So much to do

I am so happy to be home, but there is a lot to do. 

We are here until next Thursday when we get in the car and go to NY. All the puzzle pieces are coming into play but a couple of them fell on the floor. And we're bending over, picking them up, dusting them off, putting them in place. 

One big problem was our Air BnB. Our host was so gracious and worked with us when we had to cancel with 2 weeks to spare in October when the church informed us that Columbus Day weekend was a holiday weekend for the church (why didn't you tell us that when we booked the funeral? Weeks and weeks ago?) Okay so cool, the dude was kind but could not give us a refund. 

We rebooked with him, so happy. So wonderful. So kind and loving. Thank you. 

He reached out to me two weeks ago to let me know they had a horrible storm, and part of his roof was destroyed. He had to cancel us, cancel the booking the week before us, cancel the week after us, and may have to cancel up to Memorial Day. There are no available contractors (seems to be the case everywhere where there aren't people to do things, like mechanics and trades people all over) to come fix his roof. 

Uhhhhhh. Okay. May I please have my money back. He told me he cannot give me a refund. He was gracious to me in October 2023. I needed to be gracious to him. I get it. He said we get five days "any other time of the year, your choice." I wondered when the hell am I going to need an Air BnB for 6 and a dog in the future? 

I'll find a time. We'll take a vacation to Long Island. We'll have fun. 

In the meantime, thank God I have a credit card with 22k on it and can just plop down a ton of cash on a nearby to our destination hotel. We could have stayed at a less expensive place further out. There is a semi-not horrible place west of our destination that we've stayed at before but all the hallways smell like the chlorine or pool solution. I didn't enjoy that. So I didn't want to go there. 

Doug thinks I used points, but for some reason, this hotel wouldn't use the points so, fuck it. I earn 10 more nights on my points program with this hotel chain. I'll take it. 

Housing for my family of four - solved. 

Now, for the dog. 

When we booked that Air BnB the host was all in on Phineas. He took a little more convincing on Toffee because of her breed (of course). But she was welcome after all. 

She's not welcome at any hotel I looked at. Size limitation and breed limitation. Nope. 

I had hoped to bring her with us and just have a friend on LI babysit her while we're at the funeral and everything. We'd keep her handy all the rest of the days. She'd meet Linda's pupper. They'd become best friends forever. 

Now, I have to figure out what to do with her. 

Someone at work had told me they love dogsitting! They don't have a dog in their apartment, and their family lives so far away, they miss their dog! I asked them if they wanted to sit, and initially they said yes but. Hmmm. Something suddenly came up. 

I literally have no other friends in this area who maybe could do it. I have no idea what to do. 

We could board her, but, I'm so terrified she'll feel abandoned. Ya know? At least, if she's here in our house, she's got her family things and the couch! The BED! The TV! The WINDOW THAT OVERLOOKS HER DOMAIN! 

Shit, y'all ... 

I asked in our work Slack pets channel if anyone was free, and so far no takers. 

I don't want to just drop her off at some stranger pet-sitter, I don't know what their other dogs are like, how she'll react? I don't want to feel badly if there's an incident. 

I'm sitting here thinking about it and wow, if I still lived in Massachusetts, I'd have dozens of friends who could host her! 

Ugh. So ... send up some prayers that ya girl figures something out there for the best beastie. 

I have to rewrite dad's obituary today to get it to the funeral home in NY to get it in the one local paper that doesn't charge an arm and a leg for running the obit. 

We got our car fixed, so that's a bonus. Both cars are good to roll anywhere. 

Jess has their plan set up for bringing Grandma to NY. That's buttoned up. 

Linda is making the prayer cards for the funeral. She sent me the comps. The funeral home has a service but their cards are cheesy and awful. I do not want them. So she found a place online to do them, and is working them up today. 

Linda was also in charge of the mercy meal (aka the "after party" for Bart Funeral Two, Electric Boogaloo). That's falling into place.

I know I'm not accounting for something else. I'll think of it. 

In the meantime, I went outside after a meeting this morning and just had to breathe and touch grass. Our yard is GREEN and LUSH and all the vines and the wildness is starting to OVERGROW everywhere. It's hot out - well, hotter than what I'm used to. MA/NH in April is in the lower 60s most days but it is 78 here. It's a little much. 

I feel like I skipped spring yet again and went straight to summer. 

Doug had brought home some garden things that a neighbor was throwing out, little trellises, whirly gigs (one works, one does not) and a lizard that needs a wicked nice spraypaint job and detail work. I'm up for the task. Can't wait to do some before and after shots of it!

I'm ready to go buy our outdoor plants. I'm ready for him to weed whack the patio. I'm ready for everything to be outside and set up. In time for it to be 90 degrees every day until October, right? 

Thinking of my dad tonight, looking at pictures for the prayer card. Still loving how funny this one is. 

Digits down below. 

exercise: 12/12 hours of 250 steps, dedicated 22 min walk (yay). 7100+ steps by bedtime

blood glucose:

8:30am: 191
5:30pm: 154
10pm: 181

food:

coffee/water 
10:30am: PBJ, full sugar J because there was no other choice. full carb bread. 
11:00am: Metformin
6pm: ham, green beans, mac & cheese
6:30pm: metformin+jardiance
4 chocolate chip cookies that geoff made while I was away, white wine