My next article is on macular degeneration. No pictures. I feel a little cheated.

Think how cheated the people with macular degeneration feel.

Zing!

No pictures. I feel a little cheated.

My optometrist now does retinal exams digitally instead of manually. One major benefit is that there is no need for dilating eye-drops. Another benefit is that a little later I get to see the pictures on the exam room's computer monitor.

I asked him if he could e-mail copies to me. He looked startled, then said he didn't know how to export them from the system. I suspect he just didn't want to do it.

So I got an email from my mom, picture of my brother's basement (of their rental.) Where I usually stay when visiting. Ceiling is collapsed (right under where the bathrooms are.) Told me to book a room at the hotel they (parents) are staying at.

Purchase of new house is still on, will just take longer.

Go to take out recycling, find huge puddle by the door. Shopvac it up, as I'm dumping it into the utility sink, (unused) toilet is gurgling madly, and starts to overflow.

I start dumping water into the alley.

Pretty sure sewage line is clogged, which... a lot of my neighbors have this issue. I have not in the 4 years I've been here. Guess I'm lucky. Call neighbors for recs and cost estimate. ACK. Call home warrantee. Turns out I AM covered. Also turns out that since I cannot (should not) use the facilities, I get upgraded to emergency service. Waiting for a call back.

Worst case scenario, nothing happens until tomorrow, I pee next door and shower at the until a plumber can get out here.

I want to shower in bleach. The amount of water and uh, condition, suggests it was mostly dishwater from this evening. There would have been a helluva lot more if from my shower and uh, bathroom use earlier today. But still.

I think I'm just going to drink the rest of the night. Pretty sure emergency plumbers on night calls see a lot of inebriated people, right?

Yikes! Yeah, drinking seems like an appropriate response and I bet the emergency plumber will agree.

I would just make sure you have a place to pee if you start drinking. Because yikes.

My optometrist now does retinal exams digitally instead of manually.

Maybe it was because we were already talking body parts, but it took me a long time to realize you didn't mean fingers instead of hands....

I just won't flush.

I've established that it will drain...eventually. Volume of water from doing dishes is too much. Basically, more than a bucket is too much.

I'll have service within 24 hours. Might even get a call tonight, but more likely in the morning. Feh. Still the difference between knowing it WILL cost $500 vs POSSIBLY costing $500, but also POSSIBLY totally covered by a $75 service fee.

Oh Sara, that is not fun. That happened at my parents' on thanksgiving weekend. My brother and BiL were champs and snaked the sewer line themselves. It was gross.

Oh man, Sara, that sucks.

Also, Ginger is funny and billy tea is awesome.

fingers instead of hands....

Hah. Yes, that possibility did occur to me.

Yeah, this is a DIY I will not attempt.