terrig

Starting last night, Biggie has been so needy and pestering me all day. No naps. Just could not settle down. It was beginning to look like another instance of eating weird shit. Because of his bladder issues, he's been using the litter box often so I've been getting up and checking it every time. My knees are killing me.

I know he and Julio do not like the new food. And like it less with each meal. Finally this afternoon, Biggie just got up there by his plate and sat. And sat. And sat. I put out some more/fresh food and he just looked at it. Then I added some of the old stuff - the prescription stuff he got last year and they both started gobbling. I even mixed some of the hated stuff in and still gobbling. After they had had their fill, Biggie went in and pooped. It was tiny but it was a poop.

And they both went into the bedroom closet and are fast asleep. I sent a note to the vet hospital asking if the Purina was ok instead of the Royal Camin or Hills, she suggested and they replied quick as a wink, that it was fine. So. Whew. I'd still like to see a very big poop, tho. Just to be very sure.

And in other news... The power company reports as of 10 minutes ago that there are 3 active outages with 4,376 customers impacted and this is the map. I added the ME where my apartment is. I'm happy to report we have juice. Also that I am NOT taking it for granted. I have leftovers from last night for dinner and I think I'll nuke them now rather than wait and chance their being no nuke later.

Several months ago, I decided to have Christian (the designer) help me figure out my closet. I could call the closet designer people but Christian can do that, too, and give them better guidance or not call them and do something else. He said he'd be glad to and I told him then that I was in no hurry. Then I heard nothing.

Then I studied the space and what I want to accomplish and figured out a scheme involving the storage area and my brother and some shelves that I bought from Amazon. To be completed in January when said brother comes to visit.

Then, Christian called last night. We had a good laugh about his guilt at waiting so long and that the only reason he got around to it now is that he has a new Timber Ridge client. So he's going to meet with them on January 2 and then swing by here for lunch and a closet consult.

I didn't mention that I had a plan cause I figure this is the perfect way to vet my ideas and if they suck, then we can talk Plan B. Plus lunch with Christian is always a hoot. So no harm and maybe extra good.

I swim to music. I had a player once that actually allowed me to download from Spotify. But, it was way too fiddly. Now I just use music from my own collection of MP3's. I've bought many of these and ripped the rest off of CD's over the years. Lots of years, as it turns out - some are from 2009. 5954 mp3's to be exact. Not bad for a non-music person, I think.

They were in folders in folders in folders in two massive folders on my Google Drive. Most were there twice some 3 and 4 times. They were organized by ... well, actually, they were not organized at all. It was an unholy mess. Some have the song titles as the file names, some don't. When I say mess, I mean it.

When AI first came to my web page, the first thing I ever asked it to do was organize my mp3 files. No Can Do, says AI. I asked again and again every few months and got the same answer. Then, about a year ago, the answer came back, no, but... AI pointed me to some Windows programs and Mac apps that would do the work for me. Thanks, but...

I persisted and today I was rewarded handsomely. Today I asked Gemini again, how the fuck can I get order out of this chaos and BTW the only operating systems at my disposal are android and ChromeOS. Well... this time, the first answer was a recommendation to look at a web tool called FileRev. It rapidly scans whatever drive you tell it to and reports duplicates, empty files, empty folders and all kinds of cool shit.

The free version lets you see how it works and does some stuff but I quickly bought a month of the top tier version and whoa mama! I deleted a million and a half duplicate files. I deleted 256 empty folders - how the hell did I get so many empty folders???

But then I drilled down on the mp3's. They were so nested into many layers of folders. With jpgs and pdfs of album covers and other junk. I got everything cleaned out and the extra files and empty folders gone but still then had 4,500 + mp3 files that needed to be collected out of their folders and into one big folder. I'm about 75% done.

Then I will copy them all onto an external drive just for safety. I keep about a couple dozen on my player and swap them out for different ones when the player comes in for recharging. Now I have a way bigger, easier to access, pile to pick from. Woot!!

Turns out neither cat is loving the new food. They are eating it but they are not eating it with the relish that they give the cheap stuff. I still have a couple of more choices to try but they have a lot of the meh stuff to get through first. I did get some new treats yesterday and they were a hit. Again, lots of crappy treats left but at least we have some motivational food for Biggie.

He's still peeing which is lovely. They would have to completely upend the definition of lethargic to use it for him. If anything, he's even more active these days than usual. I hope that rock is melting.

I did finally get the car vacuumed yesterday. It was a lot more work than I expected. But it's done. And looks nice for now.

For the first time in I do not know when, I have nothing on order at Amazon and nothing to return. If they are not too busy with Christmas to notice, they will probably send out a hunting party for me.

My four trips down to the center section and the other miscellaneous steps put me way over my average. I'm going to try it again today. It would be lovely to make it a habit. We'll see.

I've really got no plans for today so I think I'll go consider my options while I swim some laps.

I started a chat group for meal reviews. We get new menus every week with different meal choices for lunch and dinner. The new menus start on Mondays. So for dinner and lunch, they will have the same options for a week. (There is a buffet at dinner that is a different menu every night and a cafe that is a different menu every month, so we have lots of options.) Anyway, the idea is if you eat something for lunch or dinner that is particularly good or bad, share it - especially early on in the week. Right now there are only 4 of us but I'm hoping with time, the crowd will grow. Still even with 4, is better than 1.

Last night I had Shoyu Ramen Chasu (pork belly, soupy noodles and a very softly boiled egg). It was fabulous. I will have the rest of it for lunch and have it again for dinner at least once more this week. Martha reported that the grilled ribeye was really thin but tasty. I'll probably give that a go. Oh and all reported the side dishes this week all suck. So I'll get the ribeye to go and have my own sides ready to eat up here.

Biggie is giving in on the treats. This morning, he took one sniff, gave me the WTF side eye and ate them all pretty much right away. He's still peeing and this morning's contribution was a good amount. He has one more antibiotic pill and then it's just up to the Very Expensive food. Julio and Biggie are really going at it this morning. Running, chasing, squealing, hiding. Julio is usually the one who tries to get Biggie to play but today Biggie's leading the charge. They are a pair for sure.

I'm still struggling with how to get some walking, stretching, moving, stamina building, etc, into my life on a regular basis. So far, no scheme I've come up with is sustainable. And, of course, sustainability will be the only way to make it work. My legs are so week and I have no core strength. I can absolutely see the day when I just can no longer move. That alone, should give me what I need to keep up some kind of program but, alas, 76 years of sitting on my ass is a hard habit to break.

My scheme du jour is to walk from here to the lobby at least 4 times a day. I've done one - since the pool is on the other side of the lobby from here, getting there and back counts. It's a hard thing to force myself to do if I don't have a reason to go. But, it's worth a try anyway. I have a package to pick up (that's 2) and dinner to pick up (that's 3) so I'll really only have to invent one other trip.

Plus, shockingly, the car has not yet been vacuumed.

It's house cleaning day. My favorite day of the week.

According to the vet, Biggie should be writhing in pain, not eating, not peeing. Biggie, shockingly, is not following the script. I think he's basically miffed about the lack of Temptations. But, he's also not wild about the new food. He'll eat it but he's kind of like 'where's the good stuff, woman??!!' And he's not writing, just crawling all over me so I'll get up and get him some treats.

I broke my rule and volunteered to go to Safeway and get Joan some bananas. It is the very last time. I am not doing that any more. But my mouth did not get the memo so I went and got the bananas because I told her I would. The last time.

I figured out the wifi repeater issue and my signal is really strong and I think I know how to keep it that way.

Oh and Fitbit told me I'd been over doing it and should consider a rest day - hahahaha Oh Fitbit, your algorithm is not made for old fat people but it's sweet that you try.

Now for an evening of TV and knitting.

I just got a link about our floods that actually does mention Issaquah from my friend Scott in New Zealand. He was quite amazed as am I.

I did pop into the vet and, turns out, they do carry the smaller bags of kibble and they had plenty and they had treats which are not Temptations but Biggie won't turn 'em down. Chewy is really dragging its feet over this order which is very non-Chewy like. But, I have enough for the weekend and I'll just go back on Monday and pick up some cans if I need to. The vet is very quick and easy to get to with very easy parking.

Timber Ridge does this Christmas Gala thing every year which is lovely if that's your cuppa. They open up all the dining rooms and spread out with all kinds of food and drink and it's a big party. If all you want is dinner, you are kind of SOL. I went the first year with a bunch of people and it was fine. Last year I just wanted food and it was a PIA. So this year, I'm just pretending all the dining opportunities are closed. My freezer is packed to the gills and I will not starve.

I noticed this morning that the inside of my car is disgustingly filthy. Well, not quite that bad but still it needs some love. I thought to myself I should be sure and get it cleaned up before my brother comes in a month. Then I thought hmmmmm I could put this on his Todo list!! hahaha nah. We have a very excellent strong vacuum system just around the corner from my parking space. I just need to roll it over there and do the deed. It's a very small car - so a very small job.

Now it is 1 pm and I have not even watched Jeopardy yet. I hate to get behind schedule!

Timber Ridge - the place where I live - is in a small kind of bedroom community of Seattle called Issaquah. Issaquah has a population of about 40,000. It's been raining here in the Pacific Northwest. A lot. But, Timber Ridge is on a hill. And, yesterday, I went to the vet's and back and only saw large puddles.

But, last night, I was watching the national news on ABC when all of a sudden they were showing a national news guy standing in water reporting that Issaquah Creek (which runs through the town) had overflowed its banks and folks downtown had been asked to evacuate! Then I saw several photos of places very nearby that I know well that had replaced their parking lots with deep rushing water.

So wild to be so close and so surprised. I do feel isolated here in the cult but I thought that was my imagination. Turns out, nope.

Thinking back yesterday, the vet did ask me if I had had trouble getting there and I just kind of brushed it off as weird. Sorry, Dr. Vet.

So now I'm high and dry as usual but also way grateful.

Biggie seems fine. Normal. Yesterday morning when I got up, I gave him gabapentin which the vet techs really appreciate as he is not very fond of stuff they do to him. Usually, it just makes him a giant stuffy after about 2 hours and he stays that way for the rest of the day. Yesterday, he never really settled down. He was staggering when he walked so I know he had it in his system but he was feisty as ever and the tech did report he was not happy with their working on him. Last night all he wanted was to sit on my lap which is not handy or usual but fine. This morning he seems back to usual. And is still peeing just fine. And eating fine and now waiting for his morning Temptations. Sorry, buddy.

Chewy is being a little slow to fill the order for his new food and it's beginning to piss me off. They need approval from the vet which they got yesterday. And I uploaded again this morning. And still the order says 'pending approval'. Even if they ship it today and it arrives this weekend, it will still be Monday or Tuesday before it gets up here. Maybe I'll go back to the vets and buy some there to tide over. The problem is they only sell 7 lb bags of the kibble. I don't want to store that much. Plus I have 4 pounds being delivered from Chewy. Ok. am in chat with Chewy now...

Hazel stopped by last night. She had somehow gotten her tablet into safe mode. Easy fix. She plays solitaire on it a lot. It's one of the few things left that she can see enough to do. Then she asked me if I'd come help John with his computer. I used to do this quite a bit BUT then their son took over and I was happy to relinquish. I do not know where son is now but Hazel said they had gotten scammed by BECU and gotten it all fixed but then it happened again yesterday. The way she was saying it did not make sense but that's Hazel for you. I told her that no, I would not be able to help. I learned my lesson with Myrna's computer and Myrna's son. She assured me that this was different. But, touching someone's banking on a computer leads to nothing good. I told her to contact Brandon or Michael (our two IT guys) and they would help him. She was ok with that and I was so relieved.

Someone (son?, Timber Ridge?) tried to talk Hazel to moving into Assisted Living. John is still living in the nursing wing. She refused. But she really needs it. She keeps locking herself out of her apartment - multiple times a day. Now they apparently are having banking issues.

While I have sympathy, their problems are not mine to fix. And my trying will only make things worse. I learned my lesson the hard way. But, at least I learned it.

Ok Chewy was able to remove the 4 lb bag from my order so I'll go to the vet's today and buy some there.

But, after I swim. My leg does not hurt today so I need to get back to walking. Walking to the pool counts.