The Trials and Tribulations of a Wiccan Girl

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Timber Ridge is nestled into a hillside in a range of hills at the base of mountains (hence the name). So we don't get much in the way of windstorms directly. BUT our utilities are apparently located in a trailer park. The first gust and down they go! Last night, though, they mostly hung on. We had flickering electricity around 8 and 9. I don't know about cable TV cause I wasn't watching it. At 1:30, I was awake to pee and so were the gusts. Bam. Nothing. Sooooooo quiet. For really no more than a minute.

The microwave clock got it and Alexa did - my two Alexa bulbs flew on brightly as did my three emergency lights. I told Alexa to kill the lights and she did one. I just put on my eye mask and went back to sleep. This morning I had to go around to the emergency lights and turn them off. They plug into outlets and, turns out, they work REALLY well!

So volleyball was all 'did your microwave clock die?' And as each person joined we had to have the same conversation over and over again and several times since it's hard to hear in the pool and they can't hear that well anyway.

This morning the landscapers are back with all manner of bushes and shrubbery.

The food and beverage meeting yesterday was exceedingly tedious. But I managed to get through it without insulting anyone, I hope. They all think I'm great because I volunteered to be the secretary and take the notes on my magic tablet.

Today was Shot #8. End of box #2. I have box #3 ready and waiting in the fridge. I have my video apt with my Dr. in 3 weeks. And then I'll get box #4.

Tomorrow I have an appointment with the foot guy to get another cortisone shot. For some reason that escapes me now, I made the appointment for 7:50 in the morning. Which is fine, just a weird time and a bit early even for me.

Today I might do some puzzling but mostly I think I'll just hang here and avoid people as much as I can. I might order dinner - reports are that the lasagna is excellent and the portion give great leftovers so I'll order up some of that.

The $16 obdii reader came. It took a little over a minute to install it and that includes time out for an OH FUCK when I broke a fingernail at the quick getting the little door cover down. Anyway, another 30 seconds was killed trying to read it and learning it wanted the ignition on. Fine. Turned on the ignition and learned that it's two P2440 codes dealing with the air system.

I came upstairs and internetted and quickly learned this is a known issue with smart cars. The first 3 different reportings - two on Reddit and one on the Smart Car USA forum - noted they drove around with the error code for a year or more before they solved it finally.

My new gadget offers me the option to Clear Codes which I will do next time I turn the car on.

For now, I'm done. I'll report it next time I get the oil changed which will be about August. By that time I should be over being pissed at the car people.

The car. To recap. Saturday, engine light came on. I went to the fix it place's website and started making an appointment to get the error read. Abandoned and figured I'd just pop in this week. Monday I got a text saying they saw I had abandoned and could they help. I texted back my plan to pop in. The response was 'fine'. Turns out that was a lie. I popped in and the not-at-all-helpful dude allowed as how they were way too busy and would need an appointment and the first one was next week. I went home and texted 'nice of you to mislead me.' The response was 'if you want an appointment Monday, I can hook you up.' I did not respond because I couldn't decide between fuck you and fuck you very much.

On my way home from that place, I pulled into the auto parts place to pick up an OBDII reader. In my mind I kind of had the parts place guy coming out to my car with his reader but they looked very busy so I sat in their parking lot and ordered one for $16 from Amazon. It will be here today. And at least I will know if my car is falling apart.

I spent some time yesterday knitting up a teddy bear but by the time I got to his neck, I was done. He's too big. So now I have some other ideas in my head to try out.

Today we have the food and beverage pre-meeting which will be short, I'm guessing and painless, I'm hoping.

I need to change my bed linen and wash it. Today.

TV. Prime has a new Scarpetta series. It starts Nicole Kidman who has always annoyed the fuck out of me. Plus it's based on books written by a woman I actually knew way back before she became a celebrity author. She was a PIA in those days and I have always assumed she is just a bigger, higher paid one now. So, I have to admit, I'm not crushed that the reviews say the series sucks. Will I watch the first episode anyway? Of course I will!

But I watched the first episode of ABC's RJ Decker and it was quite engaging.

Christian and I had a great visit and then he took me up to the unit he's working on. It's a very large unit - 1800 square feet. The woman who recently moved out was the first tenant when it was built 17 years ago. They tore it back really to the studs and it's a hot mess now. It's like a jungle of half walls and studs. It's just way too big and also claustrophobic. Also my view is way better. I was so glad to walk back into my little apartment after seeing that one. He has his work cut out for him.

He's also doing the unit of another guy here moving in next week. This guy is in his 80's driving up from Florida having all his shit shipped. He's paying Christian to get it all in and arranged in the unit. The guy has never laid eyes on Timber Ridge! He has a son living on Orcus Island which is about a 2 hour drive and then 40 minute ferry ride up the road. Closer than Florida.

One thing Christian said yesterday made me look again at parking for our baseball games in June. (He actually said that there was no fucking way we should bring a car near the stadium but that's neither here nor there.) I had looked at parking apps before, including Spot Hero, and the closest spaces available were not close at all. BUT last night, Spot Hero had spots in the football stadium garage - across the street from the baseball stadium - and I was able to secure a spot for all three games. Only $25 per game which, honestly, I think is a steal. It's going to be a bitch getting into the garage and getting out but, hey, I won't be driving - that's what I have my brother and his son for.

It is the same weekend as the World Cup so it's going to be a mad house and, honestly, I'm not even sure I believe Spot Hero. But the money is paid and we are set. I hope. The local news/internets are whipping up a gynormous frenzy about these games and the people coming to down in 2 and a half months.

Biggie's driving me nuts. He's not happy with my typing on the computer so it must be time for me to get up and do something else.