Thursday morning

 I slept OK but woke up at 3 am.  I had some water, put a glass of water in the fridge (could NEVER do that with Ron alive!) and went back to bed.  Hit the snooze a few times, woke up, 3 cats in the bed.  Gave Cleo a kiss, got up, fed everyone.  

I sicced my aunt on the property tax exemption I am sure she will figure it out, she was a CPA.  I used the nice rose scented towelette to wash my face this morning so everything smells like roses.  Not overpowering though, just a nice light fragrance.  It is good for my skin too.  

I really prefer to take my shower at night and then wash my face in the morning, good to go for work once I do my hair.  I cooked some rice which I will pair with some beans (for lunch) and pulled pork (I found it in the freezer) for dinner.  I still need to "do up" the lunches though.  It shouldn't take long.  

I had high hopes I would eliminate the starchy mess when I rinsed my rice but either it didn't work, or I didn't rinse long enough.  So I will rinse longer next time.  I also got a new brand of rice so hopefully that will help.  It is grown in the US but tailored to Latinos it even has a recipe on it in Spanish.  I gathered enough it has long grain rice and that's all that really matters.  

It doesn't matter if I rinse it because I take a multi vitamin.  I need to get another bottle, by the way, I got into my reserve last night doing up my pills.  That's one thing I don't want to keep very long: vitamins, because they do lose potency.  I also need to put my evening pills into my lunch bag.  I really prefer to take my pills at my lunch/dinner break even though they make me thirsty.  

And I got a nice assortment of lunch snacks so I can enjoy those this week.  It won't be a hard week; I have 2 longer days tonight and tomorrow, then three, 4 hour shifts which will only be long due to transit.  I have enough bonus money I may be able to get a ride home from work on Monday afternoon.  I will have to see how the budget goes.  When I am in lean mode working my usual shift I only do a ride Thursday night, Friday night, and Saturday morning (because I have such a short turn around I end up taking more of a nap Friday night and then getting up early Saturday, taking a cab gives me another couple hours).  So I will see.  

Today the big goal is to get $250 moved to savings - and that is one thing a lot of people don't get when I tell them the house is paid - I still have to pay taxes and insurance, which adds up.  So I need to do that and get my "ride" money, plus maybe $40 in spending cash, out of my checking account.  I may take out more cash on Monday so I can buy a meat lover pizza for the fence guys.  I have yet to meet a guy does manual labor say no to a meatlover pizza.  Get a 6 pack of cokes, put some waters in the fridge, and get some powerades and we are good to go.  I believe in being a good host, that was always important to Ron too.  

Growing up my adoptive mother always had a huge thanksgiving party every year with a monster turkey, all the sides, several female relatives come in to help, a whole table of pies for dessert, etc. so that's what I consider being a good host.  Did I have parties?  No, never, but when someone comes by to do work I'm going to feed him and get him some drinks.  The paint and drywall guys wouldn't take any food (I tried!) but the helper would take Bangs and Monsters so I kept him supplied.  

It is funny at Thanksgiving even great grandmother got in on it and made her famous yeast rolls.  No one could make them like her.  My Mom picked up the trick though and does make them now even though she has gluten issues.  Dad always liked the cream pie, that was his highlight.  I always liked the ham and some dark meat with that sugar-shock sweet potato casserole, with the butter, brown sugar, and marshmallows.  

My aunt does a pretty big spread too and her son always deep fries a turkey.  That is pretty good.  This year I will stay home though and figure out my own dinner.  They have a big event downtown called "Super feast" for people like me but I am so paranoid about food safety.  I do trust my aunt, though.  I don't know if the store will be open, either.  I think it will be pretty quiet if they do open.  Probably not worth it so 50% odds they close it.  

I talked to my aunt last night, I think evening is a better time to talk to her.  She is doing well getting rid of those termites.  The grandkids are good.  So are the parents.  She says she is coming down in June and will make a point to see me one day, which is great.  I just need to find out which day so I can ask for it off.  I am sure they will give it to me I don't ask for much.  And it is pretty easy to put in a time off request.  

I just loaded my app, it is telling me about Walmart plus.  Which is fine, but I tried to sign up for it from home and it said I had to be at work on the personnel computer.  When I am at work I am working not sitting around in personnel.  So that is kind of useless.  I have a long employee number I don't think anyone's going to get it and impersonate me.  And I don't want to download anything on my phone, the timeclock/price checker app is bad enough.  

And the customers have figured out all employees are price checkers now and bring armloads of merchandise to us, have me check, and then dump 9/10 of it at my feet and walk off.  I prefer the old price checker.  

But it's not "my" store like the vending business so I have to adjust, and I do.  

On a totally unrelated note I have seen a lot of spiders in here.  I am not sure what is going on with that, overall I don't have an issue with spiders unless it is one of these: Wolf spider  I freaked out pretty good when I saw one of those.  

I got it, though.  Living with a blind man I had to grow some brass balls.  Came in handy after he died I just dealt with problems like I always had.  

I am going to get ready, will be back.   All set.  I have to run by the bank before work but that won't take long.  I got my cuddles from Cleo this morning, Spotty while I was doing my God time and getting dressed, Biscuit has been around but not super cuddly.  

I am still figuring out how to feed them the days I am gone a while.  When I'm home I don't mind feeding them 3-4 smaller meals all adds up to about a half cup each per day.  When I'm gone they get hungry when I'm at work so I feel like I have to give them a bigger meal when I leave.  I just hate to feel like I'm starving them; Ron was the same way and one reason we have such big cats.  So I will give them their portion when I leave and hope they are happy with that when I'm working.  

It is funny I tried feeding them at night but they wouldn't have it, ate everything and still wanted breakfast.  I will figure it out.  

I need to figure out my last minute stuff before I head out the door.  That's it for now.