Ridiculous Road Trip

We did it: drove the four hours to San Jose, took a tour of the Winchester House, ate dinner, and drove the four hours home. I'll write later- for now I'll be collapsing into bed.

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Thursday

Yesterday, Shannon and I started out with breakfast at Squeeze In. The name comes from the original restaurant in Truckee, where they were squeezed into a small space, but it could easily also refer to what you do with their food. They have other options, but the main draw is a long list of omelets that you may doctor as you like. The omelets are huge and yummy, but there is no yummy like their potatoes- all crispy brown. You can order them with cheese and onion and oh my god... maybe they should call it Squeeze Out as you try to fit through the door.

We walked Riley, then headed to Savers to look for terrible ceramics. I found a couple puzzles and Shannon found books. Then we found a crazy meth head in line behind us. He managed to tone down the crazy while he was in the store, but it started to escape as he made his way through the checkout. By the time he got outside, he was yelling his meth head off, but he just packed up his bag and walked off to alarm some more people.

Then it was time to get Riley and drive to Carson to meet Mike and Elaine. Riley was wiggling and making excited noises the moment their car pulled up. I deposited her in Elaine's lap and Riley covered her in kisses, then settled down and sighed. Okay, well I guess she'll be alright. We chatted while I petted Riley through the window, removed her eye boogers, and asked her to be good. Mike was shaking his head at me as I cooed at Riley, reminding me that it was only a few days. Elaine added that I had Shannon to hang out with, so Shannon says, "Yeah, you can pet me... and pick my eye boogers." Mike immediately choked on his laughter and needed a moment to compose himself.

Dogless, we drove to the next thrift store. I'm not sure what's going on, but the thrift store in town seem to think all their donations are dipped in gold. Prices on useless knick-knacks have risen past unreasonable and right on to insane. All of the places we visited yesterday seem to think they are art galleries, even though we had to leave one early because someone pooped in the store.

We thrifted until nothing else was open, and we did find some truly hideous things that nobody was ever going to buy, although some lady did stop me to compliment one of them. I asked her if she wanted it and Shannon was ready to kick me, because she wants to shoot it. Eventually we went straight to dinner because there was no dog to walk at home. We went to Great Basin Brewery, where Shannon had a taste "flight" and sampled six of their beers. The guy next to us was also taking a flight, but was not nearly as much of an expert as Shannon, who asked for the beer's IBUs. "What's that?" asked the guy next to us. "The International Bitterness Unit," she explained. The international bitterness unit?

We had just started a conversation with this guy, who voluntarily referred to his wife and gave off no creepy man vibes, when our table beeper went off. I asked Shannon if she wanted to invite him to sit with us, as he was on a business trip and seemed like a friendly person who was not hitting on anyone. She said she was thinking the same thing, but didn't know if I'd be game and congratulated me for socializing. So Carl came to sit with us and we had a fun, chaste conversation, mostly about travel. That was a good time and a nice confirmation that it's possible for a man not to be a total lech. Go Carl!

From there, we went to Walmart for glucose tabs and road snacks. I've been buying the little rolls of ten and just cannot keep them on hand. This time I finally saw that they have big bottles of fifty for a cheaper price. I am thrilled, and currently stocked with 200 glucose tabs. We came home, Shannon entered the beers she tried into her beer app, and all three ladies (including Solo) fell asleep.

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But I'm too tired to go to bed.

It's late now and everyone's asleep or close to it. I've got to finish brushing Riley after her sort of thorough bath. I washed out the chunks of hair that were clotted with blood after the microchipping. I wanted to wait long enough to be really sure I wouldn't hurt her. Shannon and I have plans set for tomorrow that may involve her heading to the gym at my apartment complex that I have yet to explore. Who exercises on vacation? Sick, Shannon... just sick.

I accomplished much today and even wrote an essay. Whaaaaaa?  Now I just have to brush the rest of my dog, brush my teeth, take my shot, take my Vitamin D and kidney protection, find pajamas, freeze the rest of the lasagna, clean up the dog bath items, hang up the wet dog towel, get a glass of water for tomorrow morning's pill, test my blood sugar, take a different shot if necessary, and go the fuck to sleep. I'll go get started on that as soon as I find the energy.

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It's a work in progress

The threat to move has yielded tools that I have not been using.

Now you can actually read the blog on your phone without having to zoom in.  I have added captchas to stop the spam.  The settings say anyone can comment, I guess you just have to be very dedicated to do so.  I guess we'll have to keep working on that, but what I can offer is to add your email to the list if you want to be notified when there's a new blog.  Just make sure that notification will not pester you in the middle of the night, because I live in the Pacific Time Zone and often blog at odd hours.

Aren't housekeeping blogs fun?

And now I get to run through several errands so I can get home and clean up for Shannon's visit!  I left most of it for the last minute- isn't that so typical of me?

Maybe I'm just a nomad.

One major reason I am considering moving my blog:


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I'm not sure if moving will stop the spam, but I would also like to be able to add more than five people to the email list.  Oh, and it would be nice if people could comment without having to join Blogger.  If anyone has other suggestions or opinions, please spam me at gogowilhelmina@gmail.com. That goes for you too, lurkers.

Feedback

Dear Macy’s,

               Thanks for your killer deal on that alternative down comforter.  It’s really warm and comfy, and I’m so glad it was seriously on sale from its original price of $220, or I never would have bought it.  It’s cute that you think I’m going to come right back and drop a lot of money, but couldn’t you send me a coupon that’s actually enticing?  15% off $100?  You must be joking.

Love, Jenny

 

Dear Wendy’s,

               I really like your cheese and guacamole covered Baja salad, but I don’t really need the fiery tortilla strips and Creamy Red Jalapeño Dressing... or the side of chili.  Why chili?  I am confused.

P.S. I may or may not have licked the guacamole off the lid of the container.

Love, Jenny

Helpful Cat

Everyone should have a cat that helps them make the bed.

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And I am stronger than you know

EXACTLY as expected, I made a giant mess while cleaning up for Shannon's visit. What is it, Mom, about my need to make a bigger mess before I can clean it up?

It's okay, though. I have a whole stack to shuttle to the recycle bin, the car, or the thrift store. It will look more manageable after that. I thought I would spend the whole day cleaning, but that wasn't very realistic anyway, so Riley and I took a long walk with Jenea. I meant to start the app on my phone that tracks distance by GPS, but I only remembered when we were almost done. I checked my pedometer when I got home and found that I hadn't put it on today. Dammit!

Oh well, but proof of exercise is important! Confirmation of goals! An opportunity to acknowledge progress! I was just thinking- and have been a lot lately- about how proud I am that I can pay my bills, plus some that don't even belong to me. I could NOT do this with Chris, not consistently, anyway. It was frustrating to be struggling all the time. Part of that was just the nature of his jobs, but my argument for a long time was that I could only budget with a clockwork income, not paychecks delayed by assholes or loans and scholarships doled out once a semester. I still feel bad for him, that he's trying to manage income that's so unpredictable- even though he continues to choose that chaos and yes, even though he chose to end us. I can't help it. I am a mushy, bleeding heart. My sympathy helps no one, and I can't seem to become colder. If anything would make me tougher, this would, don't you think? Don't get mad on my behalf. You'll just make me want to defend him, and nobody wants to hear that. I think the objective is to require a LOT more effort and someone who cherishes me at least as much as my dad does. I can do that and still be the emotional person I am. I think. We'll find out.

Jennyway, I am proud that I can manage my budget without that much money and these extra frigging bills. I am reaching the end of February and the end of the most emotionally devastating six months of my life. The financial clamp is loosening right about now and just as spring begins. It'll be a good time to watch the flowers bloom. I have a big, poufy comforter coming. I am finding thrifty ways to go do new things. I change things around until I like them. And hey, my dog is a graduate.

I'm still cold. I'm still sad. It still hurts. But it's amazing how we think we could never go without... and then we do. Not by choice sometimes, but because we continue to breathe automatically and the rest just follows.

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