Pre-holiday notes

[aadler]

This year, unexpectedly, I got notice that my workplace would be totally closed down on Thanksgiving Day. I happily informed Susan, because the segment of her family with whom we usually have Thanksgiving dinner had already arranged one for this year, and I had already known I wouldn’t be able to make it, and now I could —

— Nope. Because of their work schedule, they’d set it up for the Friday after Thanksgiving, so I’m still out. So Susan arranged dinner reservations in another venue just for the two of us.

****

I have noted a welcome absence of political posts among the people in my friends’ list on LJ while the current mess works its way through to whatever conclusion it will reach. For this, I would like to express my appreciation of those who have thus abstained. The present situation is unwelcome enough — and stressful enough — that I have no desire to argue politics, and now I don’t have to clench my teeth and ignore anyone else’s opinions. Usually I’m not averse to making my feelings on such matters known, but right now I’m much happier not having to deal with it at all. So, again, thanks.

***
 
After issues with our contractor that I mentioned in previous posts, we’ve got past the major roadblocks and are now in the final stretch. There will still be some issues that have to be addressed … but those are minor, and easily addressed (or ignored for a while, if necessary), and this current project — reflooring the remaining part of our house — will be the last of the major projects.

(Which is good, because — as she’s on a teaching schedule — Susan will at the end of the month receive her last paycheck till the end of January. We’re okay to get through two months of mortgage-payments-on-40%-income, as even in semi-retirement she earns more than I do, but we won’t have a lot to spare in the meantime, and I’ve learned that some emergency or other is always waiting to pop up at an inopportune moment.)

She wanted to have our house on the market two months ago. Now, maybe it can go up in the middle of December, which is far from what would have been the best time. On the other hand, that will give us plenty of time to prepare for Spring showings … and, probably, for her to decide that we can go ahead and get a new shower put in after all.

***
 
Even with what may be the proper paperwork, I still haven’t got around to trying to get my military pension set up. I’ve been working my way around to it for the past seven years, there just didn’t seem to be any urgency. I should probably get on that.

***
 
With the current covidiocy (I’ve seen it referred to as Covid-1984) my preferred hair-cutting place has been unavailable for months now. With that kind of head start — blunted by the fact that I got impatient a few months back and buzzed my entire scalp with home clippers — I’m considering letting it grow out till I can put it in a ponytail. Not because I think it would be stylish, I’ve always thought ponytails on men look stupid (and ponytails with gray hair strike me as frankly pathetic), but just because it’s something I’ve never done before.

Oh, yeah, I’m a rebel.

***
 
Seems like last week it was summer. At this rate, next week will be 2021. Such is my life.