Attempted TACO

Our afternoon high yesterday was 72 (F).  Today, the prediction is that we climb all the way up to 78 (F).  This is nice so late in winter, and it is still winter for those of you who have forgotten.  We have another 10 days until we hit halfway point between Winter and Summer known as Spring.  Starting Thursday our temps will be falling back into the normal range.  One thing I did see yesterday on Social Media that was smart was advice telling people it is way to early to start doing yard work.  We got some cooler days ahead, and even though the daffodils are beginning to poking their heads up through last Autumn's leaves, let them be.  Put down that rake.

I didn't work yesterday because... well, I was supposed to go down to York and have lunch with my friend Betsy on Sunday, yet for some reason when I requested the day off, I keyed in March 9, rather than the 8th.  This is not the first time I've made this mistake.  I have a problem with trying to use the calendar in my head, which is never correct.  So, I ended up getting scheduled off yesterday.  In fact, I don't work until Saturday.  Lucky me.  Believe me, my time is easily filled for the rest of the week.  I wouldn't want to do this every week though, I might run out of things to do.

Today is garbage day.  Waste Management is our collector.  They gave us 2 large green garbage cans, one with a green lid for your garbage and one with a yellow lid for your recyclables.  I usually only put my cans out every 3 weeks since it's just myself and Howie.  My neighbors, the ones who argue all of the time, have stopped putting out their recyclable can, so I suppose they just throw everything together.  Taking out one can is far less work than taking out 2.

And for those who haven't been paying attention, we had an Attempted TACO yesterday.

Our Orange president, who has never been too smart, and who was also desperate to get people talking about something other than the Epstein files, let Bibi Netanyahu talk him into invading Iran.  So, with much flashy brashness, we began shooting missiles into Tehran.  Then the Orange Asshole killed the old hardline leader only to have him replaced with a younger, angrier hard liner... and the Straits of Hormuz were closed to shipping.  Oil prices went up and Wall Street reacted and Orangie did his best interpretation of Edvard Munch's The Scream.  And a TACO was attempted... but with the wrong ingredients.  You see, Orangie forgot that his frat boy Secretary of Defense had already been spewing nonsense about this being a religious war that was going to lead to the second coming of Jesus.  This morning Kegsbreath is spouting off about how the bombing is going to intensify and the Straits of Hormuz?  They're still closed.  It appears that the only way Orangie can make a complete TACO is by getting rid of Kegsbreath, but that would mean he'd made a mistake in putting the Christian Nationalist is charge of the military.  So, the big question is to TACO or not to TACO.

Bitter Brained

 Another late sleep-in day because I'm off.   Not that I'm planning on lazing away the day, there's too many chores to get done.  Thunderstorms are forecast, which might alter the outside chores, but that's okay.  I don't have to go to work, which is great.

Yesterday, sales were slow.  My supervisor gave me my monthly report as well as my bi-annual review, which pretty much ended up being a half an hour chat with him telling me several times to "keep doing what you're doing."  He did ask about my future plans.  I had no problem telling him I was planning on going part-time, I just didn't give him a date.  They don't need to know that quite yet.

Here in Central PA, movies will be open fully on June 11.  I am so glad.  For the longest time, they have only been open on weekends and an extra day or two over holidays.  You know?  The days I always work.  We usually never go on weekends because of the crowds.  I suspect  AMC is going to make a killing at the Box Office.  People were wondering if the pandemic was going to completely alter attendance.  Nah.  In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if it's up.  People are ready to get out.  Those who like movies are desperate to be sitting in front of a movie screen.  

And I've been riding the bike more.  Practically every day for 10 - 12 miles before going to work.  It is good.  

One of the funny things Liar #45 said during his speech to the North Carolina Republicans on Saturday referred to his previous speech at the West Point Graduation, the one where he walked feebly down the ramp.  On Saturday he said the ramp was 'like an ice skating rink,' and that he was worried it might be 'booby trapped.'  This shows how insipidly simply minded he really is, how badly the comments on social media really burned his ass.  He is bitter brained from here to Hell and back.  As if this is something we didn't already know.

Relaxation fail

Today is my scheduled 2nd scheduled day off for this week, and as usual, I have spend it doing anything but relaxing.   I say this because, and I know you'll understand, I'm going to go to work tomorrow and someone is going to ask if I had a good day off.  What is a good day off ?  I think it would probably be a day when you didn't have anything needing to be done.  Of course that rarely happens.  Today, for example, I dusted and vacuumed the living room and dining room, did three loads of laundry, took down the summer curtains and put of the winter curtains (their lined) and had a visit from the gas company.  Oh, and I took the dogs for a 45 minute walk up at the park.  And that was just this morning.  Except for the walk with the dogs, none of this was relaxing.

I think the guy from the gas company was here to make sure I wasn't stealing gas.  I came home last week and found a card hanging on my front door.  UGI needed to run a standard check on my natural gas equipment and so I needed to make an appointment.  Today is the day he came, for all of 5 minutes.  Why would they think I'm stealing gas?  Two years ago the furnace which was in the house when I purchased it, died horribly expensive death.  I replaced it with a high efficiency furnace.  The first year my gas bill dropped, of course I'd only had the furnace for a few of the winter months so it was difficult to judge how much I was actually saving.  Last year, the year of the Polar Vortex, I paid $759 to heat 1600 square feet, and that's heat, hot water, and cooking.  Before the new furnace, I used pay about $1500 per year.

Whether this was the reason the gas company needed to pay me a visit I have no way of knowing.  I do know that because my schedule is erratic I needed to schedule this visit on my day off, and by scheduling I mean between 12:00 PM and 4:00 PM.  I have actually scheduled some time off for myself towards the end of October.  By then everything should be winterized.  Of course, by then it will be too cold around here to float around on a lily pad, and walks with the girls my be a big more then chilly.