A very busy long weekend

My daughter signs her apartment list today. Everything remains to be a clusterfork. No one at the agency knows where her Link card is, and no one will release her SS money to her. How is she supposed to buy food and furnish her apartment? After I picked up my daughter we went to public aid and at least got the card balance. They claim we’d have to call the 800 number to get a new card. The SS money in my daughter’s account should be given to her and the agency should change the payee to my daughter. Yet here we sit with no way to pay the rent and deposit. The agency claims they will cut the checks. Whateves! I’ll be so happy when she is moved in and she is given control of her finances. If she doesn’t get the link card, how is she supposed to buy food? If we order a new card it will take weeks.

Good news! Got the Blazer back last night! It cost 1/3 what we thought it was gonna be! The Blazer was in the shop since we bought it May 19th. Our mechanic has been super busy. I think we got the "I've made them wait a ridonkulously long time discount." People who work and have only 1 car got moved to the front of the line, which is fine. Still needs another repair, but it's not expensive. Have to go transfer title and registration and get plates today. That should be fun.

Maria signs the lease at 2pm, so plenty of time.

It appears there is a “SURPRISE” birthday party for me on Saturday, so no moving will get done Saturday because it’s at my father-in-law’s house. I don’t know why I was told, and frankly, I don’t understand it. I have no friends in the “real world”, my sister is recovering from surgery (but her husband wouldn’t let her drive this far if she were 100% healed.). I don’t see any of my wife’s friends attending because the are out of town. And I’ll tell you what! Anastasia better not be invited because I’m tired of her telling me what to do regarding my son. Not only that, my father-in-law thinks she’s wonderful. That must be why she cheated and left me, right? So tomorrow I will put on my best game face and deal with it. At least they are probably serving Atomic Cake. In WI it was just called cake with strawberry and banana between the layers and whipped cream frosting.

My son’s new psychiatrist wants him to take a very expensive ADHD test (not covered by insurance). It’s 2 part. The first part no medication. After that he will be given Adderal. Not comfortable with that. I know he has many of the symptoms of ADHD, but I am not on board with the adderal. I wish I knew someone who went through this who could advise me, let me know of better alternatives. My mechanic suggested CBD. He has friends who have used it with great results. Sure, let’s have my son blaze up with me. Wtf? Last night I checked the dispensary and found all of the CBD extracts and tinctures are all also very high in THC. Nope, that’s not a solution. A tobacco store my wife frequents has quality CBD products, but I’ve only ever seen Flower/Bud. That stuff works great for pain. Going to need an appointment with my son’s PCP and ask him his thoughts on whether my son has ADHD, and if so, what’s the best treatment plan. I think the ADHD diagnosis is accurate, I’m just not comfortable with adderal.

My wife thinks we should be moving all the “smalls” today (boxes, bags, hampers). We have my brother-in-law and their Dad’s pickup truck. I say move the big stuff with the truck and put the smalls in the Blazer and Buick. Makes sense, right? We have no idea when he and the truck will be available again.

Ugh! Calgon take me away!

Lola’s Diner © 2008-2021

Good News + Catfishing

The good news: After I had to get involved emailing  the Director and cc the Asst Director of the group home agency Sunday night, I suddenly received an email Monday morning containing  the income information for my daughter’s lease, and they emailed it to the apartment property manager. I coached my daughter to call the appropriate people at the office when the property manager called her to ask for this information July 2nd. Today is July 19th. That’s entirely too long to respond to a simple task. I named names of who my daughter spoke with and mentioned my daughter followed up with them early last week. This literally took them minutes to print a copy of my daughter’s benefit letter they had on file.

My daughter has an appointment Friday afternoon to sign the lease, get the rules, and get the keys!!! Woot! Woot! As luck would have it, I found a twin sleigh bed today and will be picking it up tomorrow. It’s used but looks like new from the photo. The price is good too. We will be buying a new mattress and box spring.

My son and I went thrifting to look for some things she needs. Got a copy of the Better Homes And Gardens Cookbook (staff threw away the previous copy I got my daughter during the bed bug debacle, my daughter’s room had no bed bugs but they threw away all her cookbooks). We also got her 2 painted canvases that will go perfectly above her loveseat and they fit with her MCM theme. We almost got a buffet to use as a flat screen tv stand and for storage of movies and players, but it was too heavy and for some reason they will unload your car of donations, but they won’t help you load purchases. Had to pass on it. If my brother-in-law comes over tomorrow as planned, maybe we can stop by and see if it’s still there. It was the perfect color, blonde, to match her MCM coffee and end tables. The tv stands in stores and online are poorly made and expensive, and not as stable as an old piece. I used an extra set of upper kitchen cabinets, and a piece of pine for my 65” because I couldn’t find anything reasonably priced to accommodate that size at the time I got the tv. If we can’t get back for this one, the search will continue.

My daughter is positively giddy! Between moving into the apartments and my birthday being Saturday, she is over the moon! She makes a HUGE deal about birthdays and turns them into month long celebrations. It’s cute.

The bad news:  My son’s former friend, Nathan, the one who dared to sit in my living room playing video games and used gay slurs and commenting on the other guys game play as being gay. He knows I’m a lesbian, but he kept it up so much that my son picked him up and body slammed him, the other guys held him down and explained why what he said was so wrong. I then escorted the turd out my front door and told him to call his mommy to come pick him up because he’s not welcome in my home. The other boys (all of them about 15) were pleasant and very respectful. Well good old Nathan is a major douche bag after attaining the age of 26. He catfished my son. Nathan was setting him up to go on a double date to go see that new Space Jam movie at the theater. I asked my son to bring up the girl’s Facebook page and examined it. (I am automatically suspicious of anything Nathan tries to involve my son in. She had 805 friends, nearly all were older men, mostly from Sweden! I didn’t go through all of them, but I scrolled through a lot and found only 1 woman. ONE! So I had to explain to my son what Nathan did, suggest he block him and not speak to him. My son was bummed about not seeing the movie, so I looked for it on the streaming services and found it on HBO Max, which we get for free. I took my son to the store, got movie candy, sodas, and snacks and I watched it with him.

I pick up my daughter Thursday. If staff doesn’t give her the link card that belongs to her, we will stop at public aid, get a new card and determine what needs to be done so my daughter has link for food. These staff really have to be despicable low life’s to be stealing food money from disabled people.

Lola’s Diner © 2008-2021

Seriously?

I went to the orthopedic doctor today about my knee. The PT place is kicking me to the curb (just the knee, shoulders and back I will continue to have PT). Orthopaedic PA told me I had 3 choices:

1. Continue PT for my knee at home (I will ask for printouts of exercises on my next visit to PT.)

2. A cortisone shot. I can’t tell you how much I despise those shots in any body part. They make the pain worse, so much so that I’m basically incapacitated for days, depending on the body part. And when the pain from the injection stops, I have zero pain relief for whatever body part I had the injection(s) in. They are a waste of time for me. They may work wonderfully for other people, but not me. I’ve had 8 sets for my back, and 2 sets for both shoulders. The ones for the shoulders was in an office visit so there was no anesthesia (no shot or topical anesthetic). The shots were incredibly painful.

3. Surgery to cut the band (LCL) at my hip. It’s incredibly painful surgery and recovery for a very fit young person is 9 months or more. I am not at all fit, nor am I young. So I’ll be doing PT for my knee at home.

On the way home we stopped at Little Caesar’s to pick up dinner. Haven’t had their pizza in years. It seemed different than we remembered. Whateves. I park in their lot, use the app to order, then go in when I get the email. Punch in the code for their fancy contactless pizza warmer, give the food to my son to carry it to the car. Open the tailgate and have him put it back there. I get in the car, push the button to have the seat move to my setting, and go to grab my seatbelt and my left knee gets stuck. Try to move it but can’t. Shift in my seat, move the seat back and try to shift my leg. Each time I try I get that pain sensation that usually comes before it pops. Knee still won’t pop or move, so I grab just behind my knee with both hands and move the knee. LOUD pop, and PAIN, but I got it to move so I could drive home. I knew there would be consequences for not wearing my knee brace! The PA told me the previous visit to stop using it. My PCP tells me I should continue using it because it keeps my knee stabilized. I didn’t wear it to my appointment. 

Go home, eat, then drive to CVS.

When we get home from CVS I go upstairs to change. I walk through the doorway, lose my balance, crash into the computer armoire, try to “right” myself and end up STOMPING on the toes of my left foot. I stomped HARD, because when I tried to “right” myself I lost my balance in the opposite direction. I was wearing my Adidas sneakers which have thick soles, so now I’m icing my swollen toes and will trade off and ice my knee.

I told my wife I want to change my name to Grace.

Tuesday I am taking my wife to visit her brother in the hospital. He is in ICU because his blood sugar was very high Saturday, but he waited until Sunday to go. In all of this particular hospital only 1 person per day is allowed to visit a patient. You can’t tag yourself out and someone else in. Just 1 person because they do a thorough COVID screening. If I drive her all the way out there and find out someone else went to visit him…I will need bail money. I canceled PT, so I could take my wife to see him. It’s also a long drive. 

We are still at 1 car. No word from the mechanic. My insurance billed me for 2 months because I started that policy after they ran statements. I called my agent and was told by staff that I should have been asked to make a payment when I started the policy. I was not asked. Why am I insuring a car I don’t have possession of and is not yet repaired? I canceled the policy. When the mechanic tells me it’s ready I will call to start a policy for it. 

Lola’s Diner © 2008-2021

Sunday Stealing-That’s my answer

Welcome to Sunday Stealing. This feature originated and published on WTIT: The Blog. Here we will steal all types of questions from every corner of the blogosphere. Our promise to you is that we will work hard to find the most interesting and intelligent questions. (Past hosts include: Our first - Judd Corizan, Mr. L, Kwizgiver andBud). Cheers to all of us thieves!

 

 

Stolen from That's My Answer 

1. Do you ever feel completely rested and unrushed
Rested? Never. Unrushed, often, but never on days I have appointments. 

2. If you had to wear all white for the entire day, how long before you spilled something on it?
Probably before I’m completely dressed. 

3. What would you include inside of your emergency kit?
Typical first aid stuff + whiskey. Lol!

4. What’s more fun than a barrel full of monkeys?
A ball pit full of kids…as long as I can just watch and not have to keep track of them.

5. Is it hard for you to let go of certain things, even if you have too many of them?
Yes. Right now I have an excessive number of magazines. I got about a dozen free subscriptions with rewards points from AARP. I need to put them all together in a box and start reading them, then give them to my daughter for crafting.

6. When was the last time you were ready to throw in the proverbial towel? Did you end up letting go, or decided to fight on anyway?
Pass.

7. What is the color of awesome?
Green…money! Lol! 

8. What is your favorite black and white movie?
This is a tough question because I am a big fan of BW movies. Probably “Casablanca”. I’m a big fan of Katherine Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart, Spencer Tracy movies. Btw, I think colorizing BW movies is sacrilegious!

9. If you could describe your mood in a color today, what color would it be?
Right now? Angry red. Today was my 3rd day of 2.5 hours a day PT and EVERYTHING hurts.

10. If you could wish for anything and it would come true, you wish for?
My first thought was to be healed of all these injuries needing PT…back, shoulders, knees. But I would rather have my adult children be 100% mentally healthy, go to college, able to work, live on their own, have normal adult relationships, and have healthy children. It just tears me up what their illness has done to them. 😢😢

11. What are some of the wacky things that you like to do?
For my 50th birthday I bought a lawn sprinkler and ran through it. Had a little party and all but 1 person played along. I turn 60 July 24th. (I still can’t believe it!) I’m trying to think of what to do in a less than 2 weeks. Any ideas?

12. If you could have any author – living or dead – write your biography, who would you choose?
I don’t really know of any authors who write biography’s. I’ve read quite a few, but I don’t think any have been by the same author.

13. If you could be a “fly on the wall” anywhere and at any time in history, where and when would you choose?
Pass.

14.What is the last thing you made from scratch?
Kung Pao Chicken and Char Siu. And they were better than the Chinese restaurant near my house. That was quite awhile ago. With all this PT it’s hard to find the energy and feel ok enough to make something.

15. When we are able to travel again, where would you love to go?
Still would love to go to Vegas, but just don’t have the money for hotel and airfare. We still haven’t had a honeymoon and we will be married 6 years this October. Would also love to go to WI State Fair, but we aren’t comfortable with going this year because of the crowds and the new mutations of Covid-19. Maybe next year if the pandemic is no longer a big concern.

Lola’s Diner © 2008-2021

Sunday Stealing-WATTPAD

4 July 2021

Welcome to Sunday Stealing. This feature originated and published on WTIT: The Blog. Here we will steal all types of questions from every corner of the blogosphere. Our promise to you is that we will work hard to find the most interesting and intelligent questions. (Past hosts include: Our first - Judd Corizan, Mr. L, Kwizgiver and Bud). Cheers to all of us thieves!

 

Stolen from Wattpad

 

 1. 3 things I love:

• My immediate family.

• 
•

2. Last song I listened to:

“Living in America” James Brown.

3. Turn offs:
• Homophobia.
• Hate.
• Liars.

4. What color underwear are you wearing right now?
Blue.

5. How many tattoos do you have?
None.

6. How many piercings do you have?
Two in each ear, all closed.

7. Meaning behind my URL:
Lolasdiner.blogspot.com I wanted a blog to cover all the topics on the Guest Check below. I thought back to the diners and lunch counters of my youth and recalled how there were regulars who sat around drinking coffee and talking about all those topics. There were very few of those diners and lunch counters when I was young. In Milwaukee, WI there were Goldman’s lunch counter, Woolworth’s lunch counter, and George Webb’s and that’s really all I remember. The only one that still exists is George Webb’s, and there are only a few left. You went for breakfast, late night burgers or their famous chili. There was also the donut shop on 27th street and the Dunkin Donuts on Layton Avenue. That particular Dunkin Donuts had their regulars and their coffee chat about topics of the day. When I win the lottery I’d like to own a real diner.

8. What I find attractive in other people.

• A sense of humor.
• Intelligent conversation.
• A great smile that brings a sparkle to their eyes.  

9. Something that’s currently worrying me.
Covid-19 and the new variants that are popping up. My finances. My daughter’s finances. I also worry about the apartment my daughter is supposed to be moving into. Others have already started moving in, but my daughter is still waiting for official approval. I also worry about how she is supposed to afford a bedroom set (twin bed) because the agency claims my daughter’s current one was paid for by the agency and not out of my daughter’s funds. I don’t have the money for it, nor does my daughter. All her other furniture is either my hand me downs, or things I picked up over the last couple of years and stores away.

10. Something that’s constantly on my mind.
My wife and my adult children’s health and welfare.

11. My favorite store.
Meijer is kind of my favorite. It’s got groceries, clothing, shoes, hardware, garden center, just about everything.

12. What I did yesterday.
Thursday I went to physical therapy for 2 hours. Usually 2.5 hours, but I pulled something in my left shoulder when I opened the shower curtain that morning. I can’t and shouldn’t do anything with that shoulder until it calms down. I just got back full range of motion and then I just HAD to open the shower curtain! It’s ridiculous! I’m getting so old! I also went grocery shopping.

13. My favorite blog:
I like all the blogs from the people who participate in Sunday Stealing.

14. Someone I miss:
My parents. Mom passed away in 1984, and Dad in 1990. I really wish my kids would have known them. Yes, I tell my kids stories about them, but it’s just not the same as them being here and giving them hugs and teaching their grandchildren some of the things my parents taught me.

15. Reason why I follow Sunday Stealing:
It’s the only time I have readers for my blog.

Lola’s Diner © 2008-2021

Sunday Stealing-Getting to Know You

 

Hi! Our host is Bev Sykes of the blog "Funny the World". . Welcome to Sunday Stealing. This feature originated and published on WTIT: The Blog. Here we will steal all types of questions from every corner of the blogosphere. Our promise to you is that we will work hard to find the most interesting and intelligent questions. Cheers to all of us thieves!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Stolen from Sign Up Genius

   1. Do you like or dislike surprises? Why or why not? I don’t think I’ve ever been surprised in a good way. I’m the one that surprises for birthdays, surprise gifts, whatever. I don’t get surprises.
   2. In the evening, would you rather play a game, visit a relative, watch a movie, or read? If there was the option to visit a dead relative, I’d pick my Mom. I can’t think of any living relatives I’d want to visit. I usually read, or read and watch a movie. 
   3. Would you rather vacation in Hawaii or Alaska, and why?  Alaska sounds cool.
   4. Would you rather win the lottery or work at the perfect job? And why? Win the lottery. I can’t work, unless those things disappeared as part of the deal. And I just don’t want to deal with nasty people. I’ve had the perfect job, in that I was performing a job I liked. I just never got the salary I deserved or raises.
   5. If you could go back in time, what year would you travel to? 1992.
   6. Aside from necessities, what one thing could you not go a day without? Seeing or talking to my kids. As much as my daughter drives me crazy, I still want to hear from her every day.
   7. How many pairs of shoes do you own? Probably 20 if you count winter boots and sandals.
   8. What would you do if you won the lottery? I actually have a list. (That’s probably why I’m not winning.) 
   9. What form of public transportation do you prefer? (air, boat, train, bus, car, etc.) I liked the METRA train when I took it to work. I actually really prefer driving in general. I love driving.
   10. What's your favorite zoo animal? Penguins.
   11. If you could go back in time to change one thing, what would it be? Not gotten married the first time.
   12. How many pillows do you sleep with? 6.
   13. What's the longest you've gone without sleep (and why)? I think I went 4 days without sleep when my Mom passed away. It was a shock. I lived on coffee, which I never drank before my Mom died.
   14. What's the tallest building you've been to the top in? Probably the John Hancock. I was helping a co-worker at my job do a 2nd job clearing out apartments. Can’t remember what floor it was. 
   15.  What are your hobbies? I don’t have time for hobbies right now. I go to PT 3 days a week for 2.5 hours each visit. Outside of that, I’m recovering from the pain from PT. If I were able bodied and had time and a work area, I’d refinish furniture and paint garden art. In the past I’ve refinished several pieces and even refinished hardwood flooring.

Lola’s Diner © 2008-2021

Sunday Stealing-Love Me Some Surveys

 

Hi! Our host is Bev Sykes of the blog "Funny the World". . Welcome to Sunday Stealing. This feature originated and published on WTIT: The Blog. Here we will steal all types of questions from every corner of the blogosphere. Our promise to you is that we will work hard to find the most interesting and intelligent questions. Cheers to all of us thieves! 

 

Stolen from LoveMeSomeSurveys

 

 

 

1. Ignoring nutrition, could you live off veggies for the rest of your life? I’m sure many might not believe it, but I went vegetarian for 2 years. I also had a health club membership and went 5-6 days a week. I didn’t have a rigorous routine. I did recumbent bike, treadmill, walked laps, and went swimming. It was part of my getting ready to date. I lost quite a bit of weight. Now I want to get on track and work up to going vegetarian, but vegetables and too expensive and I lost some benefits, so unless they return I am stuck with what I can afford. By the way, I refuse to buy the Beyond Meat products. I’ll eat TVP, Boca Burgers, Morning Star anything…fake riblets, fake chicken. 

2. Elaborate on a way you have volunteered? Geek 🚨. I volunteered for Children’s Memorial Telethon and Muscular Dystrophy Telethon when I lived in Milwaukee. I tabulated the pledges along with a couple of my staff, and some other accountants. We had to work quickly when they were getting ready to go to the tote board, so we could get caught up counting the stacks of pledges. I did the Children’s Memorial Telethon several years. Muscular Dystrophy Telethon just once. We had to take bundles of pledges and use an adding machine and attach the tape totals to each bundle. I’m super fast on the adding machine, so I tabulated a lot of pledges. 

3. Can you walk in heels, or do you feel awkward in them? Me? Heels? Are you kidding? I have 2 pairs of pumps that are basically flats. Did I even get the terminology right? I’m not a girly girl, but when I had to dress up for interviews that’s what I wore. Remember clogs in the ‘70’s? I did a face plant the first and last time I wore them in high school.

4. Any TV shows you sit down weekly to watch? There’s not much on now since just about every show is on hiatus for the summer. I watch SNL, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist. I also watch The Connors just to see the train wreck it has become. There are a bunch of series I stream…Flight Attendant, Kim’s Convenience Store, Manifest, Grace & Frankie, and a lot more I can’t think of now.

5. Will you tell someone if there’s something in their teeth? If I notice it I try to discreetly point it out. 

6. Do you ever actually make your bed? Yes.

7. Do you make an effort to eat healthy? I try, but after 9pm I go off the rails. I crave carbs like crazy. I really should eat 3 meals a day with very small portions of carbs, but I’ve been eating 2 meals a day with very little carbs. I think that’s the problem. I’m going overboard at mealtime by severely limiting carbs, which makes me crave them later.

8. What kind of booze did you last take shots of? I really can’t recall because it’s been such a long time ago. I sometimes drink whiskey or bourbon neat, does that count? In my 20’s I’d drink kamikazies, Yukon Jack, schnapps (no longer a fan of ANY schnapps).

9. What’s something you want to purchase next time you’re at the mall? What is a mall? I’d rather shop online…no need for a parking space (my driveway is fine) no need to walk around (bad knees and back and PT 3 times a week for 2.5 hours is plenty), more selection and if I don’t find my size in the store I have to convince the cashier to call other stores and hold what I want, then drive over to the location that has my size. Online I can just try a different store, and on some shopping sites with brick and mortar stores I can check stock before I leave the house. The mall in J Town and OP are scary places.

10. What were you doing at 10:00 this morning? Getting in the car to go to my father-in-law’s to celebrate Father’s Day and my wife did laundry. I didn’t want to go and consequently I kept to myself. My Mom died 37 years ago 06/19. I really wanted to stay home, but my wife vetoed that.

11. What do you miss the most about your past? My parents. 

12. Last time you were really happy? This is a difficult question. I’m not in a good place because of the anniversary of my Mom’s death, and Father’s Day is Sunday. He’s also gone. It’s really hard to ever get to spend time just with my wife because of my adult special needs kids. My son lives with us, so unless we escape for fast food lunch, that’s about it because we don’t like to leave him home alone. It’s not really that I feel he would be unsafe, it’s just that if we go out he gets more depressed when we tell him it’s a date, not a family outing. When we do get to go out, just me and the Mrs, that’s happy time no matter where we go. 

13. Did you get a full 8 hours of sleep last night? Since the car accident in 2016 I never sleep that long. I’m lucky to get 5-6 hours sleep. I don’t nap in the daytime like my wife does. She’s got her sleep flipped to up all night and sleep all day. I keep trying to explain how to correct that (1 day you just stay up all night and the next day and the next day go to bed at a reasonable hour). She has yet to try it. It’s worked for me.

14. Have you spoken to your mother or father today? They are both in heaven.

15. Are you good at filling awkward silences? I guess that would depend on the reason for the awkward silence and the people involved. If it’s a homophobic hater, I have better uses of my time. At my most recent job, all but my new supervisor were haters, so I kept to myself unless I had business to discuss.

Lola’s Diner © 2008-2021