So being Lisa-less meant that I had to open up, reconcile the registers, deal with auditors, write the white board, sort the mail, collect and deposit up to 27 checks (the new fundraising letter just went out), and THEN try to do my work at my desk. So ... no accounts payable checks THIS week! Oh well, the bills will still be there on Monday.
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It's a lovely day, a mere 85 F. and not too beastly humid. I was beginning to think that mold would be growing everywhere because it has been so humid. I do have a nice green patina of mold on my formerly yellow house (mostly the north side). I'm not hiring that guy to powerwash my house again. The jerk waited until the winter to bill me and when I questioned that he had even done the work, he said, 'Didn't you notice the green is gone?' Well, no, I hadn't noticed, Jerk, that's why I questioned it. Duh.
So I'm going to borrow Debbie's. She was saying that next weekend they are going to Jersey and I said, 'How about if I meet you on the Mass. Pike and pick up the powerwasher?' She said it might be difficult to meet up due to timing issues and it got me to thinking ... how exactly do drug dealers meet up? Do they employ precise timing? If they use a cell phone to keep in touch, it must be a burner. What IS a burner? (I'm thinking it's a prepaid that they throw away when done, but that seems rather wasteful.)
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So, due to my sloth, I have yet again missed the Farmers' Market. So you do not get pictures of juicy veggies. I think I'll save this until I can give you some nice pictures!
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It's Sunday now, but I'll relate a little more than yesterday. Once I got my mojo in motion, I started where all things must begin: at McDonald's, getting an ice cream with chocolate sauce and nuts. It's my mother's fault, really. She introduced me to this treat and I began to crave one ...
Then it was on to the Verizon store next door to Mickey D's. It's time that I can upgrade my phone and Maria had told me that she is happy with her Galaxy. I pull up to the store noticing that there are no customer cars and there are 4 guys standing outside of the door, looking up. I'm thinking, "Must be the hot air balloon -- haven't they ever seen one before?" because they are transfixed. When I get out of my car, I see that they are totally focused on a remote control spaceship. One of them is trying to land it onto a light standard (he can't do it, but comes close). I said to one, "Oh good, then you will leave me alone when I look at a phone." Of course, he follows me into the store. What was I thinking?
And he says to me (I am not making this up), "What do you mostly use your phone for?" Feeling a little foolish, I say, "To make phone calls." What am I supposed to be using my phone for? Cooking? Sex? Education?
So then he starts with the questions. I know where he's going (have I got an iPad for you!!), but I'm impatient and just manage to not scream, 'Tell me the freakin' price!!!' But he's persistent. Finally he says that he's not trying to 'make this an interrogation, but to find out what's best for you.' At this point I say, "Well, it is beginning to feel like the Inquisition," a la Monty Python, but the kid is 12 and absolutely misses the reference. Finally, my patience is gone after he announces that after a rebate, the phone will cost me $150 plus tax. (Mind you, I'm staring at a tag that says $49.99 next to it and this is after a debate -- just tell me the facts -- about whether I'll need another car charger other than the one I have.) So I announce that I'll come back on the tax free weekend and he says he was about to suggest that. Yeah, right. You got a bridge you want to sell me, Kid?
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After that, it was just across the street to Home Depot where I measured (thanks, Deb for the good advice) kitchen appliances. I need working/energy efficient stove and fridge. The weekend of August 10th is tax free in Massachusetts, so I'll save 6.5% sales tax and if I open a Home Depot charge account, I'll get 10% off my total purchase. A fellow helped me find a battery and I asked him about the new charge account discount. He confirmed it, but didn't know if I opened it then, if I could use it next week. He consulted Jean, who was very helpful, but kept saying to him, "You are empowered." She seemed to suggest that I could open the account then and take the discount later. But she reversed what she said several times. Eventually, Mike wandered off. Finally, as I paid for my battery, I said, "Does he get a credit if he makes me get a charge card?" That's when she said, yes, and I should look for him next week.
Speaking of the battery. I needed two "watch size" batteries for my bathroom scale. I noticed that it was taking a long time to get to an actual weight, going up by 10 to 20 pound increments. I thought of picking a weight I liked and stepping off the scale at that point, but the inaccuracy of it all began to bother me. Hence, the batteries.
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At this point I'm petering out, and I don't have any groceries. But -- yay!-- Aldi's is right next door to Home Depot. This is a supermarket that I don't think of going to because they only take cash or a debit card. I usually have neither. Yesterday, however, I had cash (thinking I was going to the Farmers' Market). Wow! Their prices are amazing! I ended up buying a pork roast. Back in the car, I called Phyllis to see if she had gotten my phone message. She hadn't but I told her I'd pick her up in a half hour.
I got home, put the pork in the crock pot, changed the laundry and added another load, went to the bathroom, got us a portable shrimp cocktail, loaded folding chairs into my car and picked up Phyllis. As we drove to South Hadley, she fed me my shrimp cocktail. (Anyone who has ridden with me knows that the passenger has serious responsibilities from map/gps reading/setting to keeping my strength up.)
We went to the South Hadley first ever FallsFest to eat supper and hear Art Steele's blues band. This was a benefit for the Pioneer Valley USO.
So below is Art Steele's Blues Band. He was good!
This is later, as the sun set. I had thought that I reorder the pictures and maybe I can, but I'm in a rush.
Here's the crowd. The Fest had been going on since Noon with Music all afternoon and evening. After Steele, there was some young kid who thinks he's a rock star (he's not), and then a Latino band which was very good.
When we arrived, I was amazed and delighted to see that they had covered the ball field with a giant tarp (below).
Another longer shot of the Steele Band.
So I've got to wrap this up and declutter the kitchen. Phyllis is coming for the now pulled pork and she's bringing (Yay!) fresh veggies from the Farmers' Market (where she works tirelessly). By the way, I just found out Phyllis' age -- I would have thought she is ten years younger! She's another inspiration!
I know Art! Glad he's still playing.
ReplyDeleteI want to guess Phyllis's age, but I'll be polite and just think it.