Adult Attention Deficit Is Not a Pretty Sight

July 23, 2020

Or ... How I ended up doing housework buck naked. (Is a buck more naked than any other naked creature?)

It all began a couple of days ago. I went to the kitchen sink and was horrified to see ten house flies on the window, inside of the screen. Yes, I counted them and sprayed so much Raid, that I couldn't see out. The next day, I look at the window in the dining area (it's a small space, divided by upper kitchen cabinets) and it has 20 or 30 flies in the center on the part where the split of upper and lower window is. It's like something out of a D-rated horror movie. I spray my brains out with more Raid. 

Today is the first day with no live flies. Even after having scooped out the dead bodies yesterday, there were many on the floor this a.m. So I start vacuuming them up when I realized that I haven't had breakfast or coffee. After vacuuming the living room and hall, I leave the vac at the bathroom and go for muffin and coffee.

By then it dawns on me that I have to get to the grocery store before the predicted afternoon thunderstorm, so I go to the bathroom and prepare to get into the shower. Which is when I see the curtains from the dining area that I washed. So I re-hung those and go back to the bathroom thinking that I should vac in there before the moisture from the shower impedes picking up dust kitties. 

As I'm ready to step into the shower, I realize that I had never finished scrubbing the tub the other day. Naturally, after the tub, it's time to clean the toilet too. Yup, you guessed it -- I had thought I was getting into the shower, so no pajamas ... and then I vacuumed the bathroom. At that point, I had to unplug it from the living room anyway, so I figured I might as well vacuum the other rooms. Yes, the shades were all down to keep out the summer sun/heat.

And there you have it. As I was typing this, we have had one heck of a thunderstorm pouring buckets of rain on us. I wonder if it will be enough to make Hadley take down their water ban signs. The power went off for a second, I hope it was not enough that I have to re-set the clocks. But what else do I have to do? Well, actually, I have to dust the baker's rack with my glass collection on it. Later.

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I was thinking the other day that, in nature, everything has a purpose. Such as mosquitoes are a food source for birds and frogs, and birds spread seeds of flowers and grasses, etc. (I know you're supposed to have at least three items in a series to use "etc." but I'm into rule breaking today.) Continuing on my musing, I wondered what is the purpose of covid19. And all I'm coming up with is human population control. Because it doesn't seem to kill the animals that we got it from. (Oh, hush up about ending a sentence with a preposition. It is at this juncture that a friend would say, "Bite me," but I don't understand that. Wouldn't it hurt? Why would I want you to hurt me if I'm annoyed with you?)

I was excited to find an Amherst Bulletin at the supermarket today. It's a free weekly newspaper that is mailed to homeowners but I stopped it. It was arriving in Palm Springs 15 days after pub date. That's OLD news. Anyway, I noticed that "Cuppa Joe with Paul" is tomorrow. He's the Town Manager and he started this thing where anybody who wanted to be up and out at 8 a.m. could meet him at a local coffee shop and say what's on their mind. I figured that maybe this would be outside and since I'm up before 7 a.m. daily, I thought I would go. But the newspaper helpfully did not tell me where. Great job of reporting, huh? It turns out it's a Zoom meeting so I don't even have to wear pants! I'll have to remember to comb my hair.

I admit it: much of what I read on FaceBook is fluff. It might be about celebrities or funny memes or just anecdotes about somebody's bloopers. But, boy, do these companies (who are producing the drivel) need a copy editor or six! I was brought up short when I read some celebrity had "earnt" their award. Later on, I read that a mother had "learnt" how to deal with her son's severe peanut allergy. For pete's sake! I guess what really worries me is that some of these same writers are teaching their children at home. I know that every generation bemoans the lack of proper grammar usage, the lack of manners, and the lack of social graces, but between texting shorthand and out-and-out making up words ... well, I guess the fall of civilization is already well in hand, so I guess I should just ignore this too.

Yes, I did make it to the 8 a.m. Zoom meeting with the Town Manager, Director of BID (Business Improvement District), and the Director of the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce. I was both relieved that they couldn't see me and annoyed that I had officially gotten washed and dressed. I could have stayed in my pajamas. 

At that time, it was confirmed that my "Internet connection is unstable." After the meeting, I bit the bullet and contacted Comcast. After going through their menu, I was connected with the right branch of the phone tree which asserted that it needed to reset my modem. (No actual human was involved in this transaction.) It told me that it could take up to ten minutes and to be prepared to have service interrupted. "A technician cannot do anything unless this is performed first." I said okay and the phone line went into dead air mode. I thought it was odd that there was no annoying 'on hold' music or commercial, but I waited patiently. And I waited and I waited. Finally I gave up and hung up the phone.

Now I have no way to know if that improved anything. I either have to set up a Zoom meeting or stare at the TV and see if it hiccoughs. I think I'll go to the Post Office instead.

[Update: After one more re-set, I reached a human. Of course, my phone decided to cut us off three times, but I was finally left with, 'Ordinarily, I would send a technician out but we aren't doing that due to Covid19.']

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Sunday, July 27

I love my new stronger prescription glasses! I didn't realize how much I was struggling to see. Next time I won't wait for four years to update.

It has been interesting. I woke up at 4 a.m. yesterday sick, sick, sick. Apparently, I have some kind of throat infection. Mercifully, no fever, but besides yesterday's killer pain I have full blown laryngitis. Of course, at that early hour feeling awful, all I could think of is, 'Do I have the plague?' Luckily, I have found a miracle cure otherwise known as chicken soup. No, I'm not cured, but I am considerably better. I'm thinking it was the addition of broccoli and mushrooms that made the chicken soup so effective.

Well, that was a trip. The phone rang and that's when I discovered I can barely squeak out sounds. My friend, Ann, said, "Croak twice if it's really you." That made me laugh.  Guess I'll try gargling with salt water again.

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Blanket in Progress

It's still Sunday and after a nap I discovered that I still can barely croak. I did have to get dressed to take the trash and recycling out. It's 91 F. at 5:30 p.m. so I imagine it was a bit hotter earlier. Since this is the first time I have been out in days, I decided to see what was happening in the garden.

Front yard:

Back Yard:

Have a great rest of week. Cheers!