7 Quick Takes (Vol 150)

Another week has flown by on swift winter wings. And it is time for your weekly dose of blather. So buckle up it is going to be a bumpy night (I might have been watching too many old movies). Remember, when you are done here then click on the picture above to be whisked, at the speed of the fast approaching weather system, over to Conversion Diary.

Now lets BLATHER!

1.
I might have mentioned that this past summer HHBL and I bought a new mattress. It had been 10 years since our last mattress purchase and it was definitely time for a new one. And we made a drastic change in the type of mattress.

Yes, it is “firm” underneath BUT it also has memory foam AND a pillow top.

Oh my stars and garters it is the most fabulous thing EVAH! I get in bed at night and my weary body sinks down into luxury and happiness and comfort. My shoulder issues have disappeared.

But there in lies the problem so to speak. The bed is fabulously comfortable. My body is fabulously comfortable, especially when it is warm and cozy under the flannel sheets. And therefore I am having a bit of trouble getting up in the mornings. My arising time has slowly crept towards 5:45a from the usual 5:15a. And today it was actually 6a. HORRORS!

Of course it is also very cold and snowy and dark outside this time of the year. And the heat doesn’t turn up until about 6a. And it is really dark outside and it is always harder to get up in the dark…and the cold. And I already knew that Lea and I weren’t walking this morning as the temp was going to be about 11F and that is NEVER fun.

I can find a boat load of excuses but really, I just like the mattress.

2.
Speaking of the cold and snow. Every year it takes more effort to keep my feet warm. The hand knit wool socks go a long way towards helping in that department but when it gets really cold I am finding that I need to wear two pair of socks, a wool pair and a lighter cotton pair, to keep the tootsies even a modicum of toasty.

And I am also still struggling to find a truly warm pair of slippers for house wear. I will admit that I purchased my last pair from Wally Mart and the minute the temp dipped below 50F I stopped wearing them because they are useless. I am currently subbing a pair of “Pseudo Crocs” with fleece linings that also came from Wally Mart. They are OK but still not warm enough. I will keep looking.

I may actually have to buy some heavier wool for some thicker socks. I am attempting to knit only from stash for the time being but this is more of a comfort issue.

And an excuse to knit socks.

3.
In keeping with my “NO politics after 8p” rule, I did not watch the Republican debate last night. I value my sleep much more than I value listening to them bash each other.

I have to say that as far as keeping my sanity and sleep patterns is concerned this is one of the best things that I have done for myself since I became more “politically conscious”.

I slept like a baby. And by the time that I arose all the pundits had parsed the debate for me. I like it when others do all the heavy lifting.

4.
The BHAG of scanning in old pictures continues daily. If I don’t scan a bit every day then this gargantuan thing will never get done. And besides, I need a good laugh at least once a day.

I cannot IMAGINE why Mary Beth Reeves and I are dressed up like psychotic bunnies. The really frightening thought is that we might have even wore these outfits to school. GADS! I am even wearing my Saddle shoes, which I absolutely wore until they fell apart. I loved those things.

I used to hang at MB’s house for lunch early in my high school career. She lived right across the street from the high school. The house is no longer there and MB moved away some time around Sophomore year. Does anyone know where she went? I sure would like to know. 

5.
This week we finally had the ejection pump in the basement fixed.

Don’t know what an “ejection pump” is? Well, if you have a full bathroom in the basement, a bathroom that is below the level of the septic tank, you need one. It ejects things UPWARDS and into the septic system.

Do I need to explain this any further? I am hoping not although I can if I must. Just know that the pump had slowly been dying over time. It hadn’t ever really been well after the whole “multiple paper towel flushing” incident many years ago. The one where the ejection pump became, shall we say temporarily inoperative, and yet people kept flushing the toilet. And that meant that the effluent (look it up) had to go somewhere and that somewhere was out onto the carpeting.

Ask TMO about my reaction upon finding the effluent on the carpet. Go ahead and ask her. I believe she still has nightmares about it.

But thanks to Nick our trusty plumber it is all done.

We won’t be able to eat for awhile do to the cost but at least we can use the bathroom in the basement.

6.
Have you been watching “Downton Abbey” on Masterpiece Classics. I have as we all know. Love Love Love it. Totally hooked. In fact I had better go and set the DVR to record Sunday night’s episode.

Do you know who Simon Schama is? He is a British historian, author and critic. Watching his 15 part series “The History of Britain” was good but time consuming. And he evidently doesn’t like Downton Abbey, calling it a steaming, silvered tureen of snobbery.

Of course it is Professor Schama. Why else do you think we watch it. We KNOW it has improbable storylines and is historically inaccurate. We don’t care. It is FICTION for the love of Peter, Paul and Mary. Get down off of your overly educated high horse and tell us something that we don’t know.

Like who actually killed the little princes in the tower.

Sorry, obscure historical reference. I will try not to let it happen again.

In other words, put on your big girl panties and get over it.

7.
The sun is shining this morning. The sky is a clear blue and no clouds are in sight. And that just makes me nervous. The calm before the storm.

And sure enough, we are supposed to get more snow tonight. The weather person is telling us that they are giving us a “heads up” that sever winter weather is on the way for tonight and into tomorrow.

Sigh. Our “snowless” state was nice while it lasted. Thank goodness I don’t have to go anywhere tomorrow.

Oh Spring come quickly. And just remember baseball Spring training starts in just a few short weeks. And Baseball Opening Day is April 4.

That isn’t TOO far away.