Sunday, March 8, 2020

Spring has sprung

We had another successful dance showcase last night.  My class did very well, from what I could tell.

I don't think I made any mistakes, but there are so many turns in the choreography, and the stage at this venue is carpeted.  I did okay until the last turn, when my feet stuck.  It was a full 360 turn, and fast...and I didn't make it all the way around.... but I don't think anyone knew but me.

It was fun.  Dave came, so I was glad about that, but he needed to leave pretty early, so I missed most of the performances.

He didn't take any pictures, so hopefully, the pro got a good one or two.  Here's our class picture...


Hopefully, there will be a video this time.  There hasn't been for the past several shows.

Our plans to try to save most of our tax money are falling apart.  

The dryer started making a nasty screeching sound, so we ordered a new one.  It will be the counterpart to the washer we had to buy last year.

Our new water heater (and filters for the line leading to it) is ordered, and the handy man has been here to give us a quote for installing that, AND, while he is here, running a water line to the fridge -- so that we will finally have a working ice maker.  We bought the fridge two tax refunds ago.

Once that project is complete, we will have replaced almost all of our major appliances in the past 2 years.  Fridge two years ago (planned and budgeted for), washer and dish washer last year (not planned or budgeted for), now water heater and dryer (one planned, the other not)....Ouch.

We need a new bathroom sink faucet, too.  This one works, but the cheap finish is peeling off, and it looks like crap.  We've wanted to replace it for a while, but I basically just got tired of it looking so crummy, and we determined to just DO IT!  Dave can do that project himself, but we have to go to Lowe's and buy one.  

Other than the planned expense of the water heater project,  we planned for a new lap top for me.  My old one was seriously outdated, and was starting to act up.  It probably would have cost as much to fix it as it would to buy a replacement.

My new one is super nice, and it was quite reasonable.  We got it at Costco.

We have also gone to the expense of getting some supplies laid in, like frozen foods, cat food, and other essentials, just in case we have to do a Corona virus quarantine for a couple of weeks.  This was also unplanned, but the tax money took care of it.

I'm trying not to think about that situation too much, but Dave is being pro-active.

My employer has also started talking about possible quarantines, and has gathered up every employee's emergency contact info, and who our internet servers are at home to investigate possible work from home options.

Dave already has the capability to work from home, and has told his boss that he may have to do it if anything happens, in order to protect me from potential exposure.

We probably won't travel to Chicagoland this year.  With the virus scare, it's probably going to prove to be safer for me to stay put.  We had hoped to go to a Cubs game and the Art Institute.  OH well.

We do have our cabin trip at Thanksgiving to look forward to.  Between now and then, we will probably take a staycation, or maybe go check out a different state park with cabins during a different time of year.  We will take disinfectant wipes with us, of course.

The weather has made a marked change.  The trees are flowering, the daffodils and vinca are blooming, and there hasn't been an overnight drop below freezing for a week.  The next week's forecast is 70s and 50s for highs and lows.

Unfortunately, the wind has been crazy, which I absolutely hate.  I REALLY wanted to get in the hot tub when we got home last night, but it was not going go happen with 40 mph gusts.

Hopefully, we will get to doing some spring garden projects soon.  I want to put more soil in the flower bed and herb garden, and try the herb garden again this year.

Last year, I put in a great herb garden, and then it rained and rained and rained...everything died except the sage, and much of the soil washed away, due to the plot turning out to be in a low spot where the torrential rain pooled.  

I have one of those stackable pots, too, and I want to try that again with different plants in each level.

Today, I really need a day off, so probably the only thing we will do is go look at faucets. If Dave goes to see Pop, I will stay home again.

The time change messes with me, and I had trouble sleeping on top of that, and then there were cat shenanigans in the early hours like usual.  Ugh.

I have had busy weekends for a month solid, and am looking forward to next weekend being easier...unless, of course, our OTHER planned expense of shopping for a new bed happens.

Our mattress is 9 years old (they say you should replace a standard mattress every 7-8 years, and this one is a standard coil mattress), we are wondering if my hip and shoulder pain might be worse because of the bed, and Dave wants to investigate the option of a bed frame with drawers, so we can move the bed linens to those drawers, and out of the drawer in the hall closet. 

Dave wants to go down to Dallas to look at one at Ikea.  That's the closest store to OKC.  

Oklahoma doesn't have any, but Texas has FIVE, two right in the Dallas area. Crazy.

What appeals to us about the Ikea mattress is a great warranty....and it's under $700.  We shopped locally, and the type of mattress we are interested (hybrid) in is over $2K, unless it's on sale.  Holy shit!!

We may shop around here before making the trip to Dallas, and maybe change our ideal mattress type in order to get something more affordable.  We'll see.  

Last, but not least, my treatment plan is going okay.  The hip and shoulder pains come and go, and I learned some cool new self-care techniques with that two weekend workshop I mentioned previously.

The fatigue is manageable, barely.  It would sure help if I could get better sleep.  

I am glad that walking weather is back, so I can get out and exercise and get fresh air.

I am off to the shower, as it is already 9:30, thanks to the stupid time change.  Have a good Sunday, even though there will be one hour less of it... 














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