Friday again! Time is just going so fast.
1) Going out for tea when the Daughter gets up and around. (She works evenings so now has adjusted her sleep patterns accordingly.) It looks pretty frosty out there right now. But bright blue skies. Maybe we can go to the Botanic Gardens for a stroll if the Daughter is up for it. We went out earlier this week, when the wind was bitterly cold, and it really drained her. (My ears were burning - not in the metaphorical sense - as well. That wind was brutal.) Oddly, just walking down our street wasn't bad at all, because the buildings blocked the wind. But when we got to a corner and had to go down the other street that wind was straight into our faces. I'd forgotten about that. Must remember to bring a scarf, no matter how mild it seems out.
2) I gathered all our trip paperwork up and organized, and wrote the necessary emergency phone numbers down in my "trip" notebook. (I always carry one, in case it's needed, with photocopies of the passports, etc.) Realized the trip insurance policy paperwork had not arrived. Phoned them, and they had the address wrong. Supposedly it is now corrected and they are sending copies. They did email a certificate of coverage with the policy number, so at least I have that. The automatic fish feeder arrived this week and works. I had two in the States, and one was to have been donated and one packed. The wrong one got packed - it's useless for flake food. But all is fixed now. It's been in "testing" for the last few days and been adjusted to accommodate the humidity. So our finned friends will be well-fed while we are away.
3) Daughter had a bunch of small stuff sent to a friend (makeup, mostly) in the USA that we will pick up while there. I was able to order replacement gaskets for my pressure canner, as well, so I will have spares for when the current ones go south. I've been using the ones that came with the unit, and although I don't use it more than a dozen or so times a year the gaskets do age. So it will be nice to have the correct replacements at hand for when they are needed. Also ordered four dozen canning lids, as I was able to get them dirt cheap. I wonder what the guys in the airport scanning are going to think when they see the boxes of canning lids on the x-rays?
I'm kind of wincing thinging of having to go through TSA at LAX given the govmt. shutdown. Hopefully it will be done by then. Otherwise I think we'll need to get there even earlier than ususal. My back hates standing in one place for a long time, so the lines are just going to be painful.
4) All my US tax documents are arriving. I haven't checked yet, but I assume they are still fiddling around with forms and such and so one cannot actually file yet. Plus, with the govment shutdown, I can't call the IRS with questions. I think it'll be H&R block or Turbotax this year anyway. It's a simple return.
5) Have to place a Tesco order later today. I had ordered five packages of chicken for this past week to process and they delivered exactly none! I am down to one jar of pre-made chicken soup starter. We had the next-to-the-last one last night as chicken noodle soup. (It was good!) The Tesco delivery guy said that the delivery just before ours had a ton of chicken in it, too. Grrr. With Brexit coming, I guess I'd better get used to grocery orders being a craps shoot?
Bundle up, stay warm, drive safe on your trip Albatross. Glad to hear your friend is improving. Fingers are crossed for your paperwork KoD and happy birthday to the puppy!
