In A Dither: Busy Week For Me, Assorted Random Links For You

/ Ally Bean

I’ve a busy week going on here.

As some of you know, Zen-Den is planning to retire at the end of September.  From now until then he’s kind of working, kind of on vacation– or as he calls it Retirement Bootcamp.

In other words, he’s underfoot.

Plus, landscapers are still trying to finish the area around the new sidewalk and build a stone patio, but it keeps raining, like hell and high water raining.

This project never ends.

And the appliance repair guy is back today, doing his best to fix our dishwasher [the electric one, not me], taking it apart in the kitchen, rebuilding it with new parts.

Fingers crossed this works.

My mind is in a bit of a dither, so instead of writing a tale or sharing a tribulation, I’ll leave with you, my little eggheaded chickadees, the following links.

Enjoy!

~ ~ • ~ ~

Feel like saying something positive? Use a krul, explained by Wikipedia here and shown above, to express yourself.

Want to figure out which productivity method is for you? Take this todoist quiz. [I need to focus on time blocking.]

Curious about the mythology of dragons? Read this article in The Conversation and be informed.

Looking for a way to declutter your living space? Join Apartment Therapy’s 14 Day Declutter Cure. The action starts Sept. 19 & my hopes are high.

Hoping to refresh your memory of the Preamble to the Constitution of the United States? Re-learn it here with Barney Fife— and Andy, of course.

Trying to figure out the plural of a word, e.g. spritz? Your answer is here at wordhippo.

Feel like being a little snarky? Use the Viral Post Generator and allow AI to write your own pretend Linkedin post. See image below.

AND FINALLY THREE READER COMMENTS…

About how you discovered this blog:

“When I was moonlighting as a private investigator, an anonymous person hired me to tail you. I followed you around for weeks, getting to know everything about you: the house where you reside, the car you drive, the grocery store you frequent. One evening, while peering in through the blinds, I saw you hunched over a laptop, typing away. Curious, I whipped out my binoculars for a closer look. Lo and behold, I discovered you were a blogger! Those high-powered lenses made it easy to see your URL, so I subscribed the next day.”

~ Mark Petruska

“Blog readers are a bit like those at a the mall: there are the boomers busily rushing by on a mission, the window shoppers who momentarily are attracted to something and pause before moving on, and those who actually go in (and those can be subdivided into the browsers and those who walk in, look around and decide to buy – becoming a repeat customer).”

~ philosophermouseofthehedge

“The Universe sets us up, leading us to start a blog (why?why?why? no answer – the Universe just pushed us to a place we didn’t know we’d LOVE); to light a match on WordPress and see the writing flames erupt as we began to visit each other; to learn SO MUCH about different subjects, yes, but mostly about the amazing wonderful like-minded (even if totally different from us) souls out here in the …. UNIVERSE.”

~ Pamela S. Wight

221 thoughts on “In A Dither: Busy Week For Me, Assorted Random Links For You”

  1. I smiled at your quotes. I never expected blogging to be a “friend” platform. I don’t think I could meet as many interesting people IRL as I do blogging. Good luck on your renovations. I’d done until mid-October and that job is very small (famous last words). Happy retirement to Zen-Den!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Kate, blogging is truly a great way to make friends. And I feel lucky to have found it because, like you said, I don’t think I could meet as many interesting people IRL as I do blogging. As for the ongoing renovations, we’re getting there but slowly. You understand.

      Liked by 2 people

  2. I am curious to hear how it goes when the spouse is permanently underfoot. Will it be helpful? Or will it be a case of him never putting anything away except something you need, like the doggie first aid kit (which is just a random example…really).

    Liked by 1 person

    • AutumnAshbough, we were together at home all the time for 16 months during the early part of the pandemic, so we’ve worked out many of the potential irritations. As for putting things away… Z-D is the one who is obsessive about that, me much less so. I am a sloth about such things.

      Liked by 1 person

        • I understand about the noise. I’m quiet by nature. Zen-Den likes to be entertained with TV shows and movies and documentaries more than I do. At least with these newfangled things called cell phones, he can listen to whatever he wants, quietly. It’s all in his ears.

          Liked by 1 person

  3. Please send some of that rain our way, we’re still bone dry. Retirement boot camp… I like it. And hope your spouse takes to it better than mine did. He stopped working Dec. 31rst and still hasn’t adjusted. I thought he’d fly through my honey do list while bored but all he’s managed to do is add more half finished projects. Sigh…

    Liked by 1 person

    • Rivergirl, I know that you need rain, and we have so much that it’s slowed down all outdoor projects and events. I think Z-D will take to retirement without much trouble. Plus he has side hustles, of course. Half finished projects are the worst. I feel for you.

      Liked by 1 person

  4. We need a new gasket on our dishwasher. Until then, I have a huge sponge sitting on the floor underneath it to catch where it leaks. Sigh. Another project on Rick’s To Do List that seems to fall under “Whenever.” At least I know that when he retires, things will get done much more quickly.

    I like the idea of a Transitional Retirement/Retirement Boot Camp. As you said, you sort of had that in the early days of the pandemic, so this time, all you have to do is refine it. Which I’m sure you will.

    Liked by 1 person

    • nance, the pump inside our dishwasher only works when it feels like it. Getting a new one started out to be problematic, but has now manifested. I ask not how that happened.

      Z-D has to take all his vacation weeks before he retires, so he’s been lurking around here in July & August, somewhat at loose ends. I’m sure we’ll refine this retirement gig once it’s official.

      Like

  5. I like that you and ZD have had a retirement trial period to air some possible issues Ally Bean. I’ve heard those trials don’t always work out well… Any plans to join the band of travelling retirees and make your way to interesting parts of the world?

    Liked by 1 person

    • Deb, I’ve heard tales, too, about couples who don’t do well in retirement together. I think we’ll adapt okay. No plans for becoming traveling retirees. Kind of the opposite, we want to stay home and enjoy our nest. Or at least at first.

      Liked by 1 person

  6. Good old Barney Fife! Don Knotts was such a hoot. I like how he messed up his hair while trying to remember the Preamble. Thanks for that funny clip!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Love that quote, too! 🤣 It goes with two of my other favorite dragon sayings:
      🐉 “Always be yourself, unless you can be a dragon. Then always be a dragon.” And
      🐉 “People say I’m crazy because I talk to dragons. What am I supposed to do when they ask me questions, ignore them?”

      Congratulations on ZD’s start of the Endless Weekend! What prompted him to take this wise step?

      Love the way some of your readers found you, I bet we met in a den of 🐉 🐉, they just put a spell on us and made us forget the wondrous encounter?…

      Liked by 2 people

      • Endless Weekend, I love those sayings. I’ve never heard them but they call to my inner dragon. Thanks for sharing them here, I’m laughing out loud.

        Z-D was going to retire a few years ago but the pandemic changed that. He stuck around, but has now decided he’s done. Finished, at least with this job. He has a few small side hustles to keep him entertained for a while longer.

        I am sure your explanation of how we met is perfectly rational. Thanks for reminding me of the meeting.

        Like

  8. Sadly, it’s often cheaper to just buy a new appliance than to pay someone to fix it. I empathize with the home improvement delays. I came across an interesting story of Don Knotts recently. He taught himself ventriloquism as a teen and in the military earned many medals and was part of a Traveling GI variety show, which is where he realized his talent for making people laugh.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Bijoux, I know it might be cheaper to buy a new dishwasher, but this one isn’t all that old so we’re hoping for the best. A few more years would be great. Didn’t know that about Don Knotts, but it makes sense. He was just plain funny in an innocent way that seems to be forgotten.

      Like

    • Natalie, I like sharing links. At one time I thought that’d be my entire approach to blogging, but I got chatty so I started writing flapdoodle and twaddle. As for this week’s home owner excitement, it all happens at once around here. Thanks for your support.

      Liked by 1 person

  11. Very interesting links. I haven’t checked them all out yet, but so far I’ve learned that I need a commitment inventory for productivity. I need to say NO to more things.
    Good luck with the change of lifestyle that comes with a partner retiring. I’ve lived with a retired spouse for five years so far, and I do understand the challenges of “underfoot.” The bonus part is that, if planned well, the underfoot can transform into dinner cooked, laundry done and vacuuming complete.
    I guess I’d better get back to work … my husband will be done the laundry soon …

    Liked by 3 people

    • Aelene, made me laugh. Thanks. You’re onto something smart with your idea of living a well-planned retirement life. I’ll follow your lead, I KNOW that my husband likes to cook so I’ll start there. As for a commitment inventory, that’s an interesting idea. I could benefit from that as well.

      Like

  12. Oh, my, goodness, Ally, I truly laughed out loud at Mark’s response. I already enjoy Mark and Pamela’s blogs and I have subscribed to philosophermouse. “Repeat customer” “like-minded” and I believe Mark carries around binoculars with him at all times in real life.😀

    I also ‘get it’ on the “underfoot.” Get used to it, Ally, this is your new normal.

    Thank you for my morning smile, today and always. 💕

    Liked by 1 person

    • Erica/Erika, many bloggers answered the question about how we *met* but a few went so far as to tell compelling stories. No doubt true ones, of course.

      You’re right about my new normal. We were together at home all the time during the first year+ of the pandemic so I have a clue about what to expect. Of course if dither becomes my new norm, you can expect more posts like this one in which I share links I love. 🙄

      Liked by 1 person

  13. Funny you should post this, my dishwasher has been broken for two years and my wonderful husband just got around to fixing it. I’m so elated it’s not even funny LOL! Sorry your husband is underfoot. Nothing more frustrating than a man without a job to do. I highly recommend handing him some hobbies or a to-do list. Whenever Rob is getting under my skin, I give him a list of things to tackle for me and it does the trick. Plus it helps him feel needed.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Katie, I know about GTD and used it for a while when it was new and shiny. In the end I found it more complicated than it was worth, but that was me. Then. I’ll be fascinated to see if/how it works for you.

      Like

  17. Retirement bootcamp, landscaping, dishwasher repair – that is a lot going on. I love the links but most of all, I love those reader comments. Mark never fails to crack me up and Pamela is so poignant. And Philosopher Mouse – such a great analogy!

    Have a great week, Ally!

    Liked by 1 person

  18. Looking for a way to declutter your living space? Join Apartment Therapy’s 14 Day Declutter Cure. The action starts Sept. 19 & my hopes are high. ~> Sign me up!

    Oh, wait . . . I already signed myself up. 😀

    I’ve been decluttering for ages, but I still have extraneous STUFF taking up SPACE in my heart, head, and home. Hope to get a couple of new tips. Thanks for the link!

    Good luck with the projects and having Z-D around more. My advice? Send HIM on as many errands as you can. As we speak, BFF is dropping off and picking up books and movies at the library, gathering the weekly island newspapers, and getting a few essentials from the $ store. Me? I’m just sitting here reading one of my favorite blogs.

    Liked by 1 person

  19. I didn’t know about ZD’s retirement! Congrats to him. It does change things to have the other person around a lot. I never got to experience it but I remember some tension between my parents when dad retired. 🙂 The old saying, “How can I miss you when you never go away?” I am a fanatic about links so I need to go check them out ASAP. Thanks!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Margaret, Z-D’s retirement has been a few years in the making. Long story, but this time for sure. I like that old saying and suspect I’ll be thinking it soon enough. Enjoy the links, as usual they’re eclectic and just things I stumbled over.

      Like

  21. As always, a fun post. A little jealous of all that rain, though I’m sorry it displeases you. Hopeful for your dishwasher! (The electric kind, not you.) Fun tidbits! Esp like the krul. Great blog reader comments. Ah, Mark. Ever the clever one.

    Liked by 1 person

  23. I find it difficult to feel too sorry when people complain about rain, but then I remember back to a huge El Nino we had in the early 2000s (doesn’t “early 2000s” sound like just a few years ago, until you realize how long ago it was?) when we had our roof off for our remodel. I wish they could just tip the Earth enough to even out the moisture.

    Thanks for the links; I always enjoy reading what you’ve found for us Cool Kids.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Janis, I understand your point of view about rain. I’d like to see more balance when it comes to precipitation, too. I enjoy how green everything looks, but flooding and mud are not so nice.

      Enjoy the links. I like to do posts with links, to mix it up around here. I wouldn’t want to get in a rut!

      Like

  24. Ally, I just went into “first retirement” at the beginning of June, so the first 90-days are almost in the books. We both worked from home throughout the pandemic, and my wife is still working now. We are fortunate to have a home where she gets one floor, and I get the other. So far, so good. Not sure if the non-working mode will work for me, but the pandemic was a way for us to practice being at home together all day. Good luck with that dishwasher (the electric one)!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Jan, that Barney Fife clip is delightfully innocent by today’s TV standards, yet it’s still funny. The landscapers are a good bunch, but the weather hasn’t been in our favor during this project.

      Liked by 1 person

  26. Good luck with your busy schedule. My last name starts with an S, and it just so happens that I sign my name with that same Krul symbol. I’m more with it than I realized. I think sending 3 kids off to college and then attacking their aftermath is my own decluttering process. It isn’t easy and my son, Tank, will be fined for what he left behind – but I’m feeling better now that I can see the carpet in those rooms. It looks like I need to brush up on my time blocking too.

    Hope the dishwasher gets a second life.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Ernie, it’s wonderful that you’re so with it. I like the swoosh of the Krul. I know you’re right about decluttering in your house. Your process is perfect, albeit idiosyncratic to your lifestyle. What color is the carpet in those rooms anyway? I really want this fix to solve the dishwasher’s problem. You have no idea– well, maybe you do actually.

      Like

  27. I’m sure it will be different for you but I can tell you it hasn’t always been easy having my hubby home all the time since I’m still working. Also probably doesn’t help that my “office” is in the kitchen. I think it matters that his reason for retiring was that he had a back issue so a lot of the things he was planning on doing “when he retired” he can’t do. I’m sure the forced stay at home the last couple of years was helpful to get your toes in the water as they say. I have to go eat my frog now (thanks to your productivity link).

    Liked by 1 person

    • Janet, I can understand how & why your husband was in your way, under those circumstances. I get it. By working from home during the pandemic we experienced what his retirement might be like– for both of us. We ironed out many issues, some that arose because of our forced togetherness, some just personality things. I hope your frog is tasty, may the rest of your day be super productive.

      Liked by 1 person

  29. Here’s my viral post:

    When I was 10,

    I thought that my n goal in life was to call your mother.

    But today,

    I finally understand –

    My destiny is to take a shower every day for the rest of my life.

    Why do I say that?

    Because I took a shower this morning, and it was the best feeling in the world. in

    Now I want to take a shower all the time.

    That was fun!

    Liked by 1 person

  30. Congratulations to Zen Den on his upcoming retirement. I made my mother a little cross stitch plaque when my dad retired saying “Twice as much husband, half as much money.” Does your employer provide any retirement counseling? I recommend it all the time, you’ve had the pandemic to practice some of it but it’s harder than people think. So many people end up depressed, or broke, or both. If you can get assistance regarding medicare choices, SS choices, financial issues, travel planning, etc., why not do it?

    I am vacating that particular soap box. No one ever listens to me anyway.

    The krul, btw, looks very much like how I scrawl my initials when I have to sign a tablet.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Zazzy, your advice is good. We’ve talked with people about finances, taxes, longterm care, and estate planning. We have yet to talk with anyone about medicare or travel planning so thanks for the reminder. I know that AARP puts on various talks about topics of interest, although I have yet to pay close attention to what those talks are about.

      I like the idea of a Krul being someone’s signature. It seems sensible. And kind of fun.

      Liked by 1 person

  31. I plan to retire in ten months, although right now I am on leave for a medical issue, so I guess I’m giving it a dry run. My M retired almost 5 years ago, and he’s been waiting for me. Interesting set of links – thank you! 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    • Lynette, it’s been a long time in coming for Z-D to decide to retire. It sounds like you have someone just waiting for you to join him. While you know your last day is coming, it is odd to think about. Glad you liked the links. I do what I can to keep this blog quirky.

      Liked by 1 person

  32. You have some interesting links there, but the thing that struck me most, other than enjoying the three comments you chose about finding your blog, was in one of your responses where you said you like quiet and Z-D likes more noise. My husband and I are a bit more like that too. If I listen to some thing, I was trying to listen to it so it is an out loud whereas he’ll have some thing on out loud even while I am there doing some thing. He likes to watch movies and I like to read. Not that we don’t each do the other thing as well but that’s our preferred method of entertainment.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Janet, you two sound a lot like Z-D and I. He’s spent a career talking and listening so he’s more accustomed to noise than I am, being a homebody who writes. I’m sure we’ll work it out, but it is one of those personality differences that I can see being an issue if we let it.

      Like

  33. “In other words, he’s underfoot.” You have my sympathy.

    It takes time, but I guess you find a new groove eventually. Between The Husband now working part time (3 hours a day/ 3 days a week) and me having to go in to the office twice a week (usually), I haven’t killed him yet…

    Liked by 1 person

  34. Retirement bootcamp. I like it. 🙂 You have a landscaper, and you get to watch him work from inside. I like that too. 🙂 Plus, you found a DW repairman and didn’t automatically just chuck it and buy new – you’re living large, lady. 🙂

    Like

    • Judy, thanks for your kind words. We seem to be doing okay, but I still have my fingers crossed that the dishwasher works after investing in it. We’ll know soon enough. As for the landscaper, no way could we move & cut sheets of rock to create a small patio. I know our limits, even if Z-D mumbles otherwise.

      Liked by 1 person

  36. I love the creative stories about how people found your blog! Maybe something like that will be the frog I have to eat tomorrow (my productivity tip). My LinkedIn post was nowhere near as interesting as yours.

    Congratulations to ZD on his pending retirement and your deep dive into nesting together.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Eilene, I am amazed by clever and articulate commenters like the ones around here. I laugh and I learn so much from y’all. Someone else who took the quiz was told to eat a frog, which sounds like good advice I guess, unless you’re the frog. Sorry your LinkedIn AI post was a flop. I hope you don’t take that personally! 😉

      Liked by 1 person

  37. I’m glad to hear the projects are at least getting done…even if it’s taking longer than expected. Do you think that will be the norm for eternity now?

    I didn’t know that ZD was retiring soon. That’s so wonderful for him, and I think maybe a little scary for you. He will be in YOUR ZONE now. You must come up with some sort of manifesto, schedule, rules & regulations. You know so that people know their boundaries.
    😜
    Kidding. I hope his time from work opens up new avenues for both of you to enjoy yourselves. You deserve it.

    Going to check out some links now!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Suz, I wonder if you’re right about home improvement projects now that we’re in the post[?]-pandemic world. Everything is slow as molasses– and trying my patience in the process.

      You are right about him being in MY ZONE. I know that I’ve been thinking of a few rules, but a manifesto sounds even better. That’d be so official, wouldn’t it? Years ago I was going to write one for myself, but never did. Now… maybe… 🤔

      Liked by 1 person

  38. Oy! Sounds like a busy and a bit of a frustrating week for you Ally! I’ve seen lots of rain in lots of areas south of us so I hope your rainy weather dissipates soon and all that you had planned gets done asap! I know that feeling all to well! I love checking things off my list so this would bug me mucho! Thanks for the links!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Jen, checking things off my to-do list gives me pleasure but all summer has been a slog waiting for things to be done. Now with Z-D’s impending retirement, and all the decisions that go along with it, I am more frazzled than finished. [That might have made sense.] Anyhow, thanks the sympathy. Ever onward go I!

      Liked by 1 person

    • Marian, I have no that having Mr. Man around the house will lead to stories. He can be, when not stressed by work, hilarious. I look forward to seeing that side of his personality again– like when we were in college together.

      Liked by 1 person

  40. You’ve got a lot going on. I feel like I’m having one of those weeks too, and my wife and I just returned from Montana to see our son, so I’m already behind in many things besides blogging.

    Barney Fife is one of my all-time favorite television characters, especially when he used that high-pitched voice or played confident self-assured Barney.🤣

    Liked by 1 person

    • Pete, the thing about what’s going on here is that I have to wait… wait… for other people to do things. That’s what tires me, the waiting until I can do my things again, uninterrupted.

      The link to Barney and the Preamble had me laughing more than it should have– yet there you go. His innocent humor is timeless.

      Liked by 1 person

  41. Retirement bootcamp. Huh, can my guy join your guy in this? My guy’s been retired since right during the pandemic, but he didn’t plan it so he’s playing bootcamp all over the house, underfoot, overfoot. Help!
    Glad you used my comment about how we met. I suppose I should have tried to be funny, but I was absolutely serious. Which is why I’m called “weird wight.” 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  43. I enjoyed the link to the dragons article. I liked this quote: the beauty, terror and power of the dragon evokes mystery and suggests that not all phenomena are easily explained or understood. I like a dragon in a story. They’re a worthy opponent, but I don’t find them as frightening as something (or someone) more realistic. Hitchcock was good at scaring me.

    I like the images the Chinese use to portray a dragon. They’re quite beautiful. My mother-in-law was born in the year of the dragon. If you want to be powerful, it’s a good year to be born in. My husband was born in the year of the tiger, another powerful year.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Nicki, I’m with you about dragons. Since taking a course on Chinese Literature in college, I’ve had a soft place in my heart for them, even if I don’t entirely understand them. The stories that swirl around them is fascinating. I, too, find evil people much more frightening.

      I’m not sure which animal I am according to the Chinese horoscope b/c I’ve forgotten. I’ve also forgotten which tree I am according to the Celtic horoscope. Another thing I learned about in college.

      Like

  44. I love the word dither. Unfortunately, I hate being in a dither. Sorry you are. I sure am. A very long summer home with the kids. Some tough family situations (extended, thankfully, but still very stressful). Never-ending renovations.
    I am trying to limp over the finish line to get into fall…but the renovations will follow me there…!!
    Agree that the reader comments are especially hilarious this time. You have such creative readers in this space!!!
    All the best with getting those landscaping jobs finished (and the dishwasher fixed!). I’m excited to follow along as you transition into a husband “underfoot” – there will be much writing fodder, I’m sure.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Elisabeth, I agree with your assessment of the word dither. To voluntarily dither in a hot bath is delightful, but to be in an unwanted state of dither is bothersome. Like many things I suppose it all in how you spin it!

      I understand about your summer renovations going into the fall. IF we get our deck replaced this fall that’ll be my story too. Big IF, though. I’m sorry to read about your extended family situations. I get how that can be a pebble in your moccasin as the saying goes.

      You, of course, know that the commenters on this blog make it the success it is. Thanks for joining in. I appreciate it.

      Like

  46. I know what you are going through with renovations. We’ve been trying to get remodeling finished in our new house for almost 18 months, and everything has been like pulling teeth. I still have no functioning stove (it arrived with a damaged power cord that is on ‘backorder’) a refrigerator with no front panels and no ice machine hook-up, which I decided I don’t need anyway, and no mirrors in the house, which I think might be a good idea.
    As mother would say, This too shall pass.

    Liked by 1 person

  47. We’ve had rain/storms for over a week off and on- and it looks like it will continue next week – hard to complain after such a long dry spell and so many needing water ( but it is a bit maddening.. some of the plants have revive and are surging again ready to overcome the house…sloshed out and hacked by the lantana yesterday as it was coming out on top over the hibiscus…landscaping – hope yours goes neater and ends up delightfully pretty
    Retirement boot camp – great label – Sr Staff is still dabbling part time – so that computer keeps him busy and not underfoot…now if only the new dog was as easy…
    Enjoyed all the posted bits and pieces of articles. You got parts for a dishwasher repair WOW – these days, that must take a repair service with real connections. Congrats!
    Hope all gets done happily before you go to pieces!
    (PS thanks for the mention – happy to be included in the nice crowd of readers here.)

    Liked by 1 person

    • philmouse, I understand about your lantana and hibiscus. The weirdness around rain this summer is everywhere. Either not enough or too much. I know that to whine about how muddy it is here can infuriate people who are living in parched areas, yet our projects have been slowed by flash flooding. Write what you know, huh?

      I am shocked that the repair service was able to find the dishwasher part. I agree that they must have some connections. I didn’t ask how they got it. Ignorance, in this case, is blissfully clean dishes.

      Had to include you in this batch of reader comments. Yours was perfect. Thanks for joining in.

      Like

  49. Retired husband, decluttering, appliance repairs, etc etc. Been there, done that – it all works out in the end… though I’ve found that sometimes motivation for both of us lags a bit. That is why I recently initiated ‘Money Monday’ (finances, filing and paperwork), ‘One and Done Wednesday’ (renos and repairs) and ‘Tidy Friday’. Tidy Friday is also ‘Fargo Friday’ because that is the designated day to work on the old truck.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Amusives, I like your plan. It’s clear as to what you plan on doing and WHEN. That seems to be an issue around here… there’s a lot of “we’ll get it” going on. I may fly by the seat of my pants when blogging but in real life I’m a planner.

      Like

  51. THESE POSTS ARE MY FAVORITE.
    I also found the Viral Post Generator on Twitter and thought it seemed like fun.
    I’m also looking forward to adding new blogs to my reader list.

    Heading to look at the rest of your links. ❤️

    Liked by 1 person

  53. Oh, my, that’s a busy week of supervising events. I hope the weather turns better so the outside project gets completed so you can enjoy it before the snow flies. (that’s perhaps too many sos or is it so’s?) My mom taught me shorthand, every letter kind of looked like a krul to me. You’ve got me wondering about the September 19th date. Is that when you’ll be decluttering while you know who is at the office officially celebrating his retirement at all the parties? 🥳🎉🥳 PS – the blogger comments you featured are delightful! I hope September treats you spectacularly!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Shelley, the weird thing about this week is that while I’m supervising and planning I’m not really doing much of anything, yet I’m stuck here… waiting. I want this patio finished so that, like you said, use it before winter snow.

      The September 19th date is when Apartment Therapy will start sending out daily emails with your decluttering assignment for that day. It also coincides with Z-D’s last weeks of work so it seems like a win-win.

      The reader comments this time were so clever and funny and truthful. I tell you, the people who engage on this blog are the BEST.

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  54. Am kind of half-back from my blog break – Ever since my fingers got stiff )12 years ago) can’t think of the name of the condition, we have not been making use of a dishwasher, I rather keep my hands intact since I paint and now am trying out pottery. Oh that sign” the krul” (remember I am Dutch) everyone wanted to see under an assignment or test, because it means good, better, best, excellent:)

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    • Emille, I’m charmed to know you’re personally acquainted with a Krul. It’s a nice pretty way to express something positive– and we could use more of that sentiment in this world, I do believe.

      Washing dishes in hot water is soothing. My mother had arthritis in her hands, and enjoyed washing dishes. I can wash them by hand– or use the machine. It’s one of those situations I’m indifferent to.

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  57. I learned the preamble by watching “Schoolhouse Rock” back in the day. While I took the Constitution Test in Illinois (for which I had to write out the preamble), I sang the song sung in one of the episodes. 😃

    Congrats to Z-D on his upcoming retirement! Love your “Retirement Bootcamp.” 😃

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    • L. Marie, I wonder how many kids of a certain age learned the Preamble that way! We didn’t have a Constitution Test, but we did have to make an Amendments Notebook.

      Z-D is psyched about retirement. He’s ready.

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  58. Yikes, Z-D underfoot before you’ve had a chance to get the project put to bed sounds – ahem – interesting. Still a bit rushed at the moment so I decided to pick one of your links and went for the todoist – turns out I need to be eating frogs… I shall put on some big girl pants and apply myself to eating the little critters from next week. I wonder how the French do it?

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    • Deb, yes there was a lot going here at the beginning of the week. I’m usually pretty good at working through distractions, but not this time. A couple of other commenters have mentioned they need to eat the frog. I wish y’all well with that– and don’t you love that way of saying do the most important things first? Makes me smile.

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  59. I had the interesting experience of my husband retiring before me (only fair since he’s older and had clocked in more work years). At first, it was fun coming home to a full-cooked meal every weekday evening. Then I started gaining weight and spending more time in the bathroom where I could be ALONE. Then, thanks to COVID, I worked at home for a year, which really worked to my benefit since he started getting stressed out by being exposed to my stress all day which resulted in me retiring sooner than planned. Now we’ve settled into retirement and manage to avoid being underfoot. And when one of us wants or needs to be alone, the door can be closed and no one’s feelings are hurt.

    I so feel you about the dishwasher. We had an incident with our washing machine recently that made me despair of ever having a long-functioning appliance. The washing machine ate the top bed sheet. The good news is that ever since my husband was able to extricate the remnants of the sheet (which required a crowbar), the washing machine has behaved. And my husband is now using the “bedding” setting on the washer when he does the sheets.

    And I will be joining you soon in the hardscaping/landscaping multiverse. After getting four bids, my husband settled on a company to do our hardscaping: putting in a pathway and a patio on the east side of our house where we had all those trees taken down. Just to note: a landscaper at our favorite nursery told us that putting in patios and paths is called hardscaping and it’s something landscapers don’t do. Frankly, the distinction drives me nuts because it also means we’ll have to find someone else to do the landscaping once the hardscaping is done. Oh, and we need to have a new fence put up and none of the hardscapers or landscapers do that. Everybody is a specialist these days!

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    • Marie, you make a good point about learning to just shut the door to be alone– and no one getting upset. I know that we’re pretty good at that thanks to Z-D working from home for 16 months at the beginning of the pandemic, BUT that idea needs to be CLEARLY STATED once he’s home in retirement, with no job to keep him entertained.

      Your washing machine ate your bed sheet? Oh that’s funny, and annoying of course, but like a cartoon story.

      I’ve heard the term hardscape, but it’s being done by the landscaping company we’ve used before. They don’t make that distinction but it’s a good one to know about. Our issue is that now that the landscapers [with the ability to do hardscape] are finished we have to get the lawn care company to mosey over here and adjust the lawn sprinkler heads because the landscapers won’t touch them. And as for a fence, or in our case a railing, neither landscaper nor lawn care will do that. We have to find an exterior home improvement company to do that. 😒

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    • Thanks! This type of post either resonates with people– or it doesn’t. I LOVE knowing what other people are reading online [beyond blogs] so I do one of these posts every so often. To share, you know

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  61. Congratulations on Zen-Den’s upcoming retirement! It’s certainly a shift. Hopefully you both will find a rhythm of being together and apart in your lives so the underfoot phenomenon doesn’t feel too overwhelming. Kind of like renovations in relationship… Nice to see you again, Ally Bean.

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    • Kathy, thanks for stopping by and sharing your wisdom, gleaned I assume from real life experience. I have faith that we’ll find a way to coexist in this space together. Say what you will about the pandemic, it did force us to learn how to share a house.

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  63. Welp, I guess I missed this because I had a similar week. But, your post reminded me that I want to thank you for truly changing my life. I’m pretty sure it was you who recommended the Bosch dishwasher, which we were miraculously able to get when we walked into the store to check them out. Like, we went in and drove home with one! And now, for the first time ever in my life, I do not have to wash the dishes before I put them in the dishwasher. And they come out clean! And the dishwasher is quiet! (Yes, this turn of events truly needs all the exclamation points.) So, thank you.

    Also, I did the productivity quiz, and it was so freaking marvelous to do it for my new job of being a mostly-retired person. I still have the same dilemmas (commit to too much), but it is amazing how much easier that is to navigate when I’m working in a non-toxic organization (my family).

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    • Rita, we bought a Bosch dishwasher a few years ago and like it, so I very well could have been the one who expounded on it. I’m impressed you walked into the store and got one just like that. Lucky you. Ours is fixed now, and doing its thing, quietly.

      I thought the productivity quiz was insightful, providing pragmatic solutions. I’m glad your family is a non-toxic organization. Not all of them are, you know.

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  64. You know, I read this back on August 30th. At work. Where I was supposed to be working. I then told myself I will get back to it later and comment. Ummm. Didn’t think it would that THAT long!
    I love that Krul – can see myself using it 😉
    I’m so bad, I didn’t even know what GTD was… oy.
    Too bad that decluttering thing starts on the day my demolition does. I need to get rid of stuff yesterday! Aaaaarrrghhh… Procrastinating (see? I’m here instead of boxing stuff) big time!
    There can be quite the adjustment period when one retires before the other. I imagine the pandammit helped force people to be together more than they ever were which either made or broke them!
    Always an enjoyable read 🙂

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    • Dale, thanks for coming back to comment. That’s nice of you. I like the Krul. It seems like the kind of idea the world needs right now. I know about GTD because years ago when it was a new thing I tried it. Didn’t work for me.

      I hope your demolition process goes smoothly and that all the stuff you need to get rid of *magically* disappears. It could happen. Certainly true about the forced togetherness during the pandemic. We did okay, but it required… adjustments. 😉

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  65. How did I miss Z-D was retiring the end of this month? I’m so behind here, it’s a wonder he’s not already retired. Well that is great and you had that practice run after all during the onset of the pandemic. I remember you writing about it.

    I like the links you gave us and Word Hippo is a favorite of mine too. Send Z-D to the refdesk site … he won’t come up for air for hours. I find it fascinating with all the tidbits of news, factoids, etc. I used it as my home page for years.

    I have a high school friend (Cheryl) I keep in touch with and she said something about her husband (Mark) recently that left me reeling. Mark is a computer programmer and has always worked from home in a home office since they married thirty years ago. Cheryl is a retired school teacher from a school for gifted children; she took early retirement three years ago after cutbacks. Mark demands total silence in the house during work hours. Cheryl must relegate her activities to the kitchen or their bedroom so the house is quiet … it is a two-story home and he works upstairs. She said “since I got my Bluetooth hearing aids, I can listen to TV through my hearing aids, so I can now watch TV during the day.” I said “my blogging friend’s husband soundproofed his music room so he could play guitar and not disturb her and she is retired, so it wasn’t that she needed total silence – it was just thoughtful. (This is Kate Crimmons.) So I said “have Mark soundproof his office.” This is why I’m not married – too headstrong (among other reasons related to my idiot father). 🙂 I wondered why their poodle had to have doggy day care when he worked from home, even after Cheryl retired. The dog has since died.

    I know you two will not have such an existence, but really?

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    • Linda, Z-D’s been going to retire many times during the last few years, then he never quite has, HOWEVER this time it is official. The paperwork has been signed, his replacement has been hired & trained, so I announced it here.

      As for someone who works from home and needs total quiet, WOW! And they sent the dog to daycare so it’d be perfectly quiet during the day? I’m glad your friend figured out how to use her hearing aids to listen to something, anything, while she was being quiet as the proverbial mouse BUT really? Kind of weird/controlling guy, eh?

      As for noise and me, one of the unintended consequences of living in a co-ed party dorm in college was that I can concentrate and work/write through people and TV and music noise. Whatevs. Machine noise, like what was happening last week with the patio construction, bugs me though.

      As for the man being underfoot when I do things like laundry and cooking, we’ll work on that. I may start using dog commands like “sit” and “stay” to train him. 😁

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      • Well that is exciting planning to retire at month-end. Of course it would be more exciting if we still lived in a pre-COVID world as I know you two planned to take a trip or two which was thwarted by COVID. At least you have done some renovations to your home and that is done and you can enjoy that until you feel comfortable to travel as you planned.

        I wish noise did not bother me. While my friend’s husband is the extreme and controlling, I would appreciate a little peace and quiet at my house, but noise circumstances are out of my control. It was always quiet here at the house – no one coming in/out, no relatives visiting, so noise now bothers me. I have to keep my landline turned on for work … if I turn it off to stop the incessant ringing of the junk calls, when my boss calls I don’t always see the red light flashing. Then he gets irritated. Today I had 12 junk calls since I got here at 11:30. The dog next door whines constantly from the time its owner leaves the house … the homes are close together and it stays in her bedroom, very close to where I sit all day. The Doberman on the corner barks all day long – I wear earplugs 24 hours a day which I don’t like doing and this past Saturday, I called the police at 3:30 a.m. after the dog barked for a solid hour – just crazy in my opinion.

        You have it under control using dog commands. 🙂

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        • I cannot imagine living near people who let their dogs bark incessantly. That’d bother me, too. Did the cops do anything?

          We got rid of our landline a few years ago. It is blissfully quiet without all the robocalls, especially the ones about politics. I understand why you keep your landline, but maybe when you retire you can ditch it. They are a nuisance.

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          • No, the cops have not done anything so far Ally. I am listening to it barking right now and just left a message with Animal Control – they won’t be in until tomorrow morning, but I left a scathing message to say that I left the house at 7:30 a.m. today and it was barking, returned at 9:45 a.m. and it has not shut up since. The A/C was not on today to help to block the noise. Even with earplugs I hear it and I refuse to believe that I am the only person who complains about it. You have to be nuts to be inside the house and listen to it barking. Even if the owner is working during the day, surely they hear it at night or the weekend! I just have no more patience with it. I find as the day wears on and especially by the end of the day, I have lost my ability to concentrate.

            The phone calls are so annoying and I registered the phone on the Do Not Call Registry easily a decade ago. I have the speaker phone ringer by my elbow turned off but have another small phone that has the ringer turned low … today 11 calls. I sometimes Google them to see what they are – all scam calls reported by other people. I don’t ever remember getting robocalls years ago – the occasional wrong number only. I may keep the landline, but turn off the ringer. I receive very few legitimate calls.

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  66. I loved the reader comments, Ally, especially the weirdo stalker guy with binoculars. ;-p

    Bloggers and writers seem to be a special group of people, willing to come together in peace (most of the time) and humor.

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    • Mary, I agree with you. For the most part blogland is a friendly place, where we find each other and support each other because it’s the right thing to do. Probably why I like it!

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    • Amanda, Pam’s explanation rang true with me, too. I love Wordhippo and thought I’d share it here in case someone doesn’t know about it. The waters of armageddon, a great phrase, have subsided and the patio is finished.

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  69. Thanks for the links, Ally. And good luck with the landscaping and the dishwasher repair. Our ice maker recently quit working. You’d be surprised how much ice you go through when you start buying it by the bag. Time to fix the ice maker!

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