Overcast today.

Trying to estimate what our heating costs will be. I think we used 500 gallons of oil last winter. That’s substantially less than the average of 700-900 for a single family house in Massachusetts.

Disgusted with Spot pet insurance, I signed Jett up for our old homeowners insurance company Lemonade, which has great reviews. As soon as the waiting periods are over, I’ll cancel Spot. Premiums will be similar with lower ($250) deductible.

Asked our furnace company for the location of the filter and if it’s really where I’ve been told it is.

I need to get going with selling the Blue Hills Cemetery plot.

Ron brought the compost to the transfer station and washed the bucket.

Blood draw results. Several measurements are high, a couple are low. Should be an interesting conversation with the doc tomorrow.

It’s still raining but the trees have kept their leaves and more are starting to turn.

We didn’t get out of bed until after 10. Jett, too.

I’ve needed to have fasting bloodwork done before my last appointment with my Pakistani doc this Wednesday (sniff). So, Jett and I went to the North Adams hospital blood drawing place. The phlebotomists must have been on break because I waited a long while but got it done

I went to North Adams because the Williamstown Medical blood draw service is now under the auspices of the Urgent Care clinic and they weren’t answering their phone this morning. Also I needed to pick up Jett’s dry food at Tractor Supply before they return it to stock.

Got a notice that my Medicare Advantage plan will not be offered next year. Must wait until October to see what options Cal will provide. I would love it if they offered Fallon.

Ron has been cold in bed for a while. Since it’s sheet changing day, I removed the light summer spread and dragged out our faithful winter blanket which we have named “Ralph” because it has a Ralph Lauren monogram.

Went to Dollar General. Brought home bathroom cleaner and a new scrub brush for Ron the Pearl Diver.

Made a big salad. That and a cheese sandwich was Ron’s lunch. Might be supper, too.

Today’s laundry was a career. Multiple washes and drying cycles. I was folding clothes until quarter of ten (pm).

Heard from Peter. Poor Beau was sick but is recuperating. As he said, we do worry about our furry friends.

A bit of wind and rain this morning from the Nor’easter that’s been pounding the coast.

I put up a couple of pieces of artwork this afternoon.

We brought the big box of unwanted clothes to the Goodwill truck at the library this afternoon. I didn’t think we’d make it but the rain turned to light showers by the time we got the truck loaded.

I watched a couple of YouTube videos about serious renovations of primitive properties. Very impressive and if I were a different person, maybe even inspiring.

Ron took Jett out for fetch a couple of times. Jett was “off” this morning, wouldn’t eat, even his egg, but he perked up by evening.

I debated about going to a Greek festival but Ron wasn’t really feeling it. We stopped for baked goods at Tunnel Coffee. More reasonable prices than the new bakery and a gigantic selection. We’d have gone to A-Frame but I figured she’d be pretty much sold out by then.

Started watching the Patriots game and gave up after the first half. 35-6, Jaguars. Glad we didn’t waste any more of our time.

It started around 11 and is expected to continue through tomorrow.

I spent several hours going through a giant box of clothing that has been sitting in our bedroom since we moved here almost four years ago.

As far as I can tell, these must have been dumped from bureaus; most are fine. I hope to bring a box of items we can’t use to the Goodwill truck that visits the library every Sunday.

I found some rear differentials online with the correct part number. Messaged Jess at the dealership.

Also messaged Priscilla about visiting this weekend or next.

This was a chunk of my afternoon today:

I found a company in Connecticut that does car and truck frame repairs. Then our mechanic said she thinks the frame is okay after all.

She’s trying to find a used distributor aka “rear end”. Toyota claimed they couldn’t find a new one and wouldn’t install a used one, so it would be outstanding if our other mechanic could pull it off.

Once the new distributor is installed, I plan to bring the truck to enfield so the frame can be checked out by a specialist.

Yesterday I tore myself away from the house for a couple of hours to watch a splendid short film series at the library, the Manhattan Short Film Festival.

House was very cold, started burning oil.

Feeling better, getting more sorting done in the office. Still visiting the throne room from time to time, hesitant to leave the house, although it is quite a pretty day. Am enjoying it from a bedroom window.

Splendid YouTube post by a Canadian couple on Trump’s visit to the UN and Carney’s brilliant moves at the same meeting.

Booked appointment for Ron’s implant. It had not been scheduled. Got an estimate of his OOP cost. Meanwhile, no time for transfer station today.

Made a stir fry of beans, onions, garlic and squash,pasta and Rao sauce for supper. Well received.

Ron had another accident and I’ve been back and forth to the throne rooms a couple of times myself. Maybe from overextended canned pears? Haven’t felt like doing anything today. Hungry but nothing sounds good, even dessert.

Jett seems to be “off” a bit, too. He snuck a big chunk of jack cheese the other day, can’t remember exactly when.

Trump TV is on the air. It was broadcasting boring clips from his speeches.

We pried ourselves out of the house long enough to bring the truck to Carpinello’s for tomorrow’s appointment. Jett went with Ron in the Corolla. It was nice for me to be back in the Tacoma driver’s seat again.

Change in SVMC Cardiology appointment, moved to late December.

I’ve hardly moved today. Ron’s been out with Jett and the two of them are off to Stop & Shop.

Ron thought his new glasses were falling apart. Turns out it was one of his readers. He discovered this at the optician’s office. He is embarrassed.

I discovered that we may be able to buy pet insurance through Cal for a little less than what we’re paying and with a lower deductible. By coincidence it’s offered through Nationwide, our new homeowners/auto company.

I’m still working on bringing order to the piles of paper and random stuff in the bedroom and my den/office. Some things find their place easily, most do not. Did find a good one, the Keeper of Time’s datebook, which 26 years later is still very useful.

I did pry myself away from the computer and/or tv long enough to make lunch. Doctored up yesterday’s stew and made a cobbler from canned pears, flavored oatmeal packets and a little butter and sugar.

We did laundry and changed the sheets.

Trees have started turning yellow in the yard. Been raining since early this morning, I guess; we got up around 8:30 or so and it was soggy already.

I’ve been working on squaring away both the bedroom and my “den”. Brought up the Japanese screens but they don’t enhance much. Made progress today, a bit left to do.

Ron did laundry, took Jett out a couple of times and is washing the supper dishes but did nothing yet to organize his room.

Got “Angels in America” to play on the big TV but lost interest pretty quickly. Liked Al Pacino as Roy Cohn. Hard to take such a big dose of Mary Louise Parker.

Made egg salad with chopped celery, relish and mayo for lunch.

Steamed a huge cauliflower, three big onions, two giant carrots and a whole bunch of celery in veg broth along with two ears of corn for supper. Planning to make curry from half. Everything but the corn was from the pantries. Still have some nice looking apples, lots of onions, celery and sweet potatoes from the Western Mass. Food Bank.

Our carpenter and his Significant Other spent the day finishing two projects: the closet in my office and a giant shelf unit in Ron’s.

What hard-working, upbeat people.

We’ll work on organizing and decluttering tomorrow.

FYI, Benjamin Moore Linen White.is the paint we used for the walls in every room but the kitchen and master bedroom.