Randomness

I have been trapped in my house for over a month and I HATE IT! There is no public transportation here. At all! I need to go to the laundromat! The Blazer has been waiting for a repair appointment 04/20. A brake line is cracked and leaking and a gas line is cracked and leaking. It’s a 2000. Just normal wear and tear at that age. My wife has been driving my Buick multiple, numerous times back and forth to just this side of the IN border to take her Dad and brother to the divorce attorney and Zoom court appointments at his office in Chicago, as well as to all her Dad’s numerous doctor appointments. This leaves me with nothing safe to drive. I have doctor appointments to make and I can’t make them until my wife has the Blazer repaired. (Why are we waiting over a month for a repair appointment? Because he is our go-to mechanic, he loves us because we give him tons of referrals, his prices are reasonable, and we usually get discounts.)

The shit has really hit the fan with my father-in-law. He’s in the process of divorcing his horrible wife.

He was a passenger in a serious accident with my brother-in-law driving his clown car. Yeah, I can call it that, it’s a Chevy Trax…CLOWN CAR! I can also say this because the car that t-boned them was a Buick Enclave. Damage to the Buick? A little piece of the grill broke off. That’s it! Thank you God! So glad I bought a Buick Enclave! This confirms I made a safe choice. The clown car spun several times and popped up on the median. It was totaled. I’m tired of listening to my brother-in-law’s insistence that he will buy another Trax. When he talks about his totaled Trax it’s like it’s he’s talking about the death of his best friend. Maybe I’m the only one with this opinion, but if I’m in a car accident and sustained serious injuries, I’m going to rethink my next car purchase and get something bigger and safer. Maybe it’s just me?

My father-in-law was hospitalized for nearly a month because he had 7 broken ribs and a lacerated liver. He’s 79 years old, he’s not going to recover quickly.

Now on to the divorce. My father-in-law’s divorce can’t be soon enough from his soon to be Ex-wife/psycho. She is constantly antagonizing him. She comes home from work, in through the back door screaming, then slamming kitchen cabinets for 45 minutes. Who does that? She stands over him screaming for him to get out. (Until the order of protection, he could have stayed in the house until the divorce was final.) I stopped going there because she started yelling at me “Lola! Why don’t you like me?” with a fake southern drawl. (I can imitate it perfectly. It cracks up my wife.) I left out the back door, not answering her (because I don’t have to), and went as fast as I could to my car, got in, locked the doors. She chased me!!! Then proceeded to repeatedly scream at me “Why don’t you like me?”. 

On Christmas Day she made a big deal out of making sure my brother-in-law was upstairs for the gift opening. She gave him an envelope with an eviction notice (not a legal one, some relative typed it up and it wasn’t filed with the court). But all her relatives there for Christmas dinner saw what happened and laughed at him.

She also later served him with 2 not quite legal eviction notices. Not quite legal because she served him with 30 day notices. Not quite legal because in Cook County an eviction notice can’t be for less than 60 days (rollover from Covid that hasn’t changed or expired). She therefore violated his rights twice, 3 times if you count the fake eviction notice.

Her next trick was filing an order of protection against my father-in-law. If anyone should have done that it should have been my father-in-law for elder abuse. He lost in court Wednesday and had to leave the house that same day. My wife had to find him a cheap weekly rate hotel. (Severe cat allergies, can’t live with us and no other siblings would step up.) The hotel is near us, so once the moving into storage finishes today we will no longer have to drive to almost the IN border to the psycho’s house. My wife is going to try to get him into a senior living place for low income. This is not a quick process. Please pray for him. 🙏🏻 

The eviction is moot now, because my brother-in-law is required to leave today per the judge from his Dad’s order of protection. Still, he must go to court to have it withdrawn, because if he does nothing, the eviction will be approved in his absence. He will then have an eviction notice on a background check. It will affect his ability to get a job, get an apartment, and it will wreck his credit. How do I know all this? I went down the Google rabbit hole Wednesday after my wife told me about her Dad’s court loss..

I want my Buick back and I just want to DRIVE!

I’ve experienced not having a car for over a year. I wasn’t irritable and distraught like I am now because back then I lived in Chicago and could walk out of my house at the time, walk to the corner and catch a bus. There is no public transportation here. 😭

Lola’s Diner © 2008-2023

Sunday Stealing-You Tube

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!

This came from a YouTube entry 

that no longer exists.

1. Working on anything exciting lately? I haven’t been able to do anything because of what’s been going on with my wife’s family. Her Dad is getting divorced from his evil, vindictive wife. The repeated phone calls from my wife’s Dad and brother are multiple times a day. There has been so much going on. My wife has had to take him to all of his many medical appointments. Last week we went down to 1 car because my wife’s car needs a brake line and gas line repaired. Our mechanic is swamped, so we wait. Meanwhile I’m trapped at home a lot, or at my daughter’s if I can get my wife to drop me off. I can’t start anything, and I’m constantly on edge because I have to hear about all the calls.

2. What was the highlight of the day today? My wife had words with her Dad’s evil wife. We tried to leave before she got home but failed. We went over to help them pack.

3. What is your favorite thing to do on the weekends? Saturday mornings we meet our couple friends for breakfast. We used to do it on a weekday, but because of all the drama, it’s been Saturdays. After our breakfast I like to go to my daughter’s to teach her my Mom’s recipes. Last month we made sauce (not gravy, my Mom’s family came from a different part of Italy). I froze it. It was for lasagna which we still haven’t been able to do. Sundays are my hang around the house and do nothing. I stay home, watch tv, and read. No leaving the house. It’s really hard to do, but I’ve successfully managed my Sunday plan since my 2nd bout of Covid.

4. What are your favorite restaurants? I find it hard to pick favorites because of the astronomical rise in prices at restaurants around us. If I had to pick, I’d say the Mexican restaurant near us.

5. Do you follow any sports? Baseball (Cubs), Football (da Bears). I occasionally watch hockey but have yet to understand the game, though I want to.

6. What is your biggest fear? Pass.

7. What is your biggest regret? Ever marrying my kid’s father. I should say sperm donor. He’s not a father when he lies to my son and tells him he wasn’t wanted and he wished he was never born. My son was ABSOLUTELY wanted by me and I definitely am so very happy he was born. Every time I hear one of my 2 special needs kids have talked to their father it makes me cry. I will be going back to court the next time I find out he’s been making contact with my kids. Yes, I call them MY KIDS because I am there for them 100%. Their father who lives less than an hour from us hasn’t seen them since a couple years before the pandemic.

8. When you were growing up, what was your dream job? Becoming an Accountant. Dream came true.

9. Do you say ‘sherbet’ or ‘sherbert’? I say ‘sherbert’.

10. Have you ever had a paranormal experience? A couple times at night I’ve seen a figure at the top of my stairs. Others who have stayed with us in between living arrangements have also seen it.

11. What is your favorite food at a cocktail party? Can’t say I’ve ever been to a cocktail party.

12. Who is a book character most like you? I wouldn’t say 1 character is most like me, but I’ve seen myself in several characters.

13. Do you read reviews before you go to movies?? ABSOLUTELY! It’s too expensive to not look at the reviews.

14. How do you feel about cilantro? I like it.

15. Have you ever cried in public? Who hasn’t? Funerals, car crashes, much more I can’t think of at the moment.

Lola’s Diner © 2008-2023

Sunday Stealing-Pinterest

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! intelligent questions. Cheers

1. When did you last sing to yourself? Today. If I’m in my car I guarantee I will be singing.

2. If you’re male, would you ever rock black nail polish? if you’re female, would you ever rock really really short hair? I already have really, really short hair. I think the shortest I’ve ever had. Stylist started at the back of my head with electric clippers. (Not gonna lie, I was freaking out with flashbacks from my worst ever haircut.) Usually the electric clippers are used at the end to clean up the back of my neck. Got it last week, I like it. 

3. What is the greatest accomplishment of your life? My children. 

4. What is the first happy memory that comes to mind, recent or otherwise? Pass. Today has been rough. Maybe I’ll come back and answer.

5. If you knew that in one year you would die suddenly, would you change anything about the way you are now living? Pass.

6. Do you have a bucket list? if so, what are the top three things? No.

7. How do you feel about tattoos and piercings? Nothing wrong with them.

8. Do you feel you had a happy childhood? Relatively happy overall. It’s rough as a kid being overweight. I think that’s still true now. Probably worse now.

8. When did you last cry in front of another person? Today.

9. Who in the world would you most like to receive a letter from and what would you want it to say? Can’t think of anything.

10. What is your night time routine? Tv on for background noise, meds, Amazon Fire in my hand. I read every day. Ever do the Kindle Reading Challenge? You can start anytime. I finished 2022 in the top 3% of people that participated.

11. When was your last 3am conversation with someone, and who were they to you? Probably my spouse. 

12. If you were about to die, and you could only say one more sentence to one person, what would you say and to whom? Pass. Enough with the death questions.

13. What is your opinion on brown eyes? Brown eyes are great. I have them. If you really look at peoples eyes there are big variations in brown eyes, some have gold flecks in them.

14. Pick a quote and describe what it means to you personally. Pass.

15. What would you title the autobiography of your life so far? Pass.

Lola’s Diner © 2008-2023

Sunday Stealing- High School

Hi! Your 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 the question meme

1. You are  back in high school... what are you doing after school lately? Senior year, driving to my part time job. I worked until 10pm.

2. Do you do homework early or late? Do you really study? Mostly early. I’d get what I could done in study hall. The rest at work when it slowed down at work after 8pm. I studied for the classes I needed to.

3. a, Do you go to the games? Football? Basketball.. what is your favorite to attend? I went to a few homecoming games. No basketball.

 b. Do you go to the dances? Prom? (what'd you wear?) I went to one dance in junior high. I wore a flannel shirt, jeans and Nike sneakers…what most of the girls wore to school everyday. It was our unofficial uniform in the ‘70’s.

4.Lunch!  What are we having today?   What is your favorite lunch? Today? BLT. I usually don’t eat lunch, but I have Covid for the 2nd time, so I haven’t left the 2nd floor since Sunday. So I’m not out and about like I usually am. I’m also at the mercy of my spouse and my son. Usually my son gears up with a mask and a gaiter and sometimes gloves to deliver meals. He usually hangs out +6 feet between us to watch television.

5. What kind of music do you like the best? Classic rock.

6. Does the radio play in your car and if so what station or kind of music plays?  Does music play in your home often? Yes. I have SiriusXM radio in my car. 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, Pop Rock, Classic Rock and about 3 similar channels. I also have a jazz channel saved for when I need to chill. I also played the jazz channel when I was bringing my cat Irish to the vet. It seemed to calm her. I miss her. Now my cat Maddux is sneezing. I’m praying it’s nothing, but I did spend about 20 minutes with him the day I went to the doctor, other than that I have isolated myself from the two cats.

7. What do you think of the music played in restaurants or stores? Do you find it relaxing or annoying? I don’t mind it. Funny story…several years ago my spouse and I went to Kmart during their closing sale. TLC’s “Wannabe” came on over the speakers so my spouse and I started singing. Next thing you know there’s a woman with a toddler in her cart nearby and she starts singing with us…(her first line was “so tell me what you want what you really really want). She sang the entire rest of the song with us, then disappeared  like it was a dream. Most fun I ever had in a Kmart.

https://youtu.be/gJLIiF15wjQ

8. What part has music played in your life? What kind of music played at your wedding or at parties you have been to? I always listen in the car. Much to my kid’s’ embarrassment, I sing along in the car. At stop lights I’ve also been known to car dance or do an air drum solo. It’s so much fun watching them try to pull their jackets over their heads to hide from cars passing by us.

9. Is the farm for you? How about a ranch, a village or a city? Which is your choice and why? Not really a farm fan. Those ranches on “Yellowstone” look pretty good. I lived in Chicago 17 years, so I’m over the big city thing. Probably a nice house on the outskirts of town with lots of space between houses, and a nicely equipped SheShed or barn for chillin’ or crafting.

10. A short auto trip for the weekend with friends or a long vacation? Where would you go? Weekend trip or a few days during the week. Probably go back to WI, hit some favorite spots. Might see my sister if she can fit us into her busy (not really) schedule. I haven’t done long vacations since before my car accident when we’d go camping for a week. Can’t really afford a long vacation, but if we could, maybe glamping or spend longer on a trip to WI. Last trip was 3 days, 2 nights and it was much more enjoyable than 2 days and 1 night. We got to relax the first night. So much better.

11. The quiet life at home with a cuppa and TV or  a good book or a night out with friends? Which sounds good today? I guess I’m really old cuz we meetup with friends for breakfast. Really missing that while I’m on quarantine because I have Covid for the 2nd time. The city I live in now has only ONE bar and surrounding cities have maybe a few more. NOTHING like where I grew up near Milwaukee where there was a bar on every corner outside of the residential areas. Now when I’m the passenger I find myself counting bars in surrounding cities. (I’m Irish…what can I say?) It’s really odd having no nightlife. There is none unless you count Cooper’s Hawk and although I like wine, that place is out of my budget. I also like to go to my daughter’s apartment and drink lattes and watch tv.

12. You have a choice of  dinner and a movie or a game of cards and snacks at the neighbors. Where are you going tonight? Dinner and a movie at home or at my daughter’s apartment. NOTHING with the neighbors. None of them are social with any other neighbors. I only know 1 neighbor and that’s because he’s my handyman for things my spouse and I can’t handle (which is a lot now.) He got my riding mower fixed this summer, but then ended up mowing my front and side yards most of the time.

13. Is there a hero or character on TV, in a book or a movie .. or even on all three, that you are especially like? What do you find attractive about them? Maybe the 2 female actresses in “Bound”. Jennifer Tilly and Gina Gershon.

14.  Was there a book that was better in movie form? How about a movie you thought didn't live up to the book? I really enjoyed 11/22/63, both the book and the movie. I enjoyed the book more because it went into greater detail. I did feel that James Franco was an excellent choice for the main character in the series. I heard it was going to continue, but then they said it was unlikely even though Stephen King had an idea on how to continue. 11/22/63 the book was better than the movie, as was Under The Dome. Both Stephen King.

15. When you choose a book, program or movie which subject it is most likely to be: science fiction, mystery, romance, comedy, documentary, etc.?     What draws you to a particular book or movie? Romance, Romcom, documentary not necessarily in that order.

Lola’s Diner © 2008-2023

Sunday Stealing-Queen of Memes

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 the Queen Of Memes

 

1. What do men really want in a woman? I’m the wrong person to ask considering I’m a lesbian.

2. Should marijuana be legalized? It’s been in Illinois for several years. Both medical and recreational. I have a medical card.

3. Why did the cow jump over the moon? To get to the other side? No wait…that’s the chicken crossing the road.

4. What do women really want in a man? Again, the wrong person to ask, my being a lesbian. However, I could use a plumber, electrician, roofer, and hvac guy, so I have my checklists for each.

5. When you are having a really good day, what usually makes it good? Spending time with my family. My wife, my son that lives with us, and my daughter who lives less than 2 miles from us. When everyone is getting along it’s wonderful.

6. What can make your good day turn into a bad day? Lately it’s been the sh*t storm that’s been going on with my in-laws. Divorce, orders of protection, eavesdropping devices. That hit all weekend, every day. I really don’t want to hear anymore of it.

7. If you could "start from scratch" and turn back the clock for a re-do, what would you re-do? I’ve said it many times, divorce my exhb AFTER I had my son (my second child) and move far away. 

8. Do you make a list when you go grocery shopping? I’m really twisted…I have several shopping lists. One for Sam’s Club, 2 for Meijer (in Notes and in the app). I keep a running list in notes •••in front of something means I need to buy it. ‘ in front of something means I already bought it.

9. Do you buy more groceries when you're hungry? No, but my blood sugar is usually low and I end up buying something to eat before I leave the parking lot. Depending on the store we could be there 3-4 hours. 

10. Coupons. Use 'em? I clip coupons in the store app and iBotta.

11. Have you ever complained to the manager of your grocery store? Yes. It’s one of the many reasons why we are going to be shopping at that chain in a city a little further away. Tired of pallets full of merchandise in the aisles, tired of bare shelves, tired of nasty produce…I could go on. The manager over there is a lier and a cheapskate. If you are offering a gift card because of a lousy shopping experience, you can cough up more than $10.

12. Do you like to buy groceries at huge chain stores like WalMart? Or do you shop exclusively at food stores? I don’t like Walmart. 2 near me pulled nearly all non-food merchandise off the website so people can’t Christmas shop online and pickup. The store nearest me had ONE item in the Big Mens category. I’m pretty sure if I drive over there that section will be packed. 

13. What do you typically have for lunch? I’m bad. I nearly always skip lunch.

14. If you work outside your home, do you pack your lunch? I’m retired, but when I did work, I brought a can of soup, raw veggies, and my Crockpot Lunch Warmer to heat the soup while I worked. No stove and only 1 microwave oven for at least 30 people.

15. Tell us about your last lunch date and what made it special. It was more brunch. It starts out breakfast at 10am and goes til 1:30/2pm. We have an older couple who befriended my wife at her last job. We meet several times a month. It’s my only social time outside of my family.

Lola’s Diner © 2008-2022

Sunday Stealing-Staying up late

NOTICE!!!!!  Bev's computer is dead and she has no way to create new Sunday Stealings.  I am guest hosting until she is back online. ~Kwizgiver

 

Hi! I'm your host Bev Sykes of the blog "Funny the World". . Welcome to Sunday Stealing.  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. 

1. Do you have any Pepto-Bismol in your house? No. I can’t even recall the last time I had it in my house.
2. Do you have a favorite flavor of vodka? I prefer vodka flavored vodka. I don’t get why all these flavors are needed. Back in the day when I discovered flavored schnapps I thought anything beyond peach was ridiculous.
3. Is your backyard big enough to fit a trampoline? I could probably fit 4-5 trampolines in my backyard and 2-3 in my side yard.
4. When was the last time you had eggs? I wish I could say today. I’ve been craving them, it’s been several weeks because I have Covid and I’ve been having smoothies to get my vitamins because I can’t take vitamins in pill form.
5. How often do you blow dry your hair, and what color is your blow dryer? I don’t have enough hair to need a hair dryer. My hair is cut very short, so towel drying for a minute takes care of it.
6. Have you ever gone to bed later than three AM? Quite often.
7. Have you been to a surprise party before? Yes. The most recent was my own.
8. What is your least favorite month? June. Not much going on in June.
9. Have you ever gone to see a movie the day it came out? I have in the distant past, but I try not to. I haven’t been to the movies since before the pandemic. That was for a special showing of “The Big Lebowski” at Hollywood Blvd movie theatre. Some of the streaming services I have show movies that are in theaters at no extra cost. Since I have Covid and can’t leave the house, that works for me. I think this weekend we are watching the new Jurassic Park movie after we binge watch the earlier ones.
10. Do you like movies/books about drugs, and why or why not? Movies I don’t mind. They let you see how people wreck their lives. I prefer other genres of books.
11. Do you have scrap paper by your computer desk? I most likely do.
12. Have you ever kept a bag from a store because you liked it? Yes. I’m pretty sure I have a few Bloomingdale’s bags from when I worked on the 17th floor at 900 N Michigan. I shopped the clearance sales on my lunch if I was bored or needed a gift.
13. Was the last thing you drank carbonated? Caffeine Free Diet Coke.
14. Do you own any yellow clothing? I can’t think of any.
15. Last person you argued with? Could be any or all of my family members. All but 1 of us have Covid and we’re super cranky.

Lola’s Diner © 2008-2022

Sunday Stealing-From Danielle Selander

Hi! Our host is Bev Sykes of the blog "Funny the World". . Welcome to Sunday Stealing.  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 Danielle Selander

 1. If you could live in a house shaped like anything what would it be? It would be a mansion. Not sure of the shape. It would be a typical mansion with several roof peaks.
2. What do you think is in outer space? It’s outta site.
3. Where is the most wonderful place you’ve ever been?Key West, FL. I with I could take a vacation there.
4. If you were invisible for a day, what would you do? I would people watch complete strangers. If I were to watch people I know that would be like eavesdropping. And what if it was people you know and they were naked and/or seeing someone bending the woman over a barrel and showing her the fifty states. Seeing strangers do that rather than people you know. I don’t think I could look them in the eye, and if one or both mentions some part of that scene. I would need to leave at that point because I would laugh hysterically.
5. What is the worst smell in the world? Baby #2. 
6. If you could, what animal would you be? A bear. Wouldn’t it be nice to hibernate?
7. What is the greatest thing ever invented? Indoor plumbing.
8. What is your favorite word? Why? Clearance. 😂😂😂😂 I think it speaks for itself.
9. Who is someone in history that you’d like to be friends with? Why? Pass.
10. If your pet could talk, what would it say? Get off MY chair! I’m tired of picking human hair from it.
11. Were there dinosaurs on Noah’s ark? Wouldn’t they have to be? 
12. What makes you cry? Just about anything.
13. Have you ever played a joke on someone? What was it? I worked at an insurance company for awhile. We all had cubicles. We’d chat through them or eavesdrop.  A coworker, Catherine, was SUPER OCD. The coworker between her and I, Megan, would fill me in on anything I missed. We’d take turns making paperclip chains (Catherine hated that). When Catherine went on vacation I had a really good prank. Every day I would move every single thing on her desk about an eighth of an inch to the right. Nothing was out of place, just moved with everything else on her desk so everything was the same distance from each other. The day she came back we all waited with anticipation to see what she did. After everyone stopped by, welcomed her back, and chatted about her vacation she was alone in her cube. Megan could not wait. Catherine kept wheeling her desk chair back, looking around her cube. This went on for over an hour. Catherine was completely discombobulated. She knew something was different/wrong, but she couldn’t figure it out. Finally a group of us went to her cube and Megan told Catherine what had been done. 
14. What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to do? Go through losing both my parents in my twenties. Being the oldest it was my responsibility to make the funeral arrangements. When my Mom died he brought me with him so I would know the process and be able to make his funeral arrangements. June 17th was the 37th anniversary of her death. 
15. What is the most important appliance in your house? Dishwasher. We’ve had one for years. It’s waiting until we gave the money for an electrician. My life would be so much less stressful.

Lola’s Diner © 2008-2022