SHarecon

Got up this morning and had coffee and showered and dressed. mashfanficchick got up after me and we left for zer eye doctor appointment in Long Beach. We took the subway to Jamaica and the LIRR from there.

While we were in the waiting room, there was an adorable almost-toddler 9 month old baby girl with her mother and we had a lot of fun watching her and talking to the mother.

After zer appointment was over we had time before my HP computer call back was supposed to happen, so we got lunch at a poke and ramen place. I had a poke bowl an ze had ramen.

We went to the library and enquired about a private room but that was unavailable. The library was so quiet that we felt it would be wrong to do the call back there, so we went to Starbucks. We staked out a table and set up, only to discover I'd not heard my phone ring and missed the callback.

I called HP and got someone, and they looked up my case and we got back to work again only to be stymied by the need for a flash drive.

mashfanficchick went out in search of one, and eventually found one bigger than we needed and quite expensive. I called HP back, an after we argued with an AI for some time, got through to a human. We started trying to do a system reset, and couldn't. first because there wasn't enough room in the computer, and then when we tried a different method, it kept crashing. So we broke for the day, next call back is Thursday at 2:00.

So we left Starbucks, having only bought one vente iced lavender latte, which we shared, because I needed to buy something to get the restroom code.

We went to Stop and Shoop across the street, and did some shopping. I got a loaf of Irish soda bread. Then we went to the train station and missed the train by about 2 minutes.

SO since the next one didn't leave for quite some time, and it was late, we had dinner at an Italian restaurant. I had a mushroom risotto. It was delicious.

Then we got the train back to Jamaica and then the 44 bus from there. Ze got off at Union Tpk and took the 46 from there, I went back to my stop and came home.

I found a Funko Pop waiting for me, and at first hope soared that it was one or the other of the Stephen Colberts. But it wasn't, it was the derpy tiger from K-Pop Demon Hunters that I had ordered. I didn't even know it had shipped.

I fed the pets, then Teamed the FWiB from my phone. We talked for about an hour, then got off.

I moved the boxes of the Kid's stuff from the kitchen to the hall, in preparation for RK taking them and me to the storage unit tomorrow.

Then I set up the computer and started here.

Gratitude List:

1. The FWiB.

2. Gorgeous weather.

3. Cute little girl.

4. Good lunch and dinner.

5. The boxes were easier to move than I expected.

6. RK.

I deliberately left my computer at mashfanficchick's yesterday because I was coming back today and I didn't want to carry it around, so this is to catch up yesterday as well as today.

Yesterday we woke up in time to do the call back with HP. She did not reset the computer, but a lot of things were deleted, and the bios was updated. Then she said that the best thing to do would be to delete Discord. I can't do that, I need it for gaming night. And it doesn't seem right that an object sold as a laptop computer shouldn't be able to handle some very minimal apps. So she gave us the number for the warranty dept. And something really weird happened when we called. WE got a person or maybe a robot that pretty much just said "wrong number" when we called. So we are having another call back Monday so we'll see.

We called in breakfast, and I had a bagel with cream cheese and lox and that was good.

Anyway, at 4:00 I went and showered and at 5:00 I headed into the Bronx for my Al-anon meeting. I got there in time to have my pizza for dinner first. Then the meeting, which was very good. M drove me to the bus stop afterward. The bus was about 10 minutes late this time.

Got home, my Thriftbooks order of Cat Haiku had been delivered. But there was still no sign of the missing Pop.

I Teamed the FWiB on my phone and went to bed.

This morning I got up at 7:30 and had breakfast and coffee. Then I went to the church where my Saturday Al-anon meeting is, because the AA group that also uses the church was having their 50th anniversary, and they invited us. (For those who don't know, Al-anon and Alcoholics Anonymous are two separate organizations. Al-anon is for friends and families of alcoholics. AA is of course for the alcoholics.) They had bagels and cream cheese and butter and jelly and blueberry muffins. It was a very interesting meeting but the sound quality of the PA system was awful.

After their meeting we had ours, and afterward I went to the diner, driven by S as usual. I had the French onion soup.

Then I took the 13 bus to Flushing, and the subway from there to mashfanficchick's. Stopped on the way to buy two cans of iced coffee and a birthday card for Middle Brother.

Ze was sleeping when I got here, after taking melatonin last night trying to find a small enough does that it makes zer sleep without putting zer to sleep all day after.

So I used my computer to go to the Starsky and Hutch chat, and then after that Teamed the FWiB/ The Zoom for the chat worked wonderfully. The Teams for the FWiB, not so much.

After we got done, I woke up mashfanficchick and we ordered dinner, Thai food. Then ze downloaded a scanning program on my computer that a techie friend of zers recomended. Tomorrow the friend will give us more help.

And now we leave my computer to wait for the techie friend and I'm updating here on zer laptop.

Gratitude List:

1. The FWiB.

2. My meetings and the people there.

3. All was well at my apartment.

4. Free computer help.

5. Thai food for dinner.

6. mashfanficchick

I woke up hungry at 6:00 this morning, and came out and ate my Cheerios, but didn't have coffee. Then I went back to bed and slept til 10:30. I got up and had coffee and checked to see if my Funko Pop had appeared. Spoiler alert... it hasn't.

I puttered on the computer for a few hours, checking for the Pop every hour, and finally went into the bedroom. I played solitaire for awhile, then started reading a Ngaio Marsh mystery that I had on my TBR pile.

I read that til 6:00 and then started trying to get the Teams up and running to Team the FWiB. Spoiler alert... I couldn't. We ended up using my phone.

At 8:00 I went to my D&D game. I started out having to use Discord on my phone but as the battery drained I restarted the computer and got Discord up, an surprisingly it worked quite well.

The game was fun, we battled lizard-men, bug bears, grey ooze, and an owl-bear.

I self rec'd my 9/11 story on the Starsky and Hutch Facebook group. For anyone interested, it's here on AO3:

The Only Thing I Can Be Sure Of

After the game I had dinner an fed the pets. Now it's time for bed.

Gratitude List:

1. The FWiB.

2. The Discord mostly worked.

3. Ebay gives refunds.

4. My D&D group.

5. Good books.

6. My story got a really nice comment.

Too late to write much. Got up late, around 12:00. Breakfast, coffee.

Then used the new pump an changed the water in the turtle tank. It works great! I'm very glad I got it. The tank is much better, though I should change the water again soon, and the turtle seems happier.

Started calling HP about the computer, hung up out of nervousness. I am not goo with phone calls. Maybe I should email or live chat.

mashfanficchick called and told me ze was going to watch a Purim spiel that was being put on by people ze knows and I should come over and watch with zer, and then we'd watch a taped SNL that has one of the stars of Heated Rivalry hosting. And buy alcohol at the liquor store on the way because you are supposed to get drunk for Purim.

So I showered and dressed an headed over. I bought a bottle of Kikkoman plum wine from the liquor store and took out money at the bank.

We called in sushi for dinner, and had a struggle getting the Zoom to play on zer laptop but finally did and cast it to the TV and watched. I got quite drunk on two large glasses of plum wine, and ze had Chambord.

Then I Teamed the FWiB on my phone. That was nice as always.

Ze put on the SNL episode, which was, well, to be honest, not great. We alternated watching with putting it on pause and talking, and by the time it was over it was quite late.

We talked awhile longer, then I Ubered home, and fed the pets and started here.

Bed very soon!

Gratitude List:

1. The FWiB.

2. The new pump works great!

3. Plum wine and sushi.

4. mashfanficchick

5. Good weather for traveling.

6. Bed soon!

I got up at 9:00 and had breakfast and coffee, showered and dressed, and went to my Al-anon meeting.

The weather is beautiful though that will change over the next few days. Oh well.

The meeting was very good. Then we went to the diner, I got a ride with S as usual. I had my usual bacon, egg, and cheese on a toasted English muffin. Nothing to drink though today.

After we finished, I took the bus into Flushing rather than coming back home, and met mashfanficchick and we went to the food court of one of the Chinese markets. Ze had lunch, and I had a tea drink. Then we went to the market and ze shopped while I tagged along and looked at stuff, and thought maybe I'd come back another day and buy some things.

Then we split up and I came home. It was too late for the Starsky and Hutch chat, so I puttered with the computer, trying to get it's serial number (I eventually did).

At 7:00 I started trying to Team the FWiB. I had so much trouble that eventually I said to Teams me on my phone, while I worked on getting it up on the computer. So we did that. I did get the computer up and we got on that, but the connection was awful.

The books I ordered for Middle Brother's birthday were supposedly delivered today. They were not here. Either they lied about the delivery or they were stolen. I am very annoyed abuot that.

I should say something about the bombing of Iran. It's sickening. And as the FWiB pointed out, look now for more terrorist attacks in America in retribution. And can this administration keep us safe from them? I doubt it.

So that was the day.

Gratitude List:

1. The FWiB.

2. My meetings and the people there.

3. mashfanficchick

4. Nice weather.

5. I did manage to get the serial number.

6. The computer seems to be working OK at the moment.

I got up at 10:00 this morning and had breakfast and coffee, and then showered and dressed.

Then I crossed my fingers and went down to the laundromat, hoping my laundry would be done. It was, so I paid and brought it home.

I put it in my room, put the cart away in the kitchen and then left to go over to meet mashfanficchick.

We met at Cobblestones and had lunch there. I had their Philly Cheesesteak sandwich which was delicious, and I really splurged and got a green mimosa for a drink.

After lunch we looked over zer lease papers, and ze signed them, and then we went back to zer place.

I heard from Funko, they are refunding my money because they are out of the Stephen Colbert Pops. So, in frustration I went to Ebay and found it there. I was pretty sure I'd be able to. There was a markup of course but it wasn't too bad. So I ordered one, because dammit, now I really really want that Pop!

We hung out for awhile after that. Theo called and ze talked to him. At 7:00 I Teamed the FWiB from my phone.

At 8:00 we watched 911, it was a pretty good episode. At 8:30 I called Middle Brother. He went to dinner for one of the residents birthday and had a good time. Then we watched 911:Nashville which was so-so.

We had some snacks for dinner, and then we watched this week's episode of Will Trent on Hulu, which was very good.

After that I Ubered home, and fed the pets, and started here. The computer has been awful, I had to restart it twice so far.

Gratitude List:

1. The FWiB.

2. Clean laundry which was done on time.

3. Yummy lunch.

4. Good TV.

5. Going to get the Stephen Colbert Pop one way or the other.

6. Middle Brother having fun.

I actually got up with the alarm today at 10:00, and made it out of bed pretty quickly. I had breakfast and coffee, and started to write again.

The story is going pretty well. It's now 2,850 words, and has more to go. I'll work on it tomorrow too.

Once again, that's pretty much all I did today. mashfanficchick called me to tell me ze has zer plane tickets for zer next Ohio trip, and we talked a bit, that's all.

Oh one thing I did was get a bag of laundry together to take down tomorrow.

Anyway, at 7:00 I Teamed the FWiB, the Team worked well so I had hopes for my Al-anon meeting Zoom working. But it was only semi-working, it kept blanking out audio. Fortunately there was only me and M there.

After the meeting I had dinner, and went to the bedroom to lay down.

Facebook reminds me that today would have been Aunt Helen's 97th birthday. I miss her, a lot.

Gratitude List:

1. The FWiB.

2. The writing is going well.

3. My meetings and the people there.

4. Memories of Aunt Helen.

5. mashfanficchick

6. The Teams worked well and the Zoom was at least usable.