beth, I think you should come over to this side of the penisula, clean my apartment, and then join me for dinner at Shiok!

I get to work this evening....

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I owe you a HUGE favor.

Nah...you gave me a great distraction. It worked out well for both of us.

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Ok, today is a rare and precious day off, to be followed by yet another day off! My mental to-do list for today is not getting crunched out the way I had hoped. I am forestalling the mean voices in my head by noting that I started my seven day stretch at work so exhausted I wept for thinking of going to work, and remembering that one does not get less exhausted by working that many days in a row.

So, I have started laundry (not proceeding as quickly as I had hoped when I put the first load in at 5:30am, but it IS going). Changed the sheets on my bed, too. I had a nice adjustment at the chiropractor's and remembered to ask if they were in-network for the new insurance. They are not, but there is an out-of-network rate, and the visits will count toward my deductible. Got a small, potted Christmas tree at that evil discount department store without having a nervous breakdown (the local Walmart takes me that way sometimes), and bought some sugar-free fudge covered graham crackers for Daniel. Cleaned the litter boxes. Paid a bill. Had a nap.

Am contemplating further nappage.

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Around here, the chores I'm trying to get done are dishes and sorting through baby clothes (too small, too big, returning the borrowed stuff). Ellie is sleepy, refuses to nap and refuses to play quietly. So, I'm doing my work with her in the sling.

eta: and diapers are in progress

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My brother was supposed to be back in LA (he's in SF right now) by dinnertime.

He driving.

He's on Lombard at Van Ness.

I'm thinking he's gonna be late.

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Jessica,

I solve the half-pint problem by putting a round cake cooling sheet (the wire-grid kind) in the bottom of my biggest stockpot. Then I lift individual jars in and out with a jar lifter.

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Scott's having back spasms again. He had one bad enough at work (from just moving his chair while in it) that he yelled out. I had to pick him up at the train station, and then my dear friend picked me up and took me down to get his car. He couldn't drive. He has a Flexeril in him and some Tylenol. He'd already taken 4 Ibuprofen at noon, and sadly, the Percosets he's had for over a year (and never taken one of them) expired back in August, so he couldn't take one, after I talked him into trying it.

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Cindy, that sounds awful. Are his back spasms an ongoing thing?

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Cindy, that is terrible. I would try the expired meds though. They usually build a hell of a safety net into the dates and usually just get less potent so the worst that happens is nothing.

Hee, you're welcome. Not really bored. Just... your question made me curious, too. Not that I am planning to do any canning in the near future, or anything, I just suddenly really wanted to know. And, hey, da Bitches came through for me this morning, and turn-about's fair play.

You know, I am far happier finding out stuff like this for others. It's what makes the hivemind brilliant. Like a roundrobin of finding stuff out with minimal frustration.

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I would try the expired meds though. They usually build a hell of a safety net into the dates and usually just get less potent so the worst that happens is nothing.

I was thinking this too.

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