Cousin Linda is 62 today! Marilyn and I hope to get together with her and at least have coffee to celebrate... Time flies! Seriously, it's easy to remember when we were all teens. Hahaha.

I was SO TIRED last night that I couldn't even force myself to blog. I'm always more tired in September and October EVERY YEAR. And this year is no exception. (sigh)

I got a TON done both yesterday and today. Personal errands and WORK-RELATED projects, both.

Yesterday (Tuesday, September 19) I contacted Comcast and got all the information for Sue's phone account. Then I helped her to start erasing all the old messages that were blocking her phone. She had items going back to February of 2016!!! This was when she went into the hospital and then that nursing facility for a time. She hasn't had her messages working since that time! I'm really pleased with how it went and how diligent Sue was both yesterday and today going through everything and get it cleared out. Now people can leave her messages again!

This matters, as she has doctors and so on trying to reach her about appointments and prescriptions, so it's difficult when they can't leave a message (in case she's not there or she's sleeping when they call).

I want to fix messages on her cell phone, too -- but I need Candy's help to do that. So far she hasn't responded to my text messages about it. She made it clear she doesn't want to do anything, so I'm trying to take the burden off her. But I guess she doesn't think it matters if Sue can get messages on her cell or not.

Marilyn and I think it matters because it will connect her with her friends again! They don't really call her anymore and it's partly due to being unable to leave messages. I get it, because it's been equally annoying for Marilyn and me when we're calling her...

Lots of website work going on right now. And today I was trying to CHANGE THE SUBSCRIPTION area on the website, now that we're not using Cooler anymore and have changed to MailChimp. But I don't have ACCESS to the area I need to reach.

This has been my issue with the 'new' website ever since we switched over back in 2014. I've never had total access to the site and can't touch certain portions. I've been pushing and pushing to get it ever since. And it came to a head today.

I guess we'll see tomorrow whether I finally get it or not!

We're dealing with a DRASTIC change in the weather here! We've had horrible rains and thunder and lightning storms. We were in bed and heard a TERRIBLE crash last night. I was convinced someone was outside the garage messing with things (as we've had that happening lately). But it turned out to be a huge branch that came crashing down and hit the house. We both went out to see it and got wet from the rain...

It's not only sopping wet and pouring, but it's COLD. I actually considered turning on the heat (!!!) today! In all the time we've lived in this house I have NEVER turned on the heat in September! In fact, I find it annoying if I have to turn it on before November!

Marilyn has been dealing with the cold in her office, too, which is total glass on two walls. They reset her thermostat and messed it up (as they often do). But happily Steven was able to reset it enough that she wasn't too cold yesterday or today...

Marilyn didn't get home until 9:00 p.m. last night. So getting home after 7:00 tonight seemed early. She picked me up without coming in and we ran straight to pick up my meds at Riteaid (they had called me yesterday).

Speaking of, for whatever reason my Metformin needed a new prescription! What the hell? It's paired with my Glipizide (both diabetes meds), so I was already annoyed they weren't getting filled together. But there's NO CHANGE there this time, so why did it need a refill when the other didn't? And WHY didn't the clinic call it in when I saw Leslie back in August??? It shouldn't fall on either Riteaid or me to make sure it's there, but that's how it goes...

Marilyn actually authorized me to set up training with Inflow (our telephone support company) for Donn and me if I want to do that. I discussed it with Heidi from Inflow and she sent me to a TWO HOUR online instructional video that I'm very slowly and carefully working my way through. She's going to give me two weeks to absorb the info and then discuss what things I might want to work on. We haven't had in-house training from Inflow since 2010 -- and that was before Donn came to work there. So it could be a good idea.

On the other hand, as I go through all this stuff, I'm rather surprised by how much of it I already know. I need to write it up and start training Donn and Wanda on the material.

I used to train Christine on some of this, but we let it go over time. And I've barely touched on it with Donn to date. I think it could be helpful for someone else to understand the back end of the phone system. Currently I handle it all, which is no problem. I have the aptitude and am almost entirely self-taught. (The original training from Inflow wasn't helpful -- Hailey and I basically jumped in and figured it out ourselves. She learned the front end and I learned the back end. But Hailey hasn't been on staff for several years now...)

I totally digressed from Marilyn and me out shopping after work! Once we got my meds we dashed over to Freddies and picked up quite a few things. I have a long list, and we got most of it. We needed bottled water and cat food and kitty litter and garbage bags and light bulbs and chili and canned white beans and refried beans (we eat a lot of beans!) and bread and so on... We shopped quickly and got home around 8:00. Still earlier than Marilyn got home last night!

She never had a break either yesterday or today. And she said both Jessica and Carol were still working when she left tonight...

We both came home and fixed sandwiches for dinner and I made a pot of coffee (we drink Yuban). Then she was ill. She said she started to get a headache driving home and her IBS-d made her very sick after shopping. She's downstairs now sleeping on the sofa. She was feeling pretty lousy.

I felt crummy all afternoon, too. My seasonal allergies are bugging me. And my hips are KILLING ME. You wouldn't think the pain could get me down like this, but it does. I'd like to be more active, but it's hard when the pain is this bad.

We had watched The Beatles in "Help!" (the restored DVD) last night, but Marilyn had fallen asleep. So we put it back on tonight to watch the end over. And she had to watch it twice to see it, as she fell asleep again.

We really love the Beatles! And we love that movie. It takes us back, that's for sure.

We were HUGE fans of the cartoon series, which isn't really available to purchase. I'm going to watch some of it on YouTube, though. We never used to miss it.

Next up we'll watch the DVD of "A Hard Day's Night." We have that waiting to view...

I finished "Forever Amber," which made me sad. Not the ending, but because I was enjoying reading it so very much! What a wonderfully written and engaging book! I love historical novels so much.

Now I'm reading the book Dick Van Dyke wrote about aging. I want to start reading it to sister Sue, too.

I heard from my jury friend Lucy today!!! (Via Facebook.) That made me happy! I didn't know her last name until today, so I wasn't sure I'd ever be able to connect with her. I had given her and another woman my business card, so she had everything she needed to contact me. Anyway, I'm very glad she did. I really think we have a lot in common. I saw that she's done NaNoWriMo, which is something right there! I'd love to give that a shot again one of these years. But it's hard going, no doubt!

I actually did some fiction writing last night!!! I doubt I'll share (it's slash fanfic), but at least I gave it a shot. That's the first time in ages. It reminded me how much I love writing.

I did my pills when we got home tonight. I need to start doing a week at a time, but as long as I have them ready in advance of taking them, I'm happy.

Well, I'm dead beat, so off to bed. I'm just yawning and yawning! I'll need to phone Hector about the gutters. I sure don't want issues with them right now.

Sweet dreams, friends.

Marilyn and Adeena left the house early -- leaving me sleeping (such a luxury!). They had Living History again today.

Not sure if I've explained this or not: Adeena lives in Battle Ground, Washington. It's quite a ways to come. If she's going to work at the festival office downtown, she drives directly there. If she's going to one of the Living History performance venues (which have been schools, recently), then she comes here to our house, instead. She parks her car out front and rides with Marilyn until they come back home at night. Then Adeena hops in her car and heads back home again. Actually, that saves on parking, which is not true for her when she's downtown! (And downtown parking isn't cheap, by the way.) For the record, parking is one of Marilyn's job-related benefits (part of her contract). We realize how lucky we are to have that, believe me. Like getting our gas provided for us, we don't ever take it for granted. (Believe me, Marilyn earns all of these things and then some.)

I got up around 8:00-ish today. But my goal was to really, truly let my eyes rest for a good portion of the day. Especially when it came to being on the computer. So in the morning I tried not to go near the computer much (after checking my email, of course).

Today was another warm day, but nothing to the past two days, thankfully! Still, it was in the 80's in the house upstairs (!!!), so not very comfortable. I did run the air a little, but did NOT want to get it too cold downstairs...

Sister Sue and I talked this morning. She's doing okay -- and seems VERY good to me! Not at all confused like before. I have to believe that one medicine that they've taken her off of had a lot to do with her confusion.

I guess she and Candy have been talking about her going back to Marquis Care at Piedmont again (where she was when she got out of the hospital). I'm not sure how that could happen with her in good health, though. Covering the cost would be difficult, I'm sure.

And Candy and Sue together pay for their current home -- so I don't see HOW Candy could expect to pay for it alone if Sue's money was going for some other place...

Anyway, I was surprised to hear Sue talking about going there. I certainly hope she's able to remain home! I'd like to see her get back to having her own car and being able to drive. I'm not even sure WHY she hasn't been able to, as TWO DOCTORS cleared her to do so. (I don't know why Dr. Young got involved in that decision, considering he really doesn't have the background on what's been going on with her recently...)

Of course, I guess if Candy is determined to KEEP Sue's car, it will be hard for Sue to get it back again.

I miss my sister.

Sue and I can at least talk on the phone. But we used to see each other all the time! Even during my busy time of year. It's just not fair.

I'm really sweating sitting here typing this. It's too hot upstairs. I just turned on the air, so I could give us a shot of coolness. I need to wash and dry my hair, and I'm not sure I could stand to do it otherwise.

I did do some festival website work today. Rose Cup was one focus. Plus some other things.

The exciting thing I did? I created a Member Login page at our website! In order to do any website work, you have to log in at a certain URL that offers you a login Username and Password area. Previously there was no easy way to access this. But now you just go to our website from wherever you happen to be, then sign in! It's amazing easy. I don't know WHY we haven't had that from the very beginning...

Part of the idea came from my learning to access the footer menu area yesterday -- which is where I put the Member Login link (it just wouldn't be appropriate anywhere else). The other part just came to me when I was messing around with some How To pages that FISH had set up for me at some point. We never really went over any of it, so I had no idea how much they'd done until yesterday and today. I started thinking of ways I could utilize this, anyway -- and the login idea just came to me.

I think I should recommend it to them for future sites they set up for others. It's certainly convenient! And you see this at many sites, of course -- a place for 'members' to sign in. The public isn't put off by it, because it's commonly used.

This sort of tinkering is really make me more creative about the website, anyway. I still want to make notes that we can all use that tell us HOW to do things at the site. And it looks like I can do that right at the site! Very cool, huh?

Marilyn got home very early for her -- and what would be a normal time for most people! Hahaha. She was worn out. The Living History stuff is hard work, I'm sure, performing twice in front of groups. You have to be pretty on for that. (Plus she's still trying to get over the lasting effects of her last bug, I'm afraid.) I think Adeena was tired, too. She's been getting up very early and working late. And she still has school and her other job to worry about, aside from Living History and being a festival intern...

We ate very little for dinner. Some frozen food I heated up.

I did text for awhile tonight with my friend Mark. I miss him! It was nice to catch up a bit... But finally I just drifted off to sleep in mid-text.

I'm working tomorrow -- and tomorrow night we have jurying for the International Youth Silent Film Festival, so a big bunch of us will be working late. They don't even provide snacks or beverages for that, if you can believe it! I mainly think that's odd because it falls during what would be dinner for hard-working people like us from the festival. Oh well.

I'll make sure I have a bottle of pop to take along, at least! Hahaha.

Then I'll have garbage and recycling to do when I get home! I should have put some of that out today, but I didn't even think about it. (sigh)

Well, time to go wash my hair! Then head to bed!

I do think my eyes are better. I guess we'll see what happens when I'm back on the computer all day long. I need to remember to take a flash light tomorrow night! It's dark in the rooms where we vote and that was a pain last year...

Oh! Almost forgot! We got a severe weather warning around 6:00 that was to run from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. and could include thunderstorms with lightning and hail! As far as I could tell, we got some thunder and wind and some rain. I didn't see any hail or lightning, though. But Adeena did, heading home!!!

Well, good night, and sleep tight!