An Unsettling Day

I spent 4 hours, 3 different time, doing a Live Chat on the computer with 3 different Comcast technicians.  My phone hasn't worked in 2 days (3 now), and I called at 9:00 am, he said he refreshed it and it would be fixed in 30 minutes.  I got busy and at 4:00 pm when I noticed it still didn't work, contacted them again.  That tech, activated Tel 2 on the modem--the phone was plugged into Tel 1 and he deactivated that one.  Then he called me.  The phone worked until he hung up!  So at 7:30, I contacted them again and after doing all of the above---again, even though I told him it had all been done, he decided I needed a HUMAN tech to come out and fix it---which will occur at 8:15 am in the morning.  Personally, I think I need a new modem, but we shall see what this guy things.

I really like doing the live chat on the computer.  It is much easier to under their typing than their spoken accent!!  HAH.  (I know, I'm a racist.)

Plus, yesterday, I decided that I needed to swap out my summer clothes for the fall/winter ones and since, that means I would be emptying my bedroom closet, I decided to drain and flush the water heater--that resides in a little closet of its own--in the back of the bedroom clothes closet.  I know--weird, but that is the way most of these homes are made.

Of course, I had the instructions typed and printed out and taped to the removable door to the water heater cubby, so it was pretty straight forward.  Of course, the water supply shut-off valve was a bit rusty and didn't want to turn.  NOTHING is ever as simple as it seems when doing home maintenance--NEVER.  I wanted to spray the shut-off valve with WD-40, but.....it's flammable and I have a gas heater and yes, it was turned to pilot, but still................

I just took a big, thick bath towel, held it over the area where the gas flame is and sprayed a couple of quick sprays of WD-40 upwards onto the valve--waved the fumes away, took off the towel and waited for 15 minutes for the WD to work.  Success and no explosion.  You know--I am terrified of gas!

Got the incoming water shut off, the hose in place, snaking out the back door, opened the drain plug and sat down to wait while the heater emptied out.

Just then Pearl arrived and I didn't get back to the heater for an hour.

Finally got it all done.  Took the hose back out to the shed and the wooden floor in there felt kind of
"givey"  I have all my plastic storage tubs on the west side of the shed floor.  I pulled back a couple and...........................OMGosh.  The floor was rotted under them.  I pulled back the rest and this sight greeted me:

Dear Lord!  Does it ever end?  One thing after another.  I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN that the plastic storage boxes would hold moisture UNDER them.  

When the kids helped me move all this stuff out of my rented storage unit, I just had them stack the boxes in the shed.  It was three months after Fred died and two months before my hip surgery.  I hurt physically and was foggy mentally, but I probably still wouldn't have thought about it.  

I laid that 2x4 across the rotted places and have asked my BIL to bring me two more when he comes down to cut off my hedges.  Right now, I am just letting it dry out.

You know what?  I wonder if this is the culprit?

That planter is on the west side of the shed.  Although there is no dirt directly ON the shed, it is an independent landscaping timber planter.  It has been there since 2007, but....................

No, I think it is just the plastic storage tubs holding moisture underneath, on the wooden floor.

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This morning I had my "recall"--second look mammograms and ultra sound.  I had to get up at 7:00am.  Can you believe--7:00am, to be awake, alive and alert to get there at 8:30am.

"Everything off from the waist up.  Put on the gown, open in the front.  Put your clothes in the cupboard and bring your purse with you."

Short 5'4" x-ray tech trying to heft up my 5' 11", DD's, onto the tray.  Mash--breathe.

Second shot, a side view, different tray on top.  Mash, ouch, breathe.

Third shot, another side view, much smaller tray on top, with cone shaped thingie on top of that.  Mash--mash--mash--"Yikes"--breathe. 

"Sorry...that last once really pinches, I know.  Are you okay."

"Fine", I say in a rather high voice.

"I will take these to the doctor to look at.  Please go back to the waiting room and I will come and get you for the ultra sound."

Wander back down the hall--trying not to hold my poor boob--it is aching, with sharp little pains radiating up.  Perhaps the "masher" has ruptured the cyst and it is trying it's best to assimilate all its fluid back into my boob?

Lean elbow on chair arm, rest forehead on hand and try for a quick nap. 

She's back.  "You can get dressed and go home now."

"Don't I get an ultra sound."

"There is nothing there. Nothing to see.   Nothing to ultra sound."

"Okay. thank you so much."

<"told you so," I whisper under my breath as I get dressed and walk out>

My sister says, "Now they have really good pictures and next year, if something shows up in the same place, they can compare and know it is nothing."

So--why don't they use the extra-special mammogram at your yearly?  It would save time.  I am the 9th woman I know who has had to go for "recall" in the last 5 months!  Perhaps Medicare pays better if you get to have TWO mammograms?

It's a wonder all the damn Roentgen's going in your body and the masher injuring your boob cells, we don't have MORE tumors!!!

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 I get home and look down and.....

As you can see, I have moles and Seborrheic Keratinitis all over my chest and breasts. 

They NOW stick these cute little "reinforcements" things all over me.  I changed my clothes and peeled off 5!!!  Don't they look like those reinforcements we used to use on the paper in our three-ring notebooks?  GEEZ!!

They didn't hurt as much as peeling off a forgotten EKG lead sticky thingie, but....GEEZ!

Took two Advil to calm down my poor boob, watched my Soap, did a load of jeans and then outside to tackle the front garden.

Trying to figure out how to tame the rude Rudbeckia from spreading out ALL OVER this little garden.  This garden is filled with spring bulbs (tulips, daffodils, grape hyacinth) and Iris and Lilies and what once was a small plant of Rudbeckia=Black Eyed Susan==Rebecca as Pearl calls it.  

They are ALL over the garden, where they don't belong.  Cutting it back without it loosing its seeds all over is quite a chore.  I will move some of it over to the garden by the porch and move some of the pink Coneflowers from the porch garden over to the end of this garden. 

I was sitting in my blue chair, bending over and cutting off the plants and Merle walked up.  

I have felt a bit uneasy being alone around him lately.  He came by one day and saw me carrying in groceries, offered to help, and then wanted a hug when he left.  No big deal?  He wanted a very, tight, because he is so much shorter then me, boobs up by his chin, kind of hug.

Today he asks what I'm doing and I said, "Playing the piano,"

"Oh.  ha."

Then, big mistake, I told him about my shed floor and he wanted to take a look.  No big deal...any other time.

We go out and look and then stand outside the shed discussing. and....

"Did everything turn out all right this morning?  Pearl said you had to go back for another mammogram."

"Yes.  There is nothing wrong.  I am fine."

"Good.  Wouldn't want anything to be wrong with those pretties."

<what?>

I quickly turn to start walking back to the front of my lot.  We discuss the best way to cut back my hedge.

"How's Pearl today?"

"She's fine.  Mean as ever."

"She is not mean...and if she is, it's because she has to put up with you."  haha

"Ya."

Thank you God--it is starting to sprinkle.

"I gotta pick this stuff up and put it on the porch."

"You need me to help?"

"Naw.  I can get it.  You better get home before you get wet."

"I like being wet. Not from rain though."

<what?>

"See ya later." as I grab stuff and start for the porch.

"Take care of those pretties."  and off he walks.

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In the first place, what it is with men and their fascination with boobs?  Do they remember their mother's smiling, lovingly down at them while they nursed?  Do they want to return to the breast?

In the second place, what is it with men who get all stupid and try and act sexy and flirt?  This is NOT the first time this has happened with a FRIEND'S husband!"

In the third place, what is it with OLD men who act stupid and say things and flirt and act like they do?  I have seen that from another neighbor, a few years ago.  Most of them are impotent.  Do they think we are going to restore their youthful potency?

GEEZ!!! 

I really don't like men.  They make me nervous!!

Decision--if I ever DO have breast cancer, I am getting a double mastectomy and then NO ONE will comment on my "pretties", which, trust me, aren't pretty at all!!!

Very unsettling!!

or, perhaps I misinterpreted?

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I ran up to the Subway place because, I am out of food and my Social Security doesn't come in until tomorrow and I had one Subway gift card left.  I didn't really feel like a sub so I asked the kid if he could make a Spicy Italian salad.  Sure!

Man, was it good!!!  Huge.  Probably serve 6 people if they had it as a side dish.  I will get three meals out of it!

Almost as good as an Antipasto salad!

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BTW:

The sidewalks and extra parking pad are in across the street.  

I gotta get to bed.  Have to be up at 7:00am again, so I'm awake, alive and alert when the Comcast doodah arrives.  Although, it has been kind of nice with no phone.  No "anonymous" or "unknown" callers :-)