Light frost this morning. I turned off the back faucet and disconnected the hoses last night.

Kitty came by for a 2 hour nap. I had to dismiss him when it got dark.

Robert was feeling better so I drove him to work this morning. Wound Center at noon.

Treated Ron to lunch at Panera yesterday. They’d sent a $5 coupon to try out their Rapid Pickup: fantastic service. We loved our meals. Actually cost about the same as what I paid today at Wendy’s. Yes, I’ve been out of control, buying lunches twice this week.

Stopped in to Harbor Freight to look for an extension cord for Peter. Did not get one; had forgotten how expensive they are.

I finally sliced open the pumpkins. One had rotted seeds, so I’m composting it. I roasted the other and will make soup.

Found a nice sauce recipe while at the Wound Center that looked like it would work for slow cooker pork chops. House smells great.

Found and tested a bunch of outdoor lights. Cut down the asparagus. Cleaned out most of the debris under the big hydrangeas. Swept the deck of the gutter junk that Ron cleaned out the other day and put the grill and chairs back.

Five excellent ideas for restoring integrity in government and increasing responsiveness to the public’s concerns.

In frustration with the most recent round of petty BS, I finally resigned from the Library Board yesterday.

I try but after 70 years, still haven’t figured out “the formula” to “fit in”.

Discussion with Ron followed this morning.

Ron says he and I want to make the world better, but the people we encounter make it so impossible that it would take a “gift from God” to make it happen.

“The three-month hemoglobin A1C test that measures blood sugar should register less than 7 percent, blood pressure should be less than 120 over 80, and LDL — or “bad” cholesterol — should be 70 mg/dL or lower.”

Yeah.  Right.

Our next door neighbor’s father (95) and a friend’s mother (85) passed away peacefully last (Thanksgiving) week. Both wakes were crowded, but we were warmly received by our friends.

(Finally) made a pumpkin pie and an experimental fruit cocktail cake this morning.

We watched the final Season 4 episode of Vikings last night.

I did more yard work yesterday. Mowed the front and cut down some gone-bys in front of the fence and in the corner garden.

I blew it: after looking forward to seeing Alpha for a week, I remembered the pick-up time incorrectly.  I was able to redeem myself, at least to A, by making a special trip with coffee and a muffin.

I will ask A and R to give us reminder calls a half hour before pickup time.

“These are mine; you cannot have them.”

The Dunning-Kruger Effect

I tried to explain my theory of household budgeting to Robert. I think he was amused.

The way I figure it, we’re “ahead” if we have a chance to spend money, but don’t.

Example: we could buy tickets to a show at the local Center for the Arts. That would set us back at least $60. By not buying tickets, we’re ahead $60.

Aside from providing a rationale for not spending money we don’t have, this silly fantasy has no real effect on our assets or cash flow. It just makes me feel better. It’s a pretense that we have enough disposable income to spend on luxuries and entertainment, but choose not to.

So, although we have less than many other people, it is a smaller amount of less than if we (I) weren’t so abstemious. Less of less.

Made more soup with the rest of the turkey carcas. Froze it all.

Finished the back yard mowing around the oval. We received the new shed today but one of the parts seems to be faulty. Ron did the Senior Center run; we split driving Robert to and from work. I finally got an sample Angular2 project to compile. Lots of issues with add-on versions.

Finding this tutorial quite good, though.

We’re heading full tilt to the Winter Equinox. It’s encouraging to know that in a little over 3 weeks, we’ll start to have more daylight.

Today Ron did three loads of laundry. I made a big breakfast: poached eggs, bacon, toast. We changed the sheets, did a little deck cleanup and hung shower curtains and Ron’s apron outside while we did the transfer station run.

I’d promised James that I’d bring over a leaf blower, so we dug out the big Toro and attachments and dropped them off with Peter.

Stopped in to CVS and Walgreens so Ron could get Lysine.

Had turkey, gravy, cranberry sauce and salad for a late lunch.

We put the new garden bed together on Thanksgiving and Thankgiving Eve.  Today we covered it with Agrabon and fencing to hold everything down.

We thoroughly enjoyed part 2 of the feast we received from the Mashpee Chamber.  Each serving was plenty for both of us.  We also had Laura’s delicious rolls and apple pie from the bakery.

I cooked the Pantry turkey, along with rosemary, thyme, 2 cups of water and a pile of vegetables: potatoes, carrots, turnip, delicata squash.

Ron brought back returnables and did a mid-week transfer station run.  I cleaned out the magazine rack the other day and pretty much filled the recycle container.  He washed the truck bed of some spilled compost; it’s went to one of the gardens.

I also cleaned the bottom of the frig and vacuumed today.

Smokey has been around twice.