Busy, busy day

Today was a full day and I was running on half my typical sleep - 3 hours instead of at least 6. Sigh. I don't know why exactly I couldn't sleep. But that's ok. More awake time is more time to get things accomplished. I find I accomplish little while I am sleeping...

Got up way too early and stayed up, working on a couple of blog posts. One eventually got posted - the other - about Trust - may never see the light of day. We shall see. After that, the day started in ernest. Lunch for mom and me, then I moved a few boxes and some furniture around. I achieved my major goal for the alcove in the study - I got pa's portrait re-hung. Yay! I also started pulling out boxes that contain only mom stuff that aren't getting sorted this go 'round - mostly boxes filled with mom's teaching stuff - and put them aside for later delivery to the attic.

While brushing my teeth, I had a realization that I really need to do some more cleaning before my house guest arrives on Friday! Eeek! My bathroom has seen cleaner days. And the two bedrooms she gets to choose from could do with some work. Sigh. None of that got done today. But the realization was there - so some of it might get done tomorrow.

After lunch, I headed out to run errands and do the laundry. First stop, Protective Services Office in downtown Geneva. Mom's handicapped parking permit was set to expire at the end of the month. What an easy, no hassle thing to get renewed! Stopped in, the person behind the window asked me a couple of questions and presto! another five years have been added! Huzzuh!

Next stop, the hardware store. My Handy wants to be at it again. A couple of years ago we had the back entryway replastered. The work was never finished - the contractor had another job, left and never returned. The good thing is he never charged us for the work. The bad thing is, well, the work was unfinished. One of the things that didn't get done was the replacement of a hook that allowed a screen door to be secured in an open position. I didn't find the hook easily when I went to look for it and it isn't like we go through that door a bazillion times a day. More like once a month or so. Still, on the occasions we do go through there, and the door needs to remain open, it would be nice to have the hook back. So I decided to bite the bullet and find a hook and fix it. Hence the trip to the hardware store. A hook was easily found and I plan on fixing the dang thing today! Yay!

Onwards to the library. Mom wanted some books - eeek - that she had been looking for in the house but hadn't found. Big surprise there. The books in the house are getting more and more shuffled around. I really need to get them organized, but it is pretty far down on my list. I also feel a bit of trepidation around books from the library after one went missing for a long time - the library forgave the fine, but it was scary! I don't like losing things in general and I especially don't like losing something that is someone else's. We shall see what happens with these.

Last stop, for the time being, was laundry. I had three baskets full. Lots of sheets. And clothes of course. While laundry was laundering, I took my leave of the laundromat and headed to Staples to turn in recycle printer cartridges! Margaret was there and helped me - and told me she was engaged - nice ring! Sigh. I think she is great. She even took a typewriter ribbon cassette thing and credited me for it!

Laundry done, zipped home, hoping for a little nap of maybe half an hour - at least that is what I imagined. Mom volunteered (ish) to help fold. I was sitting in my room, getting ready to lie down when I heard mom coming down the hall at a rapid (ish) pace and then some weird plopping sounds and then clear vomiting sounds. Poor mom!! She was not a happy camper. I don't know if it was the coleslaw or what - maybe just the heat of the room at the head of the stairs combined with having to do so much twisting to fold the laundry. She just got sick. Luckily, most of it went in the toilet. Still, there went my half hour nap. And I think I need to go back to the laundry again. I really want a washing machine in the house. Maybe that will be my capital investment next time we have a windfall. If there is a next time for a windfall. The dryer has probably died, but I won't know until I get brave enough to walk around the corner in the basement and check. A dreaded (and easy) task for another day.

So, no nap. Instead, it was off to the grocery store to get a chicken and some other necessities - like fiber bars, a sweet potato and soda water. I needed to cook in a shortened manner - as I was heading to Ithaca after dinner. On the way out of Wegman's I ran into Cassie who works at The Leaf. The Leaf is currently on hiatus for a week or so. We chatted for a longish while. Sweet person - very chatty! Got home, cooked up the sweet potato, heated up leftover vegetables and divvied up the chicken. Not a bad dinner - and quick and easy. Watched the rest of the news with mom and then set her up for the evening - she loves NCIS for some reason. And then I headed to Ithaca.

A friend there suggested a waffle place. I don't think it has been open long - at least I don't remember it from my last visit - which was, hmm, last summer perhaps? Yummy waffle, good conversation. Who could want anything more? Well, I could, but...I got to listen to my book - Water for Elephants - while driving in both directions. Yay.

Got home, puttered around on the computer, watched an episode of Doctor Who (with Peter Davison - the most lackluster doctor ever!)(With three of the weirdest companions ever) before closing my eyes and forgetting the world. Yay sleep!