House and Life Stuff
The carpenter was finally able to come last week to work on building stairs into the basement. He's squeezing the job in between other obligations, but they're mostly done -- enough that we can use them. I expect he'll finish them Monday or Tuesday (some risers and the railings). Really nice to be able to get to the basement without going outside and heaving the bulkhead doors open! They're really nice and level, too...sigh :)
Hopefully we can get more work done on closing up the porch tomorrow. We were hoping to do some over the weekend, but yesterday morning was farmers market plus I left briefly to get a flu shot; the first swing dance lesson at the community hall was in the afternoon, followed by some regular house stuff and a nap. Then L brought in a packet from TIAA CREF that was sending their condolences on the death of my mother and forms I would need to fill out as a beneficiary -- excuse me? I knew immediately from the date on the letter that it was wrong, as I had spoken with her since that date, but otherwise the packet seemed legitimate. So of course I called and she picked up, at which point L left to take care of the chickens while I let her know about the letter. This was the third incident this week -- she still has to track things down to the source reporting her as deceased, but it has to do with Social Security. It's complicated, but hopefully it'll all get sorted out in the next week or so.
A couple who are friends of ours decided not to host their usual Halloween party -- I suspect life is being a little busier than usual, as we don't see very much of the husband these days -- so she proposed going to the party at Diva's, a club in Northampton. Interesting time -- neither L nor I have ever gone to a club. Closest for me would probably be going to The Blue Wall at UMass, during one of the sci-fi conventions, back in my college days. I couldn't go to bars back then even when I was old enough, because smoking hadn't been banned in restaurants and bars yet, and there was no such thing as a no-smoking area at bars.
We dressed up a bit for it but the pics another friend took probably didn't come out (Steampunk). If I can, I'll get dressed up again at home for a pic there. Good thing was that I was able to do test runs on a tulle skirt/tutu and also my creative lace leggings and they both worked. The lace is uber white so the leggings light up well under black light. :)
There were some creative costumes there, and people seemed to be having a good time. One of the highlights of the evening for me happened right at the beginning, actually. Everyone was being carded at the door, and the fellow looked from my card to me a few times before letting me in -- we think the age indicated by my card clicked for him when he checked L's next and realized by our costumes that we were a couple. :D
Left before the costume contest was done -- it was pretty late. As it was, we were up late enough that my eyes are light-sensitive this morning. Hot shower has helped sort out some of the general achiness, and I'll get in a good soak in the tub later today.
Late morning is hay delivery, eggs to deal with, piano to measure. Should be back at the house in the afternoon to do what we can there (including that bath for me!), choir practice in the evening.
Hopefully we can get more work done on closing up the porch tomorrow. We were hoping to do some over the weekend, but yesterday morning was farmers market plus I left briefly to get a flu shot; the first swing dance lesson at the community hall was in the afternoon, followed by some regular house stuff and a nap. Then L brought in a packet from TIAA CREF that was sending their condolences on the death of my mother and forms I would need to fill out as a beneficiary -- excuse me? I knew immediately from the date on the letter that it was wrong, as I had spoken with her since that date, but otherwise the packet seemed legitimate. So of course I called and she picked up, at which point L left to take care of the chickens while I let her know about the letter. This was the third incident this week -- she still has to track things down to the source reporting her as deceased, but it has to do with Social Security. It's complicated, but hopefully it'll all get sorted out in the next week or so.
A couple who are friends of ours decided not to host their usual Halloween party -- I suspect life is being a little busier than usual, as we don't see very much of the husband these days -- so she proposed going to the party at Diva's, a club in Northampton. Interesting time -- neither L nor I have ever gone to a club. Closest for me would probably be going to The Blue Wall at UMass, during one of the sci-fi conventions, back in my college days. I couldn't go to bars back then even when I was old enough, because smoking hadn't been banned in restaurants and bars yet, and there was no such thing as a no-smoking area at bars.
We dressed up a bit for it but the pics another friend took probably didn't come out (Steampunk). If I can, I'll get dressed up again at home for a pic there. Good thing was that I was able to do test runs on a tulle skirt/tutu and also my creative lace leggings and they both worked. The lace is uber white so the leggings light up well under black light. :)
There were some creative costumes there, and people seemed to be having a good time. One of the highlights of the evening for me happened right at the beginning, actually. Everyone was being carded at the door, and the fellow looked from my card to me a few times before letting me in -- we think the age indicated by my card clicked for him when he checked L's next and realized by our costumes that we were a couple. :D
Left before the costume contest was done -- it was pretty late. As it was, we were up late enough that my eyes are light-sensitive this morning. Hot shower has helped sort out some of the general achiness, and I'll get in a good soak in the tub later today.
Late morning is hay delivery, eggs to deal with, piano to measure. Should be back at the house in the afternoon to do what we can there (including that bath for me!), choir practice in the evening.