CB in the City

My examination was free -- covered by my insurance -- and my eyes are well and healthy. I did spend $2.40 for a pair of prescription reading glasses. The drugstore variety are not performing as well and with the insurance coverage, it's cheaper to get prescription lenses.

I still don't need glasses for distance vision. It is a little less clear than it was last time, but only a little.

Dentist on Saturday. I wish that appointment would be this cheap!

As planned, I went to Panera this morning to get the Tuesday special on a baker's dozen of bagels. After I got home, and I was figuring things up, I realized that I didn't get the special -- I was charged full price. I went back and got it straightened out. Long story short, I ended up paying $4 out of pocket, but I had $5 reimbursed to my gift card, so came out basically free.

After my first trip to Panera, I was planning to go to the bank, but it was too early. So I went to the Goodwill, which is nearby. I was expecting just to browse and perchance find one or two little things. Well, I ended up spending $60! I found a brand-new pair of Van's tennis shoes, 7 new Land's End t-shirts, a full set of Tupperware measuring cups, two trays, two picture frames, and a new coconut-mango scented candle. I really don't need the candle, since I have quite a few, but I couldn't resist the scent.

You might think I don't need 7 t-shirts, but they are pajama tops for me, and the ones I'm using now are getting seriously old and ratty. I will be throwing out a bunch. These shirts are good enough for regular wear, too, so they'll probably do double-duty. I figure each would cost $20 or so at a store or online. I got all 7 for under $30. Beautiful colors, too!

Before I came home I stopped at Aldi and got cream cheese for the bagels and some crackers -- $8. And I did make it to the bank where I was allowed to "buy" one roll of quarters. Sigh.

I called and made appointments for the eye doctor -- Wednesday -- and the dentist -- Saturday.

Hope that those two appointments do not lead to a host of new expenses.

I did a load of laundry today and put fresh linens on the bed.

Nothing much else going on. Tomorrow is a street-sweeping day, so at 9 AM I'll move the car by driving to Panera. On Tuesdays I can get a baker's dozen of bagels for $6.99 -- and I think I have about that much left on my gift card. It's also time to go to the bank again and get some quarters for laundry. Maybe by the time I complete those two errands, the sweeping will be done.

Just got back from GS1's baseball game. I thought it was the last, but actually, there are going to be playoffs. Since his team hasn't won a game, they probably won't last long in the playoffs.

I spent $4 on coffee for myself and my son. When I came home, I started laundry -- $1.50.

This evening I am going to make cornbread chili -- that is just cooked-down chili baked with a layer of cornbread on top. When I mentioned this to my son he pricked up his ears. It was always one of his favorites. So I am going to send at least half of it over to his house, via grandson express.

I researched toilets yesterday, and the one that interests me most is $600, and that doesn't count the bidet seat or attachment, or the installation (because I'm not going to do it myself). So now I'm hoping that the sluggish flushing is an easy fix, and I'll stick with this old monster which is homely but solid as a rock. Then I looked to see if I could glaze it to make it prettier. You can, but it would not be nearly as durable as the original glaze. Sounds like that might be asking for trouble.

After I complete my dentist and eye appointment, I'll worry about the toilet.

Okay, she says, hanging her head and shuffling her feet. I will make appointments for the dentist and eye doctor. Not till Monday, though.

And after that I guess it is most appropriate to call a plumber and look into replacing the toilet.

The Oregon trip is not just a money problem. It is a travel-during-the-pandemic problem and what-to-do-with-sick-cat problem. My sons understands. We have talked and talked about it. If an emergency arose, I would use a credit card and go.

In answer to whether the table really needs to be refinished -- yes! One end piece has actually fallen off. The finish on another section is pretty much gone. It needs real help, but I really want to keep this table and bring it back to its former glory.

Thanks to all for your input; I found it valuable!

Yesterday I took the leaves out of the table, dropped the sides, and covered it with a cloth. So its problems are hidden for the time being. Only two chairs fit under it now, so the rest are at parade rest around the perimeter of the room. It's okay for now.

This morning I cleaned the aquarium. The filter was pretty bad, so I guess I've been neglecting this duty.

I was sitting in the living room yesterday when I noticed that the wall sconces, which are open at the top, were full of grit! I took them apart carefully to clean them, and they all held chunks of plaster as well. I also noticed there was grit under the radiator. Just when I think I got it all, there's more!

I need to start thinking seriously about my spending priorities. There is so much I want and need to do, and not much income to work with.

What I really WANT to do right now is send out my table for refinishing. But I have to admit it is not a need, especially since no one is coming for dinner any time soon.

Contingent with this would be sending out the dining room rug for cleaning, while the table is out of the condo.

Another thing I desperately want to do is go to Oregon and see my son. But the pandemic holds me back, and also my cat's failing health. I hate to leave him for a week or two when he may be in his final stages.

My ancient flush-valve toilet is starting to flush very sluggishly. I would like to replace it, if I can, with a tank toilet with a bidet. But my bathroom is tiny, so I don't even know if that is possible. I need to call a repairman, and I shouldn't wait until it stops working, but I am not excited about spending the money on this one.

Several rooms are needing fresh paint, especially the bathroom, where I have some peeling issues from humidity. Now that I have figured out how to eliminate the humidity, I should really get the painting done. And if I contract for that, I should get the kitchen, living room, and dining room done, too.

My kitchen tiles are cracking and there is an ugly chip in one. I don't know how old they are, but they really need to be replaced. It seems like an awful job, and I just went through an awful job.

Meanwhile, my smartphone is working but it's glitchy. The camera especially is unreliable. I know the day is coming when it should be replaced, but is the day now?

I also don't know how much longer my printer is going to keep working. I want to replace it with a laser printer, which is not cheap. But as long as it's working, replacing it is not a priority.

Add to all this, it is past time to get a dental checkup and an eye checkup.

I don't know what to do.

I have no extra money this month, so it's a moot point. But I have to start thinking about how to set aside money for all these goals, and what to do first. Sigh.

Otherwise, not much going on! Just my brain on overdrive.

The weather has turned cool. Or, I should say, cooler, because it was pleasantly cool already. I hope it doesn't get TOO cool, because I'm sure the boiler is not turned on yet. I might be sleeping under blankets tonight.

So, it's a good day to make chili! I'm going to make a big batch, because I have ingredients to use up. But chili freezes well.

My oven cleaned up beautifully yesterday. There was just a small residue I had to wipe off. I've never had a self-cleaning oven before, and it just never registered that I have one now. The self-cleaning mechanism certainly did a better job than I ever did with my baking soda and scrubber! It's not something I would ever do on a hot day, though, because it got REALLY hot!

I spent $64 at Aldi yesterday -- more than I was expecting to. I hope, though, that this grocery trip will hold me through the rest of the month. Variables are at 52%.

Today is pay day. I paid an extra $300 on my mortgage, something I hope I can do every month now.

I am cleaning my oven right now. After living here how many years? I finally noticed that it is a self-cleaning oven. I pressed the button, and we'll see how it does. I don't know what to say except that I always focus on certain buttons on the display and simply didn't notice the auto clean button until I was looking for it.

Later today I'll give the kitchen floor a good scrub.

Not planning to go anywhere today. Glad I have lots of reading material.

I got a call from my cousin in California yesterday. He is in urban LA, not close to any fires, but feeling the effects of the air quality. It was good to catch up with him -- we have not talked for several years!

No money news. I'm heading out to Aldi today to get some essentials. I hope not to spend too much.

The towels I ordered arrived yesterday, and they are very nice! One of my more successful online purchases. I think I have finally learned to read all the specs and reviews first.

Even here in the Midwest, far away from the fires, we are starting to see some haze. They showed some pictures this morning of a red ring around the rising sun. Weird!

Today I won't need to be going anywhere. I'm staying inside and reading and puttering around. I made Martha Stewart's cheesy spaghetti for lunch. Yum! I ran a load of laundry. I'm looking forward to pay day on Wednesday -- not because I need the money, but because I enjoy moving numbers around on my spreadsheets!

Speaking of spreadsheets, my net worth has been inching up, despite how bad this year has been. It is now higher than it's been since June 2018, when I bought the Honda Civic (which I later lost in a crash -- the beginning of my bad luck streak).

I had a good conversation with Oregon son. He is working at home, not because of COVID but because of bad air quality. He works mostly outdoors. He is very hopeful that the air will start to clear soon. He is not in a fire danger zone, but there are so many fires all around that the air quality is horrible.

My grandson's team had a double header that started at 8 am this morning. Unfortunately, they lost both games. They just can't seem to get it together, and I could tell today that they had lost confidence and weren't really trying. But since the whole point is for GS to get exercise and fresh air, and to enjoy a structured activity with friends, I guess it really doesn't matter.

While I was there I spent $6 on food.

Yesterday I got my hair trimmed -- the first time I've been in a hair salon since the first lockdown! My regular stylist was there, but she will not be around long. She is moving back to her home on the West Coast. Since I'm letting my hair grow, I probably won't need another trim again before she is gone.

Prices went up. The haircut was $19, and I added a $4 tip.

Afterwards, I walked over to Walgreens and got my flu shot, which was free. But I did pick up a few groceries for $21.

Variables are now at 44%.

I keep running out of kitchen towels, so this morning I decided to order some. I ordered six towels on Amazon for $20. I could have paid less per towel, but it was important to me to get good, thick ones. I hate thin towels.

Variables are at 38%.

Yesterday I went INTO the library stacks for the first time since the pandemic, and I checked out five books. While checking out, I told the clerk about my problem putting books on hold. She tested it with my card, and it worked fine for her. When I came home, it worked fine for me. So something changed. I'm glad. It's more comfortable picking up holds than it is going into the stacks. I have a long list of books I want to read, so I really don't need to browse.

It is still rainy and chilly. It is supposed to be better tomorrow. I hope so. There are two baseball games!

I have a nephew who lives on the Oregon coast, very close to the Almeda fire. Now another fire is threatening his neighborhood. This morning he and his family evacuated. They are driving to Florida to stay indefinitely with his mom and dad. It's so sad. They bought their home a few years ago, and he was always posting pictures of his work in the garden and the kitchen. Now they are leaving home, hoping that it will not be destroyed. I am so sad for all those out west who are losing everything.

My son, who also lives in Oregon, is in the northeastern part of the state, and safe so far. But it's so dry, a single spark can change everything.

Spending yesterday -- $40 for a birthday gift, $7 for a book. Both ordered on Amazon. Variables are at 36%.

Unfortunately, the gift I ordered for my grandson will not arrive today, on his birthday. Even though I chose one-day delivery, it is not scheduled to arrive until the 16th. Don't know why. The book I ordered for myself will arrive tomorrow.

I did not make it to the library yesterday, because it started to rain as I was heading out, and I decided to wait. I'll do that today.

Of the tasks I gave myself yesterday, the only one I didn't get done was sewing a button on a jacket. I'll make that my priority today. In the kitchen, I'm going to clean the booth area and the pantry.

I got a letter yesterday from my healthcare provider. Their client files were compromised by the Blackbaud breach, but no financial info or SSN were disclosed. Since I have not donated to their foundation, I doubt whether I was even in the Blackbaud file, but I will be alert.

This morning I am thinking over what I have to do today. This has always been part of my routine -- usually I write notes to myself so I remember what to do. These days I have less to do, but I still write notes to myself.

Today it's this:

Wash hair
Wash darks
Breakfast: French toast & bacon
Lunch: Tacos
Dinner: Salad plate
Clean fridge (No, I didn't do it yesterday!)
Order GS3's birthday present
Order book
Sew button on jacket
Put books on hold (or go to library)

The library's online hold system was still not fully functional yesterday. You can put holds on ebooks, but not real books. I am getting low on reading material, so if it's still not working today, I'll go inside the library and find my own books. The library has recently opened for browsing, but with shortened hours.

The book I'm going to order -- The Four Agreements, by Don Miguel Ruiz. When I had lunch with BFF, we talked about this book, which I have read before, but I do not own. I decided it's a book I want to have in my permanent library. It's a very practical self-help book; one of the best I've read, and one I want to keep referring to.

I had a bit of a scare yesterday. My printer, which is pretty old, wouldn't turn on. I had already decided that when I got a new one, I would get a laser printer rather than an inkjet. I looked at possibilities, and even the cheapest ones were expensive. And if I want to have an all-in-one printer, with color and scanning capability, it's even more. So I put it out of my mind.

A few hours later, I decided to check all the connections. I had checked that it was plugged in, of course, but I hadn't turned it around to make sure the connection in back was secure. It seemed to be, but I gave it an extra push and VOILA! The thing works! That's a relief -- though I know the day is coming when I will have to bite the bullet.

It has turned cool and rainy, and I'm enjoying it. I'd much rather have cool weather than hot.

Yesterday I stayed in all day, except for doing a load of laundry. I'll do another today, I think. I'm not sure yet if I have a full load.

I made some taco seasoning mix this morning, and used half of it on ground beef for taco salad. A taco salad will use up lettuce, tomato, green pepper and a tortilla (sauteed and crumbled for topping). Also cheese. I have shredded cheddar that really ought to go in the freezer after I use it on the salad today.

The other day I made chicken tortilla soup, and today I will freeze what's left. It was pretty good, though a little too spicy. I added some water, which should cool it down a little for next time.

I worked a bit on cleaning the kitchen yesterday, and I'll continue today. My goal is to thoroughly clean the fridge, inside and out, and if I feel energetic, I'll continue to the counter which houses the toaster oven, two containers of utensils, the breadboard, and cookbooks. Now that I do these things more regularly, it isn't so tedious, and everything is so much cleaner. Yesterday I cleaned the window shelves and all the decorative glassware that sits on them.

No financial news, really. My Medicare Advantage premium hit the bank. Tomorrow afternoon I'll pick out something from my grandson's wish list on Amazon. Variables are at 30%.

Here is some advice for handling yellow jackets when you're on a picnic. Bring an apple! As soon as you bite into it, they'll come in for their share. Put the apple in a paper bag and set it some distance away. Voila! You then have a bag full of yellow jackets gorging themselves, too busy to bother you!

Other than the yellow jacket problem, it was a nice day. It was even a little cool; I had to put on a light sweater.

We discussed Thanksgiving plans a little. My ex offered his home, promising that we could manage social distancing and do it safely. I'm on the fence. I would like to go to my brother's -- it's been so long -- but I don't feel like his household and extended family (kids and grandkids) are very serious about safety. In fact, it sounds to me like they're acting like nothing is happening. I don't want to get sick after all this time of careful living. Another thing to keep in mind is that the scientists think it will be worse this fall, fighting the regular flu along with the coronavirus.

I might just make myself a turkey sandwich and call it a day!

Summer has been nice, affording the possibility of socializing in outdoor spaces, but fall is going to be a different story.

It stormed last night and it's still raining today. I made a pot of coffee this morning and found a little while later than nothing at all happened. I moved the coffeemaker to another outlet, and it worked. So when I go to the basement I'll check to see if a fuse blew. If not, I'll have to get someone to check out that particular outlet.

The weather has cleared, and we're having our picnic today. As always, a BYOE picnic. I'm bringing chicken sliders, an apple and cookies.

The other day I bought some duct tape and hair clips at Walgreens - $16 -- which I forgot to report. This was before I declared a spending moratorium. Variables are now at 29%. Pretty high for this early in the month, but the service call for the dishwasher is mostly to blame for that.

I spent a quiet day, mostly reading, yesterday. Today, after I get home from the picnic, I'll do a load of laundry. Time for fresh sheets!

It's a cool, rainy morning. Quite a change from the weather we've had most of the summer. We were tentatively planning to have a picnic today in the park, but I think it will take place tomorrow, weather permitting.

I'm in another one of those periods where I need to seriously curtail spending -- at least until the 11th when my Discover card enters a new cycle. It should be no problem. I have plenty of food and everything I need on hand. I WILL have to charge a gift for my Oregon grandson on the 10th -- his birthday is the 11th. With any luck it won't post until the new cycle. With more luck the package will be delivered on his birthday. Since his dad is an Amazon employee, they'll make sure to do next-day delivery, right? Right.

This drought is not due to a real money problem -- I can always choose to transfer a bit from savings, or pay less principal on my mortgage. But I don't want to.

I have just finished a book that I read so fast it never made it to my "currently reading" reference on my sidebar. It is "Station Eleven," by Emily St. John Mandel. It's a pandemic story (written years ago), but much more than that. I couldn't put it down.

Today I'm starting a book from the tiny library, and I have a couple more in reserve. Good thing, because the regular library is not accepting holds until after the 8th -- they are doing some heavy maintenance on their website due to incorporating a couple of new catalogs from neighboring libraries.

Meals today will be simple. A BLT for lunch, and chicken fajitas for dinner. All ready to assemble. I already had a veggie-cheese omelet for breakfast. No laundry to do today. It will be a restful day, listening to the raindrops!

My rug was delivered this morning. With it, I got a hard sell for a new pad. Actually, what the guy was saying made sense. I do not have the right kind of pad for an area rug; it is carpet padding, and it's too thick and it makes the rug a hazard to trip over. It also doesn't grip the wood floor the way an area rug pad would. Nevertheless, I don't have the money for it now. I told him I would get a new pad when I send the other rugs in for cleaning. And that won't be for a while, because I won't send the rug in until I have the dining room table picked up for refinishing. And I don't have the money for that yet.

This is going to be the year of home maintenance and renovation, I can see it now.

The rug looks great; perfect. I have sworn to myself that I will not ever again eat in the living room. The only exceptions will be coffee in the morning, and popcorn when I'm watching a movie. I can't do either of those at the kitchen table.

I'm frying up some peppers and onions for chicken fajitas. I still have two peppers and four tomatoes to use up, as well as most of a head of lettuce. Fresh produce on hand always makes me nervous! I feel such urgency to use it before it spoils.

BFF, it turns out, has found a local friend to stay with her a couple of days following surgery. That is a relief. I don't mind making the trip, and I would love to spend the time with her, but now I won't have to get a COVID test -- and I won't have to leave Iggy, which is always difficult now that he is aging and has unpredictable episodes of -- shall we say -- intestinal discomfort? We do plan to meet for lunch again on October 2.

Well, the dishwasher wasn't broken at all. There is a switch in the cabinet under the sink that has to be in the "on" position. I had somehow turned it off, probably moving things around in the cabinet. It never even occurred to me it was related to the dishwasher. I don't think it even registered on my brain that it was there.

So, even though it was $109 just to flip a switch, it is still good news. The repairman told me if it had been an electrical problem, I probably would have had to replace the dishwasher because the cost would have been so prohibitive.

I have been so good about keeping up on handwashing, I won't have to run it for a while!

I met BFF in a town where I used to live -- it just happens to be at the midpoint between where the two of us now live. I haven't been there for more than thirty years, except for a few drive-by's to see the old house. I found it to be much changed -- not surprising -- but saw some old landmarks, too. My old house looks better than it ever has before!

We met at a shopping center parking lot and rode together to the town square, where we found an adorable restaurant with patio seating. I spent $22, but it was money well spent. The food and the service were both great. We lunched for about an hour, and then we walked around the square. It was so good to see her and catch up!

Before I left town, I spent $12 on gas (it's always cheaper in Indiana, so I always fill up!) And I bought a soft drink for the road - $2.

Variables are now at 13%.

I will probably go all the way to her house next week. She is getting knee surgery and needs someone to stay the night with her, and the following day. I am trying to see if I can get a COVID test beforehand, so that we won't have to bother with masks and distancing for that time. She will be getting a COVID test as part of her prep for surgery.

Today has been a quiet day. I did a load of laundry, fried some bacon for BLT's, and cooked some chicken for fajitas.

Another book came in, so I will be making another trip to the library tomorrow. Since the dishwasher repairman is coming tomorrow -- but I don't know when -- I made the pickup time for 6 in the evening.

Really looking forward to having a working dishwasher again. I won't even let myself think that it might have to be replaced! Nope. Not going there.

I went to Aldi yesterday and stocked up. I spent $72, $10 of which was household supplies (paper towels & toilet paper) rather than groceries.

I made chicken noodle soup yesterday. My soup has a lot of veggies -- celery, onion & carrots. I haven't been cooking a lot, because of the broken dishwasher, but this was easy and didn't generate a lot of dirty dishes.

Another book I had on hold became available, so I went to the library and picked it up.

Today I'm traveling to Indiana to meet BFF. We are just on the edge of a travel advisory against Indiana. I may have to self-quarantine after I come home.

Home Repair/Maintenance - $1765
Housing - $774
Utilities - $198
Furnishings/Equipment/Decor - $171
Clothing - $75
Eating Out/Takeout - $66
Vet/Pet Supplies - $55
Phone - $51
Fees/Services - $43
Groceries - $33
Gifts/Charity - $27
Medical/Health - $26
Gas - $22
Laundry - $17
Personal - $13
Entertainment - $9
Car Repair/Maintenance - $5

Grand Total - $3350

Well, it was what it was. Home repair skyrocketed. Eating out was higher than it's been any time since the pandemic began. It was my birthday month, so I bought myself a new lamp, a pair of booties, and some new bras.

I hope September will be better. The good news -- I paid off my car, and I still have a $1000+ balance in savings. And also, there is that amazing $33 on groceries!

I won't get a technician to look at my dishwasher until Friday. Then it will be a $109 service fee, whatever is wrong.

I washed a sink full of dishes by hand this morning.

Later today, I'll pick up a new book on hold at the library. Tomorrow, I'm driving to Indiana to meet BFF in the middle for lunch.

Since it's the last day of the month, I would ordinarily do a monthly recap, but I might be spending today. I hope that I can get someone to come and look at my dishwasher -- and repair it!

The baseball double-header yesterday was lots of fun. The weather was just perfect. Our team lost both games, but GS1 was in good spirits anyway.

I did end up buying lunch -- $9. Variables are at 64%.

Sitting for so long in one place seemed to be hard on my body. I was very stiff and sore when I went to bed, and it was hard to get to sleep. And it was hard to stay asleep, too.

Looking forward to a new month! And to getting to see my BFF on Wednesday!

Yesterday was a no-spend day. I did a lot of reading, tooling around the house, and watched a few things on Netflix.

So far I have spent only $33 on groceries this month. I credit that to having a freezer full of leftovers, plus doing more eating out than I have done in long time. All of the eating out has been drive-through, with the exception of one lunch which I had at an outdoor table. The reasons for eating out -- relentless heat, going to out-of-town baseball games, and renovation at home. Today is another day that I will go to a double-header up in Wheeling. I plan to eat a late, big breakfast to try to avoid another restaurant bill.

Anyway, back to groceries -- there are, of course, many things on my list to buy, as I am running low on provisions, but I am planning to avoid the store until the month turns. Because a $33 grocery total is amazing!

I started my dishwasher in the usual fashion this morning, but it sat there and did nothing. The control panel seems to be dead. I did all the troubleshooting things, checked the breakers, etc., but the machine is just not working. Of course, it's a Saturday!

I washed a sink full of dishes by hand, and I'll handwash until a repairman comes on Monday or Tuesday. I won't call till Monday.

I bought this dishwasher in 2015, and it was second-highest rated, after a very expensive Bosch, so I'm really disappointed.

Meanwhile, I'm spending another day inside, but I will do no cooking; will not do anything that generates a lot of dirty dishes. I'll probably use paper plates. I have tuna salad and spaghetti in the fridge, so I'm set, for today, at least.

It's cooler today. The windows are open, and I feel a breeze. Overall, life is good!

I'm planning a day inside. It's going to be hot, but we're going to get a break tomorrow. I will crank up the air and get things done around the house.

I'll be doing a load of laundry. I am NOT going to go out for lunch. I'm having a bagel and stewed apples for breakfast, and will have spaghetti for lunch, with green beans on the side. Not sure about dinner; I am so often not hungry at dinnertime.

I'm going to work on cleaning up in the kitchen. The dust drifted even there, the furthest point from the living room.

Yesterday I got my new ride-free card (for bus and train). It has been renewed for two years and I didn't even have to reapply, since the office that issues it is closed.

I went to the library and picked up a couple of books I had on hold. So far it is working out pretty well; the books become available about the time that I need them.

I learned that my cousin in NC, the one I used to live with, caught COVID-19 while in rehab after a fall. I am feeling so bad for her, and hoping hard that she doesn't get worse. At least she is already in a place that will provide care.

It's another peak savings day, so I've turned off all the electricity, and will keep it off for the next four hours. After my hair dries, I'm going to go get some lunch. This is getting to be a bad habit, but I really don't want to heat up the kitchen.

Last night my son came over and hooked up the TV, etc., and helped me bring some furniture back into the living room. The couch and the ottomans are going to stay in the dining room, however, because.....

I ended up sending the rugs out for cleaning. It will be more expensive, and it will take more time, but I think it is the best thing to do. This way they will be cleaned clear through, and since I suffer from allergies, I think this will be a good thing. Scrubbing them with a carpet cleaner only gets the very top layer. And they really need cleaning.

It will be anywhere from a week and half to three weeks before I get them back, depending on how busy they are. But with much of my furniture now set up around the perimeter, I will be pretty comfortable. The heavy couch won't be moved back until the rug comes back all clean.

I've been working this morning, putting little things back, hanging pictures, etc. I'm so glad I've been freed from the claustrophobic bedroom. I didn't know how much that would bother me.

Before the repair, I packed up all the dishes and porcelain whatnots in my hutch. While putting them back this morning, I kept out some to go to Goodwill, some to sell, and some to store in other places. It looks so much better now, with the best pieces showcased. Gave me a lift!

I was told that the job would take three days -- that was back when I had the original meeting with the company owner. In fact, it only took them two days! They did a wonderful job. The ceiling looks fantastic. They even painted the crown molding, which wasn't part of the deal. They did a wonderful job of cleaning up, too.

However -- it is clear that I will keep finding plaster dust in odd places for a long time. Oh man, it went everywhere!

I have arranged for Stanley Steemer to come and clean the area rug and one of the runners. I will wait on the other runner, as I will need a way to get around while it dries. They are coming this afternoon.

I washed the drapes -- turns out they are machine washable and dryable! Who knew? They look great and I've got them hanging up again.

Yesterday I spent $18 on lunch. I just had to get out of the house, between the dust and and noise. I went to a local restaurant with a patio and had a burger and sweet potato fries. It was lovely, except for the yellow jackets who wanted their share.

I also wrote a check for $1375, the balance due on the repair.

The rug cleaning will cost $120. Not cheap, but it's worth it to me to get it professionally done. The technician will lay it for me, too. I tried to do it myself, but it was impossible on my own.

Once it is clean and dry, I can start moving back the furniture, and start feeling like life is normal again.

Speaking of normal again, I made plans with BFF to meet in the middle and have a socially-distanced lunch on some restaurant patio. We keep in touch regularly, but it's been some time since I've seen her. I may not have seen her since Christmas!

I'm feeling pretty good....

The workers thoroughly stripped the plaster off the ceiling yesterday. Did I mention dust everywhere? Dust everywhere. And plaster dust is heavier and grittier than regular dust. But yesterday one of the men told me his wife would come and clean after they are done. It is part of the deal. Because, as he says, "It's a lot."

They are putting up the drywall today.

I called a local carpet cleaner yesterday to see if they could pick up my carpet. It turns out they didn't do that kind of service, and the ones who do specialize in orientals. And they are expensive. So I'm going to go back to my original plan and have someone come in and clean the carpet after the work is done. Which means more days spent in the bedroom, but what the hey.

I looked over the drapes yesterday. I was going to take them to the dry cleaner, but they look pretty rough. I'm going to machine wash them, and if they're ruined, I'll get new ones. But they might come out all right! I've heard of such things.

I spent $22 yesterday on gas, and $10 on lunch. While I was out, the guys blew a fuse. My fault, really. I forgot to tell them they can't run the air and power tools at the same time. So it's a good thing I'm hanging around. If I had gone away, they would have been stuck.

Iggy was terrified yesterday morning and stuck to me like Velcro. Then, by afternoon, he decided he wanted to help the guys out in any way he could, and I had to shut him up with me in the bedroom so he wouldn't be under their feet. Today he's sleeping peacefully through the noise -- the new normal.

Glad to be making progress....