Bfth's Boring Blog

 In addition to moving  "stuff" (aka some of our junk) out to the Poconos, I've tried to take some time (not a lot...yet) to explore Barrett Township and the general area a bit.  Even before we closed on the house, I made sure we knew where the local ShopRite  was.  I checked out the excellent little grocery store in walking distance, as well as the CVS.  Because we've been busy unloading, unpacking and organizing, we haven't had that much time to explore, but I made a concerted effort this week to check out local businesses. To that end, both my husband and I now have library cards .  I have taken out (and returned) a book already.  Over the past few days we have visited the local hardware store  twice (over two consecutive days).  We visited two antique stores (one of which I loved).  We're enjoying our explorations, just as we are enjoying turning this house into our home.  (Which is going to take a LONG time.) While we are new to the area, there are also

 I 've written about this too many times.  ( Just two examples:  https://bfthsboringblog.blogspot.com/2024/07/where-is-my-document-check.html ,  https://bfthsboringblog.blogspot.com/2019/10/a-tale-of-two-packages.html ) My question is simple.  How long should it take for a letter or package to get from North NJ to Staten Island, NY?  Now back in December 2022 my son was sent an acceptance letter from the college he now attends in (you guessed it), Staten Island.  Now this letter/package was not sent first class and was mailed during one of the busiest seasons for mail.  It took 8 days to get to us.  How far is my son's campus from our home base in NJ?  30 miles.  Maybe 35 miles if you take the long way.  But that was during the busy time of year and it wasn't first class mail.  Maybe I should cut them a break? Maybe not. Now I KNOW that a letter or package does not go directly from my house to its destination.  It goes from a post office near me to a distribution center (or

  Today marks my (our) 28th wedding anniversary! How can that be?  Like many things it was so long ago and yet (in my mind) so recent.)  How did we get here? In the 28 years, so much has changed.  Some for the better (the birth of our son) and some not.  As I reflect on that evening (with its rain and then sunshine and then rain and then sunshine), I think about all the people who were part of that special day that are no longer here.  People who made the day what it was. My Mother:  who ran the whole show.  We were together when I bought my wedding dress (on sale at Arlene's Bridal Salon , which still exists) and how we had to pool our money to come up with enough cash to pay for it since it was on sale and they would only accept cash.  She found the caterer and threatened to cut off parts of his manhood if he poisoned me on my wedding day.  (He didn't, but then again neither my husband or I ate much that night...I think we enjoyed the food much more the next day when we were

  So I KNOW that CVS is supposed to stand for: Consumer Value Stores (yes, I had to Google that) and MAYBE with insurance there is some value for the consumer.  However, based on my experience(s) I'm thinking it really should stand for Caring:  Void (of) Service or Customers Values Shafted.  As you may have guessed I'm not real thrilled with CVS.  (I'm not talking about employees...I'm talking about stupidity which is most likely the result of corporate BS.) There is no CVS in my town in NJ. (There is one in my town in PA.  However, we can't seem to get our prescriptions switched over to that store. That's a whole other issue that is frustrating my husband.  I'm not going to talk about that today?  Or am I?)  CVS is my "preferred" pharmacy for prescriptions due to insurance.  (So it really has nothing to do with MY choice, but with what my insurance wants me to do, and which I will admit probably saves me some money.  Although I do miss the days of

The sky is clear as I walk this morning.  Stars are visible. The morning is calm, just as it once was 23 years ago.   As I head to the bus to go to work the sky is blue; like it was 23 years ago.  The clouds are puffy and white like cotton candy; like it was 23 years ago. The temperature is just right, not too hot and not too cold; like it was 23 years ago.   It is a beautiful day; like it was 23 years ago.   Until it wasn't.   Until the unimaginable became reality.   Lives lost; hearts shattered.   Hearts that will never heal.   The world turned upside down.   A dark end to a day full of promise.   An end that came too early...a day that was only a few hours old.   Changed us all forever.   We clung to each other.  It didn't matter who we were, what matter is that we were.  That we existed.  The cruel reminder that existence can be wiped out in seconds.  That those we love can be gone in the blink of an eye.  We clung to each other and nothing else

  We're only 6 days into the new month and already I've learned so much.  (Or have I?)  This past week (plus) has been a whirlwind adventure for me and here are a few things I've learned (most of which I probably should have already known) and a few that I'm still working on: The bus that is scheduled to leave your stop at 4:27 (as per the app when you leave the office), may not show up until 5.  This totally sucks.  On the other hand, 4:04, may show up at 4.  Go figure.  I'd like to blame NJ Transit, but I can't because traffic just sucks. They say patience is a virtue.  I am NOT virtuous.  (I sort of already knew this, but recent events have reinforced this.) How to not get fish poo splattered all over me when cleaning the skimmer.  Wear an apron and solid shoes (no sandals).  Wear not so great clothes (in case the apron fails) and sneakers that you  don't care about. Pond water evaporates more quickly than I thought.  I'

My brain often reminds me of things at the most inopportune times.  (Is that the case with everyone?  Let me know.)  Life has also been a little chaotic recently.  (Who am I kidding?  It's always chaotic.  But recently the chaos has ramped up to a 11; if you get that reference let’s, go to Stonehenge.)  So Wednesday morning, as I was walking (in the dark because the sun doesn't rise until after 6 these days and I have to be at the bus stop by 6:30) my brain suddenly says to me:  You got a  PSEG  bill yesterday and you didn't pay it.  (Or set it up to be paid.)  So when I get back from my walk (and after I did  a quick look for a framed photo that my husband mentioned the other day and I can't find...I know where it used to be and I know where it SHOULD be, but of course it's not there...and see what my brain is doing here?) and once I'm almost dressed and ready for work, I went  online to set up a payment. Since I'm paying one bill, I start thinking about

Labor Day has come and gone, but it is still officially summer.  Late summer/early autumn is my favorite time of year.  It's warm and not gruelingly hot.  The nights are cool, but not turn on the furnace cold.  (Or at least that's how I'd like it to be.)  The kids go back to school and the leaves on the trees start to change color.  (I saw some start to change in August and I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing.)  And, as I said previously (For your reference:   https://bfthsboringblog.blogspot.com/2024/08/summer-of-change.html ) this has been a summer of change.  There have been goodbyes to the shore house (and the shore) and goodbyes to my son as he started his sophomore year of college.  However, the one thing I/we have NOT said good-bye to is the house that has been in my (maternal) family for 100 years.  (Yes, you read that right...my grandparents purchased the home that we live in in 1924.  I believe it was built/completely in 1923 and there was a

  Day 0:  Up around 4 and out the door slightly after 7.  Stop at Wawa for a half a soft pretzel and diet peach iced tea.  Pretzel isn't opened until 40 or so minutes later when we hit the last rest stop in NJ. (Because I cannot leave the state without going to the ladies’ room at least once.)  Arrive at the house and walk through.  Everything that I should be paying attention to or looking for, I don't.  I'm too overwhelmed. I spot a hummingbird in the garden and hear a rooster crow somewhere in the neighborhood. Sign some paperwork.  Hand over a check for an obscene amount of money.  (Of course I'm old so, I still think $20 is a lot of money and $100 is a pick deal.)  Head back to the house and unload the car.   Seems like the owners had never (or rarely) opened the windows.  We're in the mountains.  It's warmish out.  Open the windows and let the mountain air!  The owners had a dog, so I need to get the ducts cleaned.  Had arranged for it today, but the HVA