Steph - totally agree that the vacation house looks fabulous.

Gray cats and disappearing acts: when I lost my cat Ivan - I believe it was an I opened the door, he went by in a flash (or possibly teleported out) and I was so tired I didn't notice and then didn't realize 'til the next day. (It was Sunday night of a Thanksgiving weekend and I was extra tired on my return home.)

I'm glad your gray cat teleported in.

With sunblock I default to best value over best as I have found we need to use it in large quantities in my house if we want to get actual sun blockage from it. I've looked longingly at la Roche-Posey but haven't tried it.

That vacation house does look swanky! I'm glad you're feeling better so you can enjoy it more, Steph.

erin, thank you for the sunblock rec! Now to check the Amazon Prime status of it ...

Whoa, I had the hardest time getting out of bed today, and now, post-blueberry pancake time, I can't get off the couch. Plus I let it slip to Tom that my cousin and her fiance are moving to Salem, but I didn't find out about it till after the short sale offer on the house was in. It's just, EVERYTHING about that goddamn house is like the worst timing ever. So we're both kind of sitting around, bummed out about it, and annoyed about being bummed out about it. UGH.

Maybe I should just go back to bed.

I'm much better today. Thanks for your concern.

I am both pissed off and confused, however. A guy from the county came by yesterday and cited me for "weeds and grass above 12 inches" and "storing debris." I have maybe 30 square feet on the one side that the neighbor keeps mowed, but otherwise it's liriope and ornamental rye grass. His "weeds" were perennials not in bloom at the moment and his "storing debris" was the part of the carport that was knocked off by the hailstorm last week, which I was breaking up to be picked up by the garbage people. I don't think a week is really "storing." I tried to get him to be more specific, but that was as close as I got. I even threw the C word out there and he said, "Can't you get some church people to help you?" No, DeKalb County, I don't happen to have "church people" in my back pocket.

I'm sure he was on the street because the house that was foreclosed on two doors down does indeed have an entire yard full of grass more than 12" long. They can cite the bank and bring in a mower for that one, but I can't imagine what they could do to "clean up" my yard.

My neighbors on both sides are as baffled as I am.

I even threw the C word out there and he said, "Can't you get some church people to help you?"

::blinkblinkblink::

For real though, whatever the fuck, guy.

Jesus, Ginger.

(that was not a suggestion of whom to call, by the way)

Jackass. (lawn guy, that is)

Really? REALLY, County Asshole?

That guy needs a kick in the nads.