Got a call this morning, Advanced Eye Care is refunding the $25 I was charged for an adjustment to my new glasses that didn’t work very well.

Conversations with the plumber and the sewer line company. We decided to go ahead with the recommended new pipes for the kitchen sink. Doug the plumber came by to fix the bathroom sink stopper. Joe the owner gave us a discount and came by to pick up a check for yesterday.

I stopped off briefly at Remedy to show Andi and Dan the new scanner action. That worked fine but found an issue with the name search.

Helped Ron with his computer.

Ron had an accident.

Don’t remember what else I did today besides eat both good and bad things, watch the news and curse the Trump administration.

It’s getting harder to feel thoroughly clean as I get older. Don’t ask.

Jett and I picked up Major Dix on sale at BigY and a few other groceries. On the way home, stopped at the famous Otto’s Farm Stand and met his 4 yo sister Bea. Brought home a little Basil.

I’d forgotten hummus so did another shop at Wild Oats Market which was busy but the cashiers are fast.

Pruned the lilac and the shadberry. Had lunch on the deck with Jett, Ron stayed in. Shucked corn for dinner, swept the deck.

Finally sent Andi feedback on the hearing aids she gave/lent me. Also sent her a photo of the gorgeous shell hanging that she gave us that we put on the deck.

Ron and I gave the Silver Therapeutics joint a try. Happy to report no ill effects even though it’s been a minute since we last got high. In fact, very pleasant and enjoyable, especially when looking at my gardens.

Saw a FB post that made me think Frank Hewitt may have passed away. Found his obit from last year. It described someone I’ve never met but what the heck, may his memory be a blessing to his family.

Sent today to Advanced Eye Care:

I am one of your patients. After my last exam, I ordered glasses online through my insurance, VSP. When I received the glasses, I thought they needed adjustment.

I made an appointment with Tina for this. She charged me $25 but was unable to adjust the glasses, so I sent them back for replacement.

When I received the new pair, I still had some difficulty with reading. I went to Moulton’s Spectacle Shop in North Adams for help. Peter Moulton checked the glasses against the prescription, assured me that they were made correctly and made some suggestions for helping me to adjust to the new prescription.

He didn’t charge me a penny. I think it’s unprofessional to be charged by your practice for work that someone with no financial interest in my care helped me for free.

After visiting Moulton’s, I stopped for produce and treats at the North Adams Farmers Market, then to Walmart for frozen main meals and other groceries. On the way home, picked up a couple more baked goods at Great Falls in Williamstown then dropped off recyclables at the transfer station.

It started raining around 11 and at one point got heavier, still more pleasant to walk than to drive in.

Mixed a solution of water and fish plant food, fed the vegetables on the deck and in the garden.

Jett and I went across the street for the mail – no leash and he was very good!! I’m thrilled, hope we can do this as a regular “job” for him.

Ron and I got the kitchen window top pane closed after removing a misplaced something or other that was holding it open. Took some prudent malleting to get it done.

No word from the plumbers. Mr. Rooter doesn’t service this area. Paper plates and microwaveable dinners for now. Fine with me.

Plumbers came and after about 3 hours, left without being able to clear the kitchen sink.

They think there’s a giant clog of grease in a pipe that is inaccessible. They described a strange arrangement of pipes that look like a cludged attempt to reroute them, possibly from a septic tank to the sewer line.

I got in touch with two other companies last evening, specialists in clog removal. Haven’t heard anything from yesterday’s plumbers yet about a follow on visit.

Meanwhile, we’re doing dishes in the bathroom sink. Bought paper plates last night.

The plumbers also did not fix the downstairs bathroom sink stopper. They noticed that the shower didn’t have a trap (!), so they added one. They think is the reason the bathroom had a foul smell from time to time.

Pleased to see a red nasturtium blossom yesterday.

Ron and I cleaned the big kitchen window.

Jett left a diarrhea pile in the side yard. I probably gave him too much canned food the day before.

Ron took Jett for a long walk up the hill yesterday. Washed dishes afterwards: admirable.

Ron got a referral to a plumber from our across the street neighbor. New plumber for us; he’s sending someone over tomorrow to help us. Hope this’ll be the start of something long-term.

We made a terrific salad for lunch: two kinds of local(!) lettuce, tomato, olives, radishes, English cuke, balsamic vinegar, EVOO.

Handful of peanuts for supper. Cookies for Ron.

Did a few dishes. Sent a scan of Jett’s renewed rabies certificate to the Town Clerk; she emailed back a nice thank you. Filled out a survey for the library.

More frustration with the Remedy app. One step forward, two back.

$0 electric bill! The mini split has taken good care of us.

It appears to be raining but not much. Pleasant air, seems we’re past the killer heat.

Food Pantry.

Washed two more windows, two to go.

Received refund checks from Berkshire Health Systems, deposited them online to Rockland.

More work on the Remedy app. Found a bug after all these weeks.

Did chair yoga and new exercise routine.

Slept for a bit. Jett kept me company. Ron vacuumed the living room.

Ron had an accident.

Egg salad for lunch. Not much for supper.

Ron asks if we have a plumber’s helper. It doesn’t help. Neither does baking soda and vinegar. We removed the p trap but there was no debris. Left a message for a plumber.

While waiting for baking soda and vinegar to clear the clog, I decide to clean coffee stains off the stairway carpet. The stains have been there for days, maybe over a week, and it has irritated me every time I see them.

Lord, I am sick of “things to do”.

Until now I’ve not understood what Edna St. Vincent Millay meant by “A yellow darkness, sinister of rain” in untitled Sonnet XVII.

Today, though, Canadian wildfire smoke has turned the sky light yellow and almost vanished the mountains.

It’s been overcast most of the day I figured good time to clean the windows since sun can cause them to streak, supposedly.

So I did 10. Ron’s “tiny room”, the big kitchen window and one more in my “office” are for tomorrow.

Fixing the air conditioner in the truck would cost over $1500 so we opted for just an oil change.

After Ron shaved, the stopper in the downstairs bathroom sink became unusable. I don’t know if those things were related; only that I was able to pry up the top enough to unscrew it so at least we can use the sink.

Ron fumed about picking up the truck while I was working on windows, so I ended up wearing sleep/work clothes to K-M since “(He) thought we were going together” and I’d shuffled funds around to pay for the work. Lord forbid Ron should have to write a check (his wallet and debit cards are still missing).

If it turns out that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, I should advise Bonnie to get a divorce before Peter turns 80. Only joking, Peter is not lazy or selfish or lacking common sense (Me: “Can you please push up the top pane?” Ron starts tugging on the bottom because of course he KNOWS and I of course do not.)

He was sarcastic about not stopping at rkMiles on the way to K-M so we could see what time they close (!) I showed him how to use the phone hands-free to find that out…

They didn’t have what he wanted anyway.

I went to a reading by a writers group member who authored her first book. It was well-attended. Didn’t stay for refreshments, which looked terrific. She did an admirable job.

Potato and egg for lunch. Carrot and hummus for supper.

I got up at 5:30, fussing about whether the new plants need water. We’ve been on the go since 9 this morning.

Brought Jett to Pittsfield, got a good report from his doc and a slew of vaccinations. She said his weight is “perfect” – a great relief to me since in I’m the one who feeds him. He should have another round of teeth cleaning between now and mid-November. Maybe later, this is an expensive month.

She said Poodles are fussy and high strung. Who knew after Lizzie, who was so calm?

Did laundry, changed sheets.

Just got back from Stop & Shop. Not much time to rest, Ron has an appointment with his new Primary in 45 minutes.

I thought this was Peter’s last day in retail. It’s not, still a week and a half away.

When the day comes we hope it’ll be forever. It’s been a grueling experience for him and we’ll be glad when it’s done. His new gig will be lucky to have him.

Ron saw the doctor and is not clear about what was discussed or decided, so I took a look at the visit notes in his patient portal. Turns out the doc thinks the problem is minor but ordered a CAT scan to be sure. Ron didn’t remember any of this until being reminded.

Finally, we left the truck at K-M for air conditioning work starting at 8 tomorrow.

Put in the second yarrow this morning. Nice out but hot in the sun.

Drilled drain holes in the round and new rectangular deck planters. Mixed soil from the corner garden with peat moss for the big planter; planted the annuals from Elhannon. Could use a couple of spillers.

Spread mulch in the back of the corner garden. More weeding and watering.

Ron is mowing the back.

Cold cereal for supper.