erin, maybe you could call the city sewer department (or whatever it's called) and ask them about the letter and explain why you are reluctant to open it. That way, if it IS meant for you, they can send you a new copy.

I would also be sure to get the name of whoever you speak to, and ask that the time, day you called be noted down in case anyone gets on your tail later about a deadline you didn't get to hear about in time.

I'm being very productive, trying to avoid studying for the test I have in two days. Previously: TV with the Dog and my Dad. Next: baking and sewing. After that: an ep of Blackadder and the weekend's papers.

But the headache I had for 20 hours is now gone, hooray!

Barb, I LOVED the Wall of Books.

{{Vortex}} and some snuggling, too.

erin, I would open the letter and if it is something the old owners really need, put it in a new envelope with a very nice note that says, "oops! I made a mistake and thought this was for me."

The baby has transferred her baby germs to both my DH and me. Ah-choo.

Oh my god, the Indian food was SO GOOD. I had a little of both the matar paneer and the aloo saag. I can't decide which one I like better, so I think they should always be combined. And the garlic naan must have crack in it.

Was it the place I went to?

The place that interpreted "no cilantro" as "please give me ALL THE CILANTRO IN YOUR KITCHEN"? No -- this is a new(ish) place.

The place that interpreted "no cilantro" as "please give me ALL THE CILANTRO IN YOUR KITCHEN"?

Hee. That would be the one.

Having a crazy few days. Today: bought an outfit for confirmation (Shir, I went with a skirt like you suggested! It's blue!), worked on PhD application stuff, am currently nursing The Girl through a migraine, my mother is on her way to stay here overnight and we're going out for dinner. Tomorrow: confirmation rehearsal, entertaining my mother, buying a scarf (need to cover up my tummy in the new outfit), getting my mother out of the door before my father and not-stepmother arrive to stay over and take us out for dinner. Sunday: collecting my grandmother from the suburbs, confirmation, taking everyone out for lunch (we are going to run out of restaurants). Then sleep.

Dog Hivemind:

The Dog, for the past 2 weeks, is most likely to be found on my bed, for hours, and usually weeps/refuses to come down when offered (even with treats - though even without them, his tail is still very wagging).

Now, this dog has a history of issues, but this is new. Anyone has the slightest inkling what the fuck is wrong with him now? I know that lightnings freights him, and he indeed run the people of the house when it's stormy, but it continued for several days since the last rainpocolypse.

Hey, Shir.

Aww, babe. Glad you loved it! {}

I just pulled an Aimee.

Today is trash and recycling day. I duly put the trash out by the curb, like a good citizen should. A few minutes later, I noticed our neighbor putting her recycling bins out. "Oh!" I said to myself. "It's also recycling day!"

As I'm putting the recycling bins out on the curb, I see the truck wwwaaaaaaaaayyyyyyy down the block. Satisfied that I had accomplished my task before the truck arrived, I went inside and had a cup of coffee.

As I gaze out my front window, the truck pulls up in front of my house. The recycling man gets out of his truck and...LEAVES A FUCKING DAY-GLO ORANGE NOTE ON MY BINS AND DOES *NOT* TAKE MY FUCKING RECYCLING!

The reason, as stated on the note? "Late set out."

Oh, fuck you.

So I called the number on the note and explained the situation. "Well," the almost-but-not-quite-nice young lady on the phone says "our policy is that the bins must be out on the curb by 6 am."

"Two things wrong with that, lady," says I. "One: Nowhere on any piece of literature regarding your service have I seen any mention whatsoever of '6 am' deadline. Two: Had I set the bins out 10 minutes earlier, before your truck rounded the corner, there would be *no way* they could have known that they hadn't been out by 6 am."

"Well, still, the policy..."

"Seriously. How would they have known? Do you send pre-dawn scouting parties out?"

"A route supervisor does, sometimes, drive the route early on..."

"You're telling me there's a guy who drives by my house at 6 am every other Friday and says 'Don't pick up at 1100 Lester, their bins aren't out on time?' Really?! Really."

"Sometimes..."

"Send the truck back."

"Well, their route..."

"Send it back. Today. I'm not waiting two weeks for you idiots to come by and NOT pick up my recycling again. Send the truck back."

"I..."

"Send. Back. Truck. Today. Does a new order to the words help?"

"I'll put in a request."

"Good day to you, ma'am."

I know, I know, all those years in customer service, perhaps I could have been nicer. But all those years in customer service have taught me one thing: Shitty customer service breeds, and is punished by, shitty customers.

I got some shitty customer service today. Welcome to the results. Fucktards.