Restarting my hard drive.

Some time ago, I started having trouble with my computer.  I was advised to get it to a computer Tech who could clean the hard drive, look for a virus and see what could be done.  I kept thinking, how long will this take and can I be without my computer that long.   So, I procrastinated until my hard drive crashed.   I thought I had a lot of things saved on my thumb drive.  The most important was the Outlook addresses contact list.  Well, when I tried to load that into the new hard drive, it just corrupted the new Outlook version.  At least I have a couple of efiles, from my own email, and a colleague, who had them just for this purpose, and can re-load everything manually.  I did not save much to the cloud, but enough so I do not have to totally recreate all of the stuff I had in my other folders.   

Emergency services

Two weekends, the emergencies services were at the end of the block

December 16, across the street from my house.

20 years ago, my neighbors would have all been out and checking on the neighbors.  Now we do not even know the neighbors.

Juke Box Oldies

I have recently discovered that I am in an internet/cable desert.  While I have access to the same channels as I have had for years, I am so not interested in them.  I was flipping through the music channels, and there are several I enjoy, including Broadway musicals, Easy listening, Swing standards, and Country Classics.  One channel I discovered is Jukebox Oldies. These are the songs that I grew up with, enjoy, and can sing along with.  So much fun!

The Saga Continues

So, I called in sick on Monday, November 29,2021, but without much comfort.  I went to work the next day, and over did it, as I am often wont to do. Wednesday, I forced myself to go to work in the morning, because the new washing machine was going to be delivered that afternoon.  And it was!

Reading the instructions for the new washing machine was very enlightening.  I already had been advised not to overload the machine.  Additionally, I learned not to wrap items around the agitator, but to put the clothes in piles in the washer tub.  News to me!  I wonder when I should have learned that?  Also, this machine works best with HE detergent.  I purchased some, and am mixing it 2 to 1 with the detergent I already have, until the non-HE detergent is used up. 

This washing machine has a much smaller basket for washing clothes, and it is like, pardon me, but God "bitch slapped me" to make me realize I did not have to carry heavy, large, megaloads of laundry from the washing machine in my kitchen to the dryer in my garage. I should have realized this in 2015, after my back surgery.  Wow, am I slow!

I called in sick on Thursday and went to the walk in clinic at my provider's office.  Fortunately, she was "on call" and took care of me.  She did "stat" chest x-rays and gave me breathing exercises because my primary concern was not being able to clear my lungs.  The xrays came back negative.  All sounds well. 

Oh What a Weekend, part two November 26-28, 2021

 As predicted, the headlight replacement at the dealership was expensive.  I had them change out the bulbs on both sides, which was not expensive.  The labor to get at the bulbs replaced was.  The service representative said that some models of the Chevy Malibu also require the front assembly to be removed to replace the headlights!  It took about an hour.

The Saturn Vue is a low maintenance car, but when it needs maintenance, the maintenance is expensive.  

So, I was able to run a few quick errands, and call the appliance repair people to tell them that I was available earlier than I had anticipated.  The young man who came to my aid was very nice.  And explained that because I was using the "super load" function on my washing machine, I wore out the bearings.  The gear box would cost close to the cost of another washing machine, and the labor charges would surpass that. The young man said, that he did not want to do that replacement and "take my money." So, I went out shopping and found another washing machine that I could get delivered on Wednesday. This one had a good deal for a 5 year extended warranty, so I added that to the purchase agreement. I don't usually do extended warranties, but this sounded reasonable. And the dealer has a repair service, so they can take care of the warranty work.  A lot better than waiting 2 months for my refrigerator. 

So, my new washing machine was going to be delivered on Wednesday, December 1, 2021.  That meant I needed to take some items to the local laundromat. (A friend of mine latter chided me and said I could have done laundry at her house, and we could have had a "girls time."   Never thought to ask.)  

Well, going into the laundromat, I tripped on an obvious berm, fell forward, could not easily catch my breath to even call for help, and landed on the berm with the full force and impact on my right side. Eventually, people came to my aid, helped me up, and got me into the laundromat so I could sit and rest.  I was carrying a basket of laundry, and had another in the car, and gave my keys to the laundromat attendant, and a customer, to bring my other basket in.  The customer kept coming by to check on me.  The attendant did not, but I understand that, because the laundromat did not want to make it their problem.  

I had planned to go home to unload the laundry and them go shopping, but decided once I went home, I was not going anywhere again.  So I went shopping, and then went home, put clothes in the dryer a little batch at a time, and did the best I could.