It's All About Me

I took my network issues/solution to Reddit - the home networking sub and learned from and active and helpful group, that my little router is going to work fine. But then, last night, I had an even better thought - I can patch my Eero into the new router and maybe even get more benefits.

The main thing is that so far, it appears everything is working like I want and with no lag time. Speed tests show that the network speed is pitiful BUT (and this is a big but) TV seems fine and computing seems fine. Alexa is happy and the price is right. I'm going to make myself wait a week to cancel Xfinity but I'm not sure why. If I change my mind, I'm sure they'd be happy to get my business again.

COVID is wafting through here again. Sigh. My volleyball buddy, Holly, has it and one of Myrna's friends has it and once you mention one person, everyone else knows someone else. At least no one seems to be suffering much more than isolationism.

This morning would have been a perfect morning to swim. No sun. But, did I go to the pool? No, I did not. I am a lazy old lady. Volleyball tomorrow.

I am getting a glare through my door in the afternoons now and want some kind of shade/blind there. Yesterday I got a paper shade which kind of works for now $15. But, when my ship comes in (tax hit isn't as bad as I expect, cousin's inheritance sends more $ or the condo sells), I'm going to get a nice, tension shade that I can put up in Summer and put away in winter. I have a 'Ship Comes In' list and it's on it.

I'm heading out today. To UPS for returns and Safeway or QFC for a couple of staples and a couple of meals.

The last few switches and plugs were the most tedious to move to new networks but all done now. My internal cat cameras didn't want to use an unsecured network so I made a hotspot with my spare phone and ran them through that.

The big, fancy, Echo speaker is giving me fits. The little cheap one was not a problem. I'm going to hold off on the big one until I unplug the router so then, when it won't auto connect.

The last egg to drop is the printer. It's not excited about changing networks. But tough cookie. I'm going to wait until after house cleaners for that little adventure.

The H&R preparer called. She wanted to make an appointment for me to come in and go over everything.

Oh, are you finished?
Almost!
Well, why don't we wait until you are finished...

I did let her know that I was getting pretty stressed about how long it was taking and how in the dark I am about what she is doing or not doing. She said it would be done this week.

I think she's in cahoots with SteveTheLawyer.

It dawned on me (not as quickly as I would have liked) that I do not have to wait a year to kill Xfinity. doh.

So I started moving stuff. The TV, the washing machine, the litter box, the bed, one of the Nest cams... So far, so good. The printer did not want to play but I can work around that.

Looking at my Eero router's list, I still need to transfer:

all my smart plugs (fortunately, they are all the same kind so it's just lather, rinse, repeat)
my 3 smart stitches
my tablets
my 4 wyze cams
my other Nest cam
Alexa

But those are really all small potatoes.

On my Eero's list is also two Motorola devices. I have no idea what they are or even what they could be!

My current plan is to get everything moved over and then unplug the router and see what happens. If all goes well, then I'll call Xfinity and bank $20 every month.

So far, in the kitchen alone, this morning I have found an electrical outlet that has died and my fridge and freezer are lights out.

I fired up the Timber Ridge app and submitted two work orders. Neither issue is critical and I'm just grateful, my piece of the fix is done. The work orders even have a place to let them know to come on in and fix even if I'm not home. Sooooo easy.

I'd love to hear from the tax lady today. I'd love to hear from SteveTheLawyer today.

I did do the laundry yesterday so today is drugs. I have six pill organizers and each holds two weeks. (I am not a fan of this chore so like to spread out the doings.)

I take:

AREDS 2
Vitamin D
Coq 10
Losartan
Metoprolol
Rosuvastatin

So today, I'll fill up the organizers and be good til mid-June.

And then clothes. I have a bunch of generic pants - black and blue. But I have a lot of different tops. The problem is, I have a fair number of those tops that I really don't like. They itch or they are too warm or they are ugly or they don't have pockets. Or I just don't like them. I think I'd rather wear the same thing over and over than wear shit I don't like. So.

Today I'm going through the closet and culling out what I don't like. I'll fold them nicely and put them in storage. And decide later if the plan was a good one.

I have tablets everywhere. One in the bathroom, two in the bedroom, one in the kitchen and one on a shelf in the living room that I rarely fire up. Each has a cover. All are very old. None are even young enough for updates. And now their covers are shedding. I keep finding bits of cover on me from when I flipped one open and it shed. I suppose at some point they will shed all the sheddable bits (mainly the edges). I saw someone with a tablet yesterday that had the same cover as one of mine only her cover was bright and shiny and new. Mine is drab and dull and shedding. For some reason this just tickles me.

And speaking of technology. I'm working on an experiment. We get free wifi here. And it's pretty darned good wifi, too. I also pay Xfinity for wifi. My current Xfinity deal is $20 a month for lots o' speed. Which I don't really think I need. In October my $20 a month deal will end. And I'm considering just canceling and living off Timber Ridge. Yesterday, I switched networks for my washing machine. Next up will be the Litter Robot and then the Nest cameras and then Alexa and finally, the TV's. It's luxurious to have the option. Once I get everything on Timber Ridge's network and it's all running fine, I'll tell Xfinity buh bye.

Ok. I need to tidy up the kitchen in case my work order rises to the top of the list today.

This unit is 311 and mine is 413 so this is just below me and over one - same-ish view. But many, they gutted and redid this place and it looks stellar. It's been on the market 3 days, I'd love for it to have a bidding war and go for a massive bundle. AKA I need comps :)

In other news I think I might have a little bit of a UTI. Lots of peeing, not so much pee. BUT otherwise I'm fine. (And Fitbit has all of my usual health measurements in the 'normal for me' range.) The last time I had a UTI was a few years ago. Just this time of year, actually. I had just had my annual physical and my doctor's office called and told me to go pick up a prescription for antibiotics for my UTI. ???? What UTI, I asked. He said I had one and I took his antibiotics but then it happened the next year and I said nope. I told him I'd reconsider at the first symptom. Never had one til now.

But, some googling says I might can kick it by drowning it with water so I've been guzzling H2O all day. If it won't get drowned, I'll go to Plan B - GoodRXCare. Cheap and easy and probably a simple trip to the pharmacy.

Elbow Coffee was lovely this morning. About half the usual crew was missing and the conversation didn't get hijacked by anyone. Myrna and I bullied Joan into picking a new puzzle. I got it started this afternoon. It's a 500 piece so it won't take too long. I didn't want to force a 1000 piece on them right away. I don't want to lose fellow puzzlers. I'm trying to save the volleyball puzzle for my birthday but I might not make it.

The Mariner game is on TV and they are not losing! This is lovely.

I did go out. My first stop was at Virgina Mason Clinic Offices. They are the only ones in Issaquah who take my insurance and have PCP's although, as I was told on the phone, none of their Issaquah PCP's are taking new clients. My plan was to ask if they had a waiting list and get myself on it.

I talked to a very nice dude who listened patiently and then told me they had a new PCP coming online in the next few months!!! Since I can't do squat til September that suits me fine. He got me all set up as a patient so that if I have an acute issue or something I need to see a doctor about, I can go ahead and see one there even without a PCP yet. Oh, and did I want to set up an online account? You bet your sweet stethoscope, I do!

I'm not crystal on how I connect up with the new doctor but at least now I can monitor (their doctor search is way better than Humana's. And, I've got an 'in'.

But, wait, there's more!! The health services department here promised me a list of local doctors but never sent it. So I sent an email yesterday to the admin asking again. She replied today with the list which is not to helpful BUT she said "I wanted to let you know that we are planning on bringing in a new visiting PCP at Timber Ridge very soon." So I shot her back a note asking to be put on the list or make a list and put me at the top. I don't know if this visiting PCP is approved by my insurance but I don't care. I'll change insurance.

So... it looks like one way or another the Giant Primary Care Physician Phestuche may well have a happy ending.

And my tires all have the appropriate air. And my meds are filled for another 90 days. The Costco pharmacy lady asked me "do you want all the paperwork or would you like me to shred it?" WHAT???? Each drug comes with a tree of useless paper. I hate it and always have. PLEASE please shred it and thank you so much for asking!!!

And I got bacon and butter (to counteract the medication which fixes cholesterol and blood pressure issues).

And then I got a beef soft taco at Taco Time.

I do not have an ample bosom. Actually you could triple the size of my boobs and still only get ample-adjacent. But, still, I manage to land food on them every day. I ate my taco and then got a second helping off my chest. Geesh.

Today's Mariners game is on TV and it will be mostly the main players instead of trying out all the wannabe's should be fun.

One of the smartest things I did in setting up this apartment was something I did not do. In the bedroom, there is no place to toss stuff except the bed. So everything must be put away before bedtime. There's a couple of ottomans which would work except they are placed on the other side of the bed from the door so not at all handy.

The closet is spacious and has empty shelves so stuff can go there in an emergency but mostly everything needs to be put where it belongs and now having lived here for 4+ months, I can tell you it's working nicely. I love going to sleep and waking up in a tidy space.

Also, that reminds me that my trial is up. Had I elected to leave Timber Ridge before March 1, I could have. No harm, no foul and gotten all my money back. But that window has snapped shut. I r here.

When I first got here, I learned that there was a podiatrist I could see here for free. I have had problems with my feet all my life. They are flatter than a pancake. Plus my shins were hurting, my one toe was a mess and the skin on them was uggy. The podiatrist told me to never ever go without arch supports and to never go barefoot again. She said the skin problems were athlete's foot and she fixed the toe (weird nail issue).

My feet have honestly never ever been in this good a shape. They never hurt any more. I no longer get foot cramps. It's fucking amazing. I still have to rub in cream to fight the athlete's foot but it's way better.

The shin issues turned out to be a pinched nerve in my shin according to the physical therapist. And finally, now, after four months, it's nearly healed. It still bothers me sometimes at night - wakes me up. But, really that's it. 97%. Unbelievable. I was sure it would never heal. Whew.

Volleyball was ok today. Not fab but not bad. I did wear my new suit and it was perfect. I'm glad I got two.

Depending on when my zipper gets here from Amazon, I might finish up the robe today. The puzzle might also be finished today. But that's it for plans.

Turns out, that since we had our little chat this morning, I now have to wait six fucking months for a new appointment or my insurance won't cover. Why he would charge for his office's fuck up, is not even worth pursuing. I now have an appointment - which I have no plans on keeping - for September. The office person said she would send in the prescriptions which will cover me for a year. Can is now kicked down the road. I'll be pursuing other options...

So I did some puzzling and found some good pieces and calmed myself a bit... puzzling in the elbow is perfect for this.

When I got back here I literally had this thought - 'since this day already sucks, why don't I try and call SteveTheLawyer'.

So I did. And, shockingly, he answered. Even tho he knew it was me!!! He was very apologetic and I was as nice as I could be (actually nicer - I surprised myself). He said he would have a report by the end of the week and a distribution of more $$ by the end of the month.

I know both of these are fiction but next week, I'll call again. At least I know he's not dead. And I have a plan.

My fabric, thread, and zipper all arrived so I'm going to make my new pool robe today. My kitchen island is sewing heaven.

My house is clean. Dinner is ordered and I'll go fetch it at 5. All is cool.

I did get a response from the H&R Block lady. She said that she has a friend in Ohio who knows how to use the odd form and she's working on it. Encouraging... I guess.

I sent a note to the lawyer/trustee of my cousin's estate. It's been six months since his last contact (in which he made several promises to produce stuff 'soon' and other stuff 'by the end of the month'). I asked if he was ok, alive, still the trustee. Apparently we can sue him at the two year mark which will be this Summer. (This according to the lawyer, Samthefriend - who is co-inheriter, hired.) Ugly. Be so much better (and cheaper) if he'd just do the job.

Holy crapoly. I just got an email from xfinity saying they had doubled my internet speed. Yeah right. Except, I checked and they did! Not doubled by pretty freakin' close. And the Timber Ridge wifi is faster, too! Hate to look a gift horse but I'd really rather have had free Roots Sports so I could get the Mariners for free.

The poor Mariners have won like 2 of their 20 spring training games. They are using a whole bunch of players who will be going to the minor leagues but still ... everyone does that and everyone is beating the shit out of us. Opening day is in 2 weeks.

Tomorrow morning is my annual physical except it will not be physical. It's a video appointment. Should be very interesting.

I must just look stupid or slow. I'm so tired of people repeating everything they say to me and/or assuming that I am understanding none of it. I get it. I heard you the first time. Move Fucking On! I haven't got that many more years to go and zero to waste listening to you repeat everything a baskicllion times!

Whew.

I'm still not sure why we can't do all these eye tests at the same time but now I have to go back for more. The macular degeneration is holding its own and is no worse, so yeah. BUT, my ocular nerve walls are thin. Couldn't be my ass, now, could it?? I mean if I got to pick which part of me to be thin, ocular nerve walls would be way way way down on the list.

According to her explanation which I got to hear multiple times, this could mean either the beginnings of glaucoma OR it could mean that I have thin ocular nerve walls. IF glaucoma, it is important to treat as soon as possible. Laser or drops. If I have thin walls, we just declare victory and make a date to meet again next year.

The next test will tell. Next week. At least her office is VERY easy to get to. Very.