July 18: A Day in the Life of Bfth

 With the death certificates in (how is that for a sentence starter?), it was time to go to Surrogate Court to start the probate process. (NJ is a state where you must do this.)  I did this last year for my mom, so you'd think that it would be easy for me, but I'll admit that I seem to have forgotten most of what I'd done last year. I did remember that I had to go to the county in which my dad had resided to do this.  I'm really happy that he (and my mom) DIDN'T live in Essex County, NJ.  My experience (both times) with the Ocean County Surrogate's office in Tom's River was very positive.  Last year, it took a bit longer (as I had to have my dad sign off on being unable to be executor of my mom's estate, which required a trip to the attorney's office), but this year was a breeze.  

The office does not take appointments and you CAN mail in your forms, but I prefer to do this in person. I left the house around 6:30 and the most complicated thing was getting from the parkway to the courthouse as there was road work and detours!  (A fact of life in NJ during the summer which I am not fond of).  The office opens at 8 in the morning and I wanted to be there early.  Even dealing with detours and finding parking, I was in the courthouse by 8:10 or so.  There was NO waiting (hoorah!) when I entered the office and the woman, I dealt with was extremely helpful.  (A different woman than I met last year, but just as kind.)  I was back in to in my car before 8:40 (guess I shouldn't have put 2 hours on the parking meter) with everything I needed.  (Now I just have to get this information to the entities that need it.) Even with stopping to get a lottery ticket (could I win a billion dollars from Powerball?  It's been a crappy year and that would make it a  little more tolerable), pick up a prepared salad from Acme AND a Wawa stop for coffee, I was at the shore house by 9:15!  

Working remotely from the shore for the past week or so has been incredibly helpful.  I am able to work AND take care of things at the house.  Garbage pickup was yesterday and thanks for wonderful neighbors, my can was put out for pick up and returned to the house.  (As was the recycling can.)  Yet somehow, I have managed to completely fill it again in one day.  (It's a HUGE can and yes, it is 90% full already!)  

For some reason, cutting up paper (that should have been tossed a year or more ago), is more emotional than you might think.  This should be the EASY part.  But it's not.  I can't explain it.  (Can you?  Share!)

For "lunch" I took my dad's Buick SUV for a quick spin.  (Shame, shame.  I don't even know what MAKE it is!  I SHOULD, but I don't!)  Actually it might NOT be my dad's.  It was called my dad's but it may be registered in my mom's name!   Something I will have to deal with in the next few months.  (It is NOT on the top of my priority list.)  I wanted to test it out as it is newer than my Ford Escape.  It is larger (which means that I probably couldn't fit it in my garage) but, I didn't have any trouble handling it.  (Of course I didn't drive it too far.)  I didn't like that it was keyless, but isn't everything these days?  Should I switch from my 2019 (bought in 2018) Ford to a 2021(?) Buick?  Discuss!

Torrential rain interrupted my afternoon.  (Thankfully the thunder and lightning seemed to stay on the other side of the bay.)  The rain came down and down and down!  As I had all the windows in the house open...well let's just say I had some mopping up to do!  (UGH!)  I turned on the central AC (a perk that the house up North does not have) and watched the street flood.  (I should have pulled the Buick up more, but...) Then the sun came out, but it continued to pour.  No rainbows though...just a mess in the backyard. (As I write this the waters have receded and/or seeped into the ground).  By the time the rain went away, the sun was out in full strength (again) and the cool winds had stopped blowing.  Such is summer.

I did a quick check in the mailbox.  I have been waiting for a tax bill from the city. There was an envelope (postmarked yesterday) that I THOUGHT might be it but was simply a letter (dated MAY of this year) about flooding. 

(Of which I am well aware of; this is an overdeveloped barrier island.)  Taxes are supposedly due on August 1, yet there is still no bill and the tax collector's office has confirmed that they don't have what they need to send them out.  Talk about a Sh**show!

I took a quick walk after work to check out the beach.  (It's sad that although I am only a few blocks from the beach, I spent NO time there!)  It was HOT!  Although the lifeguards were gone for the day, there were still quite a few people in the ocean.  (Something I don't recommend.) I was glad to get back to the house for a dinner of salad and Jose Cuervo red sangria margarita.  (Not as good as their golden rose margarita which is IMPOSSIBLE to find these days.)  

My day wrapped up with a shower outdoors.  (Love the outdoor shower.)  Now it's time to climb into bed.  (Even though the sky is still light.)  It's been a day.