January 2024 chitchat--HAPPY NEW YEAR!

[agate]

Virginia, you haven't checked in today, and I wonder if that hairdresser looked at your head wound and sent you somewhere for medical attention. I hope that's not what happened. I hope your head wound is healing up nicely but I'm concerned since you probably aren't seeing it well, given its location.

[Virginia]

Agate, I am alright, but I just overdid again yesterday. I went to the pharmacy and the grocery store and I was pretty much wiped out today. Really haven't been able to talk myself into doing anything. I gathered up clothes to wash, but never did get it done.

The hairdresser was real nice. She, at first, wanted to put a tiny bit of Neosporin on the wound, but I told her I didn't think that would be necessary since it has scabbed over. She took a look at it and could see the cut and the bump. I told her to just be careful with the brush and not brush hard in that area. She was very gentle.

I am glad that your weather has warmed up. It went from being real cold to almost too warm here. I wish it would just moderate and stay there until Spring. I just don't do well when the weather flipflops so much. I don't do well in real cold or real not weather or weather that changes every few days.

Flatcap, it is a shame that you can't park the way you normally do. I think you said you are in walking distance of a pretty nice restaurant or is that just a breakfast place. I hope you get your special monthly dinner tonight.

I'll be back tomorrow, if nothing happens.

[agate]

I hope nothing will happen, Virginia. There's always something, isn't there? It seems as if our lives are constantly about to go to shreds on is when one thing or another goes wrong.

I find it very hard to take any disruptions. You're handling that head wound so well--just letting the hairdresser have a look-see and making sure she was careful. It sounds as if it's healing up, and that is really good news.

Yesterday you did the hairdresser appointment and the pharmacy and the grocery store???? That is so impressive--I hope you can rest up from all of that.

[Ikoiko]

It was 80 at National Airport on Thursday in DC! A record for that day..

[agate]

So now you're enjoying that subtropical climate, Ikoiko. Hard to imagine 80' in January but you might as well bask in it.

[Virginia]

I don't care for really hot weather like 80 in the winter. However, Ikoiko if you do that is great. Did you do something to celebrate the weather - like maybe go to the park?

[Virginia]

It was a rainy Sunday afternoon here. I hope it doesn't carry over until tomorrow when I need to go out.

This place is ghostly! Scares me. I hope all of you are somewhere enjoying your Sunday.

[agate]

It is strange with so few people saying anything.

I admire your energy, Virginia. To be going out so much after you've had a fall--that's wonderful.

I just discovered that 3 pairs of pants I've had for years really need to be discarded. They were worn out and just hanging on me in a baggy way. Parting with them was a wrench, but I actually put them in the trash and took them out to the dumpster. They had been just hanging in the closet most of the time for a couple of years while I looked at them and thought about them.

I've ordered a new pair of pants and even was able to get a bargain price. The color is described as "forest moss" and it looks black to me but is probably a very dark green.

Greens sometimes look like black to me. It happens with reds sometimes too. It's an MS vision thing.

[flatcap]

That reminds me. I have a bunch of clothes waiting to go to the Salvation Army, including two belts. I used to wear pants with a 34" waist but am now wearing a 30". I also have some shoes I never wear, several nice caps that fit in the same category, and some new-condition shirts to go with them. I figure I can get it all done in one trip, but it will take some effort. I might call them to see if they can pick up the clothes instead.

[agate]

I've been using Vietnam Vets of America lately for pickups of used items. They show up when they say they're going to and have always been efficient and helpful. I'm not sure they do these pickups in every state though.

[flatcap]

That sounded good to me, so I looked up the Vietnam Vets of America, and they don't have a store here. So, I thought I better look up the Salvation Army, and that store is long gone.

Looking further, I found a thrift store that supports a local charity. If they take men's clothing, I think I'll go with that one for my donation. If not, there's always Goodwill. From what I understand, their executives take quite a lot off the top, but it's better than nothing.

[agate]

My most recent experiences with Goodwill and Salvation Army (a few years ago!) got me nowhere as they no longer were doing pickups. I've heard people say they use St. Vincent de Paul--I don't know if that would be a possibility?

[flatcap]

I thought about St. Vincent de Paul, and that store is closed, too.

One of the for-profit thrift stores I found said in reply to one of their reviews that a lot of them had closed down in recent years. Too much competition, apparently, and it's affecting the charity stores. Even they have to pay rent.

I think I'll go with the local charity thrift store for my donation.

[agate]

Some of the local charity-run thrift shops will take good-condition used clothes on consignment if you want to bother with that. It's been a while since I did that and so can't recall just how it worked.

[Virginia]

I came on to say hello and then realized it is 12midnight and I need to go to bed. I am sounding like I am getting a cold. I will take a Tylenol and go to bed and hope I wake up better tomorrow.