The Week In Review

 It was a week.  (Aren't they all?)  But this was a wackier week than most.  (Maybe...)  There was a lot going on   (At least in my boring world.)  Things like:

·         Plumbing issue:  If you recall (https://bfthsboringblog.blogspot.com/2026/05/happy-beeping-mothers-day.html), we had an “issue” on Sunday.  I got a text bright and early from the plumbing/HVAC company that a tech was on the way.  The problem was fixed relatively quickly (removed the filter completely and replaced it with some piping.)  No more leak, but boy those easy fixes aren’t cheap.  (What is?)

·         Annual physical:  Had the first appointment of the morning:  7 am.  Doors opened just before then and I checked in and waited at the South Nurse's station (as told).  The lights were off and no one was there.  A minute later someone showed up and took my form.  I sat down and waited...and waited.  Finally at about 7:10, a nurse came to get me.  Weighed me.  The most horrifying part of the day.  Went into an examining room with the nurse who took my vitals.  And then I waited some more. Finally at 7:30 I saw my provider.  When I discussed my weight gain concerns…I’ve been gaining and the food noise has been overwhelming…my brain will not shut up as much as I try ignore it or reason with it.  (Yes I have internal discussions with myself constantly…don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.  We discussed the possibility to getting some pharmaceutical assistance to which he was not adverse.  But it is not up to the medical professional, it is up to the insurance company and they won't cover ANY of the “newish” weight loss medications (the ones that really seem to help multiple issues) and I can't afford the monthly cost on my own so I’m SoL. My cholesterol level was also up a bit, so I've got to go back again in 6 months to see where we stand and if medication for that might be needed.  (Which the insurance WOULD cover.)  Needless to say, I wasn't too happy.

·         A “Vacation” Day:  My "day off” was not for the faint hearted.  It was the day I went to pick up my son from college. (Hubby didn’t come because there wouldn’t have been enough room for all of us.) First assignment of the day was to go to the ATM (cash for me and the kid) and then grocery shopping.  The "new" ShopRite open early (6 AM) and is well stocked.  I was in and out relatively quickly, spending more than I wanted, but I need a semi-stocked kitchen for the boy.  (Can I still call him that?)  I stopped on the way back to the house to get gas, although I didn't really want to at this point, but the "cheap" station ($4.27) didn't have its usual line.  (Cars back up into the street to fill up here).  Unpacked the groceries and did laundry #1 of the day.  (I knew there would be a lot.)  A little after 9 I headed out to get my son, figuring I'd missed rush hour traffic.  Maybe I did, but traffic always seems to be bad whenever I pick up or drop off and Wednesday was no different.  I managed to find a spot to "park" in the back of the building (there's a lot in front that I can never get into).  My son was lucky enough to get a bin to wheel his belongings to the car.  (This is the first time ever he's been able to get one...makes things go much faster.)  The bin was loaded and so was my car, but there was one more load.  So we went to his suite with the bin and loaded up again.  Bins are so hard to find, that his roommate helped us and made sure when we were done that we traded it off to him.  Somehow we managed to get everything into the car.  (Not sure how...there were a lot of canvases...in addition to my son's work that semester there were some blank ones and art supplies that his amazing professor had given in.) Once home in NJ, spent the day doing laundry (not just his; only his linens).  Made one of his favorites for dinner (crock pot lamb shank) because I'd be heading back to PA the next day.

·         Roofing:  The roofer came back (as he said he would in the spring) to take a closer look at things.  (Reference:  https://bfthsboringblog.blogspot.com/2026/02/the-curse-of-friday-13th.html).  Sure enough he found 3 issues which we will have to take care of.  NOT replacing the roof, but still pretty costly (in my book, but then again what ISN’T costly these days?).  There really isn’t much question on whether they will be done or not.  Not doing them is going to be more costly than not, so we have to call him back (now that we discussed everything) and arrange for it all.  There’s no rush (although it needs to be done before winter and even today it feels like winter hasn’t completely left), but it needs to get done.

·         Volunteer work:  Not by me, but by my son.  He may not have a paying job this summer (although I’m hoping something will come up), but he is working hard at our local museum.  (He had to have a letter of reference in order to be a volunteer.  Another wonderful professor, who I suspect has ties to this museum, wrote one and I’m sure that’s why he was accepted.) He had his first experience the day after he got home.  The museum was closed (as was the parking lot which made things a bit difficult), but they were having an “event” which is where he helped out.  He came home exhausted (after 5 hours), but seemed to enjoy it.  If nothing else this will look good on a resume and maybe it will provide him some good contacts.  (It’s not about what you know. It’s not about who you know.  It’s about what AND who…)

·         “Invaders”:  For weeks I’ve been battling… 

    Even with a brand new fence, this guy (or gal) has been digging and finding ways into my backyard and eating my plants.  (One of which is totally destroyed.)  There is TONS of lush land around us.  We have a plenty of patches of green; on the sides of the house, in front of the house, across the street…But still he persists in getting into the backyard.  (The more I think of it the more I am convinced it is a she since this hog is so determined and persistent.)  While I have put stones and bricks around the areas where she has been digging (and I may have FINALLY succeeded in keeping her out), it’s a pain point for me.  Especially since I have blocked off one of the gates to keep her out.  So next week, the pest control company is coming to try and trap her.  And this is EXPENSIVE because they have to come back every day to check.  So I’m hoping she (who I suspect is living in the storage/unpaved part of our detached garage) will be quickly trapped and moved. (Maybe to Punxsutawney?)  Because who needs a $600 groundhog? 

Such was my week.  I hope yours was less “challenging” and/or stressful.  Here in the east, it’s finally supposed to get warm.  (How I would LOVE it if my heat didn’t turn on every morning.)  Enjoy the fresh air and sunshine while you can because pretty soon we’ll be running back inside to cool down! What happened to moderate temperatures?  I guess it has gone the way of common sense and decency, but that’s another post.