly installed. What a surprise.
I had to reset one of the circuit breakers; glad it was easy, this breaker box is easier to understand than the one at Dixon.
After a productive morning, I didn’t do much in the afternoon except for a beer, wine and snack run.
Did talk with a couple of people over the last two days about solar.
Slept in my clothes from 8 to 4. Bad dream about a humiliating job interview.
Don’t Let the Door Hit You…
Ron was just crabbing at me about something in the yard, part of a landscaping project I have in mind.
This bitching and criticism in spite of the fact that he refuses to clean up his piles of junk is something we’ve talked about, many times. I told him if he doesn’t like it here, leave.
A1!
We can use toilet paper again: wahoo.
The sewer line wasn’t just clogged, it was split almost in two. The backhoe driver was nice enough to dig up a gone-by bush nearby. They saved some big stones for decorative use.
Carpenter had to cancel, his child is very sick, may be pneumonia. Scary times with all the pulmonary illnesses around for young kids. Hope she’ll be well soon.
Poor Ron worked like a dog to put together the CD shelving that I bought. It was one of the worst pieces of knock-down furniture I’ve ever seen, and I apologized, profusely. After getting the OK from Home Depot online customer service, Ron returned it, unassembled, to the Bennington store.
More grief from National Grid over their nonfunctional website. I paid the February bill over the phone. Spoke with a very professional supervisor who tried to help me. It’s been over two weeks since they reported the malfunction to their IT department on January 3.
Roofers, A1 Today, Carpenter Tomorrow
Ryan and his crew are stripping the roof over the bedroom.
A1 phoned earlier, said they’d be dropping off equipment and hoped to get started today.
Joe the carpenter texted last evening, said he’d be over tomorrow.
If all of this happens, it’ll be a big step forward.
Local Hikes
Still Lost; Found; Roofing Materials
I haven’t found:
- one drawer for a small bureau
- Ron’s Buffalo Insurance Company sign (ordered a new one)
- Teacups and saucers
- Ron’s second computer with his music
- The top of the popcorn cooker (ordered a new, bigger one)
- The sink-side container of Krud Kutter (repurposed and filled an unused spray bottle)
I have found:
- the Roku, HDMI cable and remote for the second TV (unfortunately, cracked in moving, ordered a new one, very inexpensive)
- Ron’s external drive with all his music and the HDMI/USB cable
- Ron’s newer hearing aids
With Ron’s help, got some wall decor up, .
Roofing materials arrived this morning. Ryan took home a bunch of Lizzie’s leftovers. He made a joke about the CBD chews.
Nice sunset.
Good Memories
Lizzie loved her home in Tiverton and the field and the yard in Mashpee. She was starting to enjoy the yard here in Williamstown.
She liked to walk in the street, which was very dangerous here.
She was curious about everyone who came to the house.
She and Ron were great pals, especially on their walks.
She was sweet-natured and loving.
Angry
Lizzie’s passing has made me angry at her former owners.
I understand why they gave her up and perhaps I’d have done the same under the circumstances.
Even so, I think it was wrong to put her through changes in the last months of her life.
It’s been a relatively temperate winter here, but colder than in Tiverton.
I miss her but not her pain or blindness or cleaning up after her or the frustration of not knowing how to end her suffering. We spared nothing except experiences that maybe would have made us feel better but which she hated: grooming, having her nails clipped.
Anger is supposedly a stage of grieving, in which case I’m on track for depression next, then acceptance.
I hope Ron is okay. We did go to bed together last night, for the first time in many months. Evidently that’s something we both missed.
I was relieved to not have to send Liz out in bitter cold this morning or to creep around, fearing to wake her up, or to put barricades up around areas where she’d try to hide, get stuck and whimper or worse, get hurt.