Random Friday

There was freezing freaking rain last night.  When we woke up the deck (and new stairs) were covered in a layer of wet ice.  Tallulah fell ass over tea kettle down the stairs, and then wiped out and cracked her noggin on the way up.  I think she's OK, but it was pretty scary for both of us.  In an effort to avoid future injuries, I ran out at lunch and bought 15 yards of non-slip tape for the stairs.

Did I mention that I ended up buying the Tallulah Painting?  I did, and I'm pretty happy about it, if somewhat stressed about the money.  When I finally made up my mind and contacted the artist, she gave me a "collector's" discount and offered to let me set up a payment plan.

Tomorrow night I am stepping completely out of my comfort zone.    I agreed to go with a friend and a group of her friends (none of whom I've met) to watch roller derby.  Like that Drew Barrymore Movie.  We're taking a party bus to the event, which is something that I'm really not looking forward to at all.  So, why would I agree to do something that is so far out of my element, you'd ask?   For a guy.  My friend thought it would be fun to set us up, and from what I hear, he sounds very much like the kind of guy I'd like to meet.  She's the one that wants to go to roller derby.  Apparently this is outside of both his and my comfort zones, but she can be pretty convincing.  Except, I was sure she said this was happening on the 20th, which was a Thursday.   I was stressed out about the party bus part of things, and then having to get up at 5am the next day for work so I bowed out earlier in the week.  By the time we figured out that we're actually going on a Saturday and not a Thursday, he made other plans; so now I have to go on this crazy night all for nothing.   But, who knows?  Maybe I'll be surprised and it'll be fun.

Insurance Companies are Omniscient

Summary of an email string between the insurance lady and I today:

Me:
I received the first cheque for $X today.  Thank you! Unfortunately, it did not come with an explanation for how this amount was reached.  So far, I've sent you four receipts:

1. Receipt 1 for $_______
2. Receipt 2 for $_______ 
3. Receipt 3 for $_______
4. Receipt 4 for $_______

No matter how I add up these items, or combinations of some of these items, I don't come to $X.  Can you please break it down for me to explain what this cheque was intended to cover?  

Insurance Lady:
Hi, Janice,    That was for the receipts you submitted.

The mystery has been solved, people. You can all relax now.

An observation

Sitting on a balance ball while you work on a computer is good for your core.

Sitting on a balance ball while a cat perches on your lap and you try to reach around him to work on a computer is even better for your core.  And it's probably good for his core too, not that he cares.

I'm going to feel this in the morning.

New Old Desk

Working from home as presented to me a new problem.  My work computer and monitors have taken over the desk, so my personal computer has had to move to the kitchen.

I hate having the Mac on the kitchen counter.  I can't comfortably sit there, and the mouse and the keyboard keep getting gummed up with cat hair and kibble crumbs.  (Winter's feeing station is directly above the computer.)

I've been looking for a small desk to use, without much luck.  Either they are too big, or their prices are too high.  I thought I was going to have to keep the computer in the kitchen for a while, but yesterday I had an idea.

Yesterday was Dump Day.  When my parents moved about a year ago, I took a lot of their stuff that was otherwise headed for the dump.  Over the last year, I've given away or sold most if the stuff, but not all.  I asked my dad to come over and haul the few left overs to the dump, and that's when we found an old iron table base again, hidden in the back corner of the garage.  I'm not sure where it came from, but I suspect that it used to be at my great-grandfather's farm.

It's been painted many, many times.  Paint chips were flaking off and rust was starting to show in a few places.  I washed and sanded it down, and then sprayed it black with a can of paint.

I forgot to take the before picture.  It used to be white.  

I thought of stripping off all the previous layers of paint, but the truth is, I suspect that this is so old, the paint may be holding it together.  And, I kind of like the idea of keeping the existing lumps and bumps, and celebrating its age.  Especially if I can find the top I'm thinking of.

Depending on the price, I'm hoping to get an end cut of granite or corian for the table table top.  (Something small - max 2x3'.)  Or if that's too expensive, maybe I'll sand and varnish a nice piece of wood.  Either way, I'm hoping to have a new computer desk soon.

Ladybugs

This is where I reiterate my desire for a macro lens.

Or castigate myself for being too lazy to go inside and get the telephoto lens.


I love ladybugs.  I don't know why, because I generally dislike bugs.  But, ladybugs make me happy.  I get excited every fall when the congregate in the yard.  This year, they're hear in groves.  There are thousands of them, everywhere you look.

This one was an oops shot.    The sun was coming down, and the flash didn't go off, so all I got was a silhouette.  Even so, can you count the lady bugs?  I don't know if I can find them all, but I took that shot because there was at least 15 in that plant.

 

To cut, or not to cut

So, I'm 38.  It's starting to occur to me that I'm not a spring chicken and I'm making some changes to accommodate..   I sometimes rule out clothing  that I might otherwise like because it's maybe not so age appropriate.  That hasn't been a hardship, but now I'm wondering if my hairstyle might be a little young for me too.

My hair is getting pretty long.  It's just about down to the bottom of my shoulder blades.  It's very thick and pretty wavy, so it's got a bit of a life of it's own.  I stopped wearing it down about 6" ago, when I started to feel  like Medusa whenever my hair was loose.

I read something a while ago about braids and messy buns being in style, and so I embraced them.  Lately, my hair is either in a long braid down my back or in a bun (with a few loose tendrils at the front that don't like to be contained) .  If it's a weekend or I'm doing something casual, it's a pretty messy, loose bun or a simple braid down the back.  If I'm somewhere more formal, it's a less messy, less loose bun or a french braid down the back.  Or, sometimes I twist it up the back and let 6-8 inches hang loose over the top.

I've thought of cutting it, but other than the effort that goes into washing it all, or the length of time that it takes to dry, this is the easiest hairstyle I've ever had.  It doesn't get easier than this, other than super-short hair (which doesn't suit my face).  But, I don't want to be one of those women who looks like she's still trying to pass as a high school student.

So, what do you think.  Should I cut it off, or let it grow?

I can't afford

This painting.

And somehow, I can't stand letting it go.  I have never in my life spent this much money on art.  And yet, this is a once in a life time purchase that I can't go back and buy later if I don't do it now.

I'm scheming.   Although there is a refund on the way for the computer equipment that I bought, the insurance claim in general has not be processed.  I'm expecting a substantial cheque... eventually.  Here's the thing, though - I get replacement value on the items that were lost.  The insurance lady told me that I would get a cash settlement for the smaller items, but would have to go out and buy the larger items and produce receipts to get any money back for them.  I don't know what they consider smaller items or larger items.  Come to think of it, I don't trust the insurance company, period.  (They're in business to make money, after all, not give it away.  No doubt that they'll be looking for any means possible to reduce my claim.)

If you're having to scheme to come up with money that you haven't yet received (aren't sure that you'll get), then you probably shouldn't spend it, eh?

But, most of the items that were in the basement were down there because I don't use them.  If I used some of the cash settlement to buy an original painting of my dog, would that be a bad thing?

I just sent an email to the artist, asking her to please wait a day or two for me to fight with my conscience before she sells the painting.  I can't imagine finally deciding that I'll buy it, only to find that it's already sold.