Musings of a marginally sane feline-appreciating female.

So, seems that whoever put together the release schedule didn’t take into account that we had a 3 1/2 day week this week – both the US & the Philippines. Guess who put 32 hours on the books in 3 days? Yup. And this after my boss said yesterday, “if you don’t have anything urgent, take the afternoon off, it’s a gorgeous day!” SOB.

But, working late the past two days means I get my damn half day Friday today! And I am not going in early!

The appraisal got done, came in higher than I expected, yay, and refinance closes Tuesday – but I have to go to the damn title company to do it. FML. Told my boss and he was “been there, done that, take your time.” I’m salty cause the mortgage broker said the title folks would come to me, the title folks were “can you come to the office?” and I said if that was the only option, yes, and they said, “Great!!”

Then the tax assessment came in for the house for 2023 this week as well – up 6% (after going up 12% last year) – um, no. I happen to have a professional appraisal in hand that was just done THIS WEEK and guess who is gonna appeal that number? If I can get the county to agree, then the appraisal paid for itself, plus another $400 over the course of the year. (I know the county is thinking “inflation is easing, interest rates are going down, etc” – but I am not playing this year.)

And another reason I’d say the county assessment is ridiculous – it’s higher than Zillow. It is NEVER higher than Zillow, ever. And everyone on Nextdoor is losing their shit, so I know it’s not just me.

Oh, but something great? It’s been three days since the appraisal and THE HOUSE HASN’T FALLEN APART! I know you’re thinking, “only three days” – but trust me, THIS IS AWESOME, LOL. Especially considering that the past two days I’ve only gotten the barest of minimums done thanks to work.

Even Lily is wiped out from all the excitement this week – cleaning and clearing, a person wandering around on Tuesday, late work, spare rooms open for her to explore – she slept in this morning and I just door-dashed her breakfast to her upstairs – and she is happily chowing down.

But – half day Friday today and I am NOT staying late. Gonna work, hit the grocery store, get all my various and sundry to-do’s done around the house, and then chill TF out. I won’t know what to do with my time now that we’re done with the CLEAR OUT ALL THE THINGS process. Read? Stitch? Nap? Draw? Write? I CAN DO ANYTHING!

But before all that, work beckons. But, I only have one thing to knock out today, and anyone who asks me to stay later will be gently told, “No, I was here until 10PM last night, so, no.”

You have a wonderful Friday!

And it’s as good as it’s gonna get around here, and I feel like I could sleep for a week.

But, it will be done today, and I get paid this week, and we have a half day Friday.

Guess who will NOT be filling all her off-time with cleaning?! YES, IT’S ME! This week is gonna be just hit all the basics on the to-do list, and don’t let anything get piled up ANYWHERE, EVER AGAIN.

And I’m starting work right now and gonna just plow through lunch and get off early for the appraisal.

You have a great, non-stressful day!

Talk about a holiday with pretty much zero meaning for me other than a day off work, LOL. But I will absolutely take it. (Does it really have any meaning outside of mattress sales and a module in elementary school?)

Today’s fun and games are getting my teeth cleaned (why did I agree to this date? WHY?) the drywall patching that we didn’t get to yesterday, swap out the screen door insert on the front door, and then the regular stuff around here.

Yesterday, I got caught up on ALL THE THINGS that had fallen by the wayside over the past few weeks. So. Much. Vacuuming. And laundry – and there is still more to do, but that is on pause right now – there are a few baskets of clothes in the laundry room and as my brother pointed out, “that is where laundry is supposed to be.” And he’s right, and honestly, the laundry area in the basement is probably the most normal place in the house right now.

And one fun side effect of all this work around the house – I am so freaking battered and bruised. I have whacked myself in some form or fashion pretty much everywhere, the worst being my right elbow, and every time I lean on it, I am reminded that I smacked it hard into a doorjamb. And the rest of my body just hurts a lot.

Honestly, I really just can’t wait for it to be 4PM tomorrow and have the appraisal done. I’m not even worried about the number he comes up with – it would have to be 30% below my own lowest estimate to even be an issue, I just want it done.

It’s been the kick in the ass we’ve needed to get a LOT done around here that needed to be done, but getting it all done in a very short period of time has been exhausting and stressful. But, we’re in a really good place for going forward – we just can’t slack off and gotta do a little every day to keep everything in check. BUT – it really only has to be a little every day – I just have to remember that.

And now it is time to mentally and physically prepare for the dentist. Earbuds are charged and in my purse. Advil Cold & Sinus tablet to take now, plus a snort or two of nasal spray right beforehand – we’re not going to have our nasal passages slam shut halfway through when we need the nitrous oxide.

AND THE DENTIST JUST CALLED AND THEY’RE OUT OF NITROUS AND WE HAVE RESCHEDULED! Even though it only would have been an hour or so – I feel like I just got my whole damn day back!

Well, now I guess I gotta go get things done, LOL. You have a fantastic day and I hope some meeting or appointment or whatever you may be dreading gets canceled.

And I am sooooo glad it’s only Sunday and I still have tomorrow off. I slept like a rock last night, but I still feel a bit like I’ve been hit by a freight train. (Not “sick” just “going 100MPH for too long will catch up with you.”)

I also got an “oh good, I can stop thinking about that” email this morning – the junk haulers sent me an updated receipt this morning and it did show that I’d tipped them – the first one they sent only showed the regular charge and I was very “oh shit, no, I am sure I hit the tip button, I cannot be the lady who only tips with a couple Cokes at the end of the job…” I don’t know what it is about folks who work for this junk haul company, but they are the freaking nicest people on the planet despite it being really hard work.

Today and tomorrow’s excitement is catching back up on daily/weekly things around the house that have fallen a bit by the wayside while I did the clear out, some laundry, taking another run at the master bathroom (I’m seeing that I’ve really missed some spots) and three drywall patches. (I wish I’d known 6″ wide self adhesive fiberglass tape existed a while ago…)

The problem is that I’m already feeling my ass trying to cement itself to the sofa, LOL. But I have changed into comfy pants, my headphones are charged up, and I have Myths & Legends at the ready. It’s great to have a podcast that I like, AND has over 400 episodes, so I’m not gonna finish it anytime soon. (I’m only on episode 38.)

I’m reminding myself that I don’t have to have it all done today, and I don’t have to hurry through any of it, just 20/10 it the best I can.

You have a lovely day!

The junk haulers have come and gone and just, ahhhhhh.

This morning after we got all the various and sundry items out to the carport for pickup, my brain went into “wait mode” – and honestly, I didn’t even try to fight it, so it’s been a pretty relaxing day on the whole.

But even for all that relaxation – I am utterly knackered. It’s like my body realizes that the hard work is done and is all “we’re not moving, thankyouverymuch.”

I suspect I will sleep very well tonight. And tomorrow’s around the house to-do list should be fucking easy in comparison to the past couple weeks.

WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOO!!!!!! And holy shit, the number of broken down cardboard boxes we have – like, HOW? I could start my own damn shipping company.

My brother has completely kicked ass on the basement – it is absolutely fucking amazing the work he’s done down there.

The appraisal is officially scheduled for Tuesday. I have more than enough time to get the last small bits done without panic or rushing. AND I’M JUST DOWN TO THE SMALL BITS!

It’s not even remotely perfect, but it’s good enough for a stranger I’ll never see again to walk in and say “Yes, there are 4 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, and a basement, and it needs paint, carpet, and kitchen & bath updates.” (Like, seriously, we could do this over the phone.) Could I throw a dinner party? LOL, no. Could have a repair person come in without a second thought? YES!

I’m really proud of myself for plowing through this and kinda mad at myself, too – super annoying to know that if I’d just consistently kept up with things from the start, this alllll would have been easier. But, better now than never and all that, and now I have better coping mechanisms and strategies to help me get things done than I have ever had.

And I am very excited to just go back to regular housework routines, and given that we still have a fair amount of stuff around here, I am committed to grabbing a box/bin/whatever from a room every day and going through it. And it all feels SO much less overwhelming now. And my goal of getting everything properly deep cleaned at some point or another over the course of the year is gonna be much easier because EVERYTHING ISN’T IN THE WAY ANYMORE!

But before that, I have to go get a fuckton of cardboard boxes out to the carport…

You have a fantastic day!!

Today was one of those days that illustrates why I try so very hard to knock off work after 8 hours.  Near 50 hours last week (that should have been 36) plus having to check in on things over the weekend – while also on a big ol’ cleaning spree – then 12 hours yesterday – and today, I was dragging ass like you would not believe.  

But The Thing that has been plaguing me is done. And we didn’t even have to call in an old priest and a young priest.

Around the house, all I have left to do is clear out the parlor, a couple loads of laundry, a wee bit of drywall patching, and that’s it, I think. My brother is still going to town on the basement and all he says he needs from me is to hold the vacuum cleaner while he hits the rafters with it at some point this week.

The realization that there is so little left for me to do is a huge relief and also a wee bit of a curse, cause my brain is very “well, we could skip a day of working on things…” No brain, we are absolutely not going to be doing anything last minute other than some vacuuming and looking about to make sure there isn’t anything truly mortifying sitting out on a table somewhere.

And as such, I’ve hauled out the headphones, put on Myths & Legends, and I’m gonna get some shit done tonight. Doesn’t have to be a lot, but it’s gonna be something. Go team clean.

And I’ve got a big ol’ case of “I don’t wanna!” – mainly I just do not want to spend another day dealing with The Thing. I am very tired of The Thing. I have spent roughly three weeks dealing with The Thing. I want The Thing to go away.

I know my developer wants it to go away, too, as well as the rest of my team, but I’ve been stuck with testing it and I really, REALLY want it to go away, Maybe today will be the day!!

On the house front, I had a pretty good day again yesterday – dining room is all done, and I am in the throes of “toss or wash” with the laundry room. Next is the parlor and two new lampshades are on order so I can actually see what I’m doing in there – the current ones are near 40 years old and the lining has deteriorated and gotten very dark and not much in the way of light is actually escaping. (Though I’d love nothing more than to just unplug the lamps and tell the appraiser, “trust me, there is a room there” LOL.)

And my email tells me that this build and deployment did run this morning, so I’m off to the races to see if we can put The Thing to bed once and for all.

You have a great day and I hope you can get whatever Thing is plaguing you off your plate.

And I think there may be a sporting event as well? In honor of that, I have made a batch of cheesy ranch bacon dip, because it’s the perfect excuse for it, even if I am not watching the game, LOL. And because my brother is off watching the game with his buddy – I have a big ol’ slab of salmon for dinner.

I have been an adult in this county for 30 some odd years, and somehow until yesterday, I had never needed to go to the landfill. Had quite the sticker shock* when the junk haulers came by last weekend – it definitely needed to be done, and I don’t regret it, but a quick trip over to the dump is waaaaaaaay cheaper, even when I do the “value of my time” math. I’m now a pro at it, LOL – despite looking at the website and their map, when I got there the first time yesterday, I couldn’t figure out where the hell to go and had to grab an employee for instructions. (I opened with “I promise, I did read the website!”)

But, two trips yesterday and two trips this morning and we have a ton more clear space…to fill with more trash bags, LMAO. But honestly, I am super proud of how much we’ve accomplished over the past couple weeks. So many moments of “why do I still have this?!?” but it’s all good.

I do wish my brain didn’t need a deadline to handle things like this, but it’s been the kick in the ass I needed. Granted, there is still a lot of bins and boxes and whatnot that have just been neatly stacked against a wall or whatever, but things are clearing out. Hell, even in my bedroom, I can look around and think about how I want to rearrange the furniture, which I will grudgingly admit is nice!

But when it’s done and I can relax (9 days to appraisal!) – I am still going to make a very conscious effort to visit one room, every damn day, and pick up a box or container or whatever, and leisurely go through it and figure what should go where or out the door.

And for today, I’ve got my comfy pants on, my headphones are charged, the Myths & Legends podcast is at the ready, and I’m having a quick cheese & cracker snack to fuel up a bit without giving myself a food coma.

Enjoy the game and the concert or just a quiet Sunday.

* Weird how it’s more expensive than the last time I used them in…2006.

And on the house front, things are going really well in prep for the appraisal! All that is left upstairs is the office, dining room & parlor. My brother has done a hell of a job on the basement and just asked that I go through some stuff in the laundry area, and then we’ll work together on rearranging shit in the “workshop” area.

And the fact that I’ve gotten so much done is a minor miracle, cause work has been a total shitshow this week. I am still working on the The Thing and I am this close to calling in an old priest and a young priest. My peeps in Makati were working last night and tried to call for a special build, but no sign of it this morning – because I suspect no one has even seen the request ticket, which is understandable, cause it was Friday night at 8:30PM. (And we don’t do automatic builds over the weekend anymore cause they kept crashing due to other maintenance happening.) So, my plan for checking some things this morning has pretty much gone out the window – which is fine by me, it is the weekend, we shouldn’t be doing this, and these deadlines that land on a Friday or Monday need to go out the fucking window.

And I am totally out of it this morning – woke up a bit after 7, cause, IDK, I just did. Absentmindedly gave Lily one of her special packet snacks for breakfast instead of her proper breakfast. (She loved it!) Got to Starbucks and realized that I had not actually put in the mobile order, LOL. So, it may be for the best that I’m not trying to do work things that require brainpower today.

And after my dental cleaning yesterday, I have a scratchy spot at the back of my throat. It could just be nothing more than a scratchy spot, I was cleaning a lot yesterday and this house is dusty AF, and plague symptoms don’t usually show up in less than 24 hours – but I swear to god, if those fuckers gave me Covid, I am gonna put a boot so far up someone’s ass they’re gonna taste leather. (I have an alarm set for my followup test next week, which I will move up if this scratchiness doesn’t go away.)

But in the meantime, I’ve got cough drops and we’re gonna stop this little cycle of “irritation causes cough which causes irritation which causes cough.” And I’m gonna remember to throw on my N95 as I go through the office rather than sit there and inhale dust all morning.

Welp, time to go get the comfy pants on and load up a podcast and get shit done. I can highly recommend Rachel Maddow’s “Ultra” (history doesn’t repeat, but holy shit does it rhyme) and Rabia Chaudry’s “The Hidden Djinn” (spooky but not scary) – and I’m almost done with The Hidden Djinn, so I am gonna have to find something new soon.

You have a fantastic day!