The last two days the dogs are sooooo barky. Bailey was worse yesterday. Miley today. I have no idea why. Only thing that gets her to quiet down is going outside and I am not inclined to leave her outside in the hottest part of the day.

I started this post at 4:30. Since then I wrapped up work, poured myself another glass of wine and took them both out int he backyard until their dinner time, then back outside and they wandered the yard while I repotted 4 plants.

They have calmed and both conked out while I baked a pie and puttered in the kitchen. I think a shower and early bed with a long got to sleep podcast.

Sophia, I really think protecting your mother's feelings is something to be proud of.

Hang in there, Toddson.

In regard to the fertility doctor who, um, helped infertile couples - there was a pretty serious scandal a number of years ago about a doctor who did just that. I don't remember the details, including his name, but I think SNL did a sketch about it. I'm not sure if any of the family did some extramarital reproduction, although one great-uncle did look to have a different gene pool in his background. Most of my family's drama has been in the here and now, although just about all the people who'd caused drama are either dead or completely estranged. My mother thought my father's family were a bunch of ignorant hicks and didn't want anything to do with them. She hated her half-sister and cut her off decades ago. Warm and fuzzy wasn't in my family's repertoire.

And thanks for the offer of help. Thankfully, I've been saving for 18 months for this move. I've bought some new furniture, new rugs and will be buying a bunch of new household items (Target, here I come!). So financially I am OK ... it's just the hassle and general exhaustion. I'm trying to do some unpacking in the new place ... I have some antique china that should go to a new home - it's been in boxes for, oh, 20 years or so. I'm sure someone would like to give it a good home.

That sounds like a truly terrible move, Toddson. I hope you can get settled in and never move again!

If you aren't overwhelmed with work/life after the move, selling china by the piece on ebay or local FB marketplace can be fun and make some $$ (depending on the pattern/condition).

China pieces can also be nice to use around a house for planters, catch-all bowls...

Workers are here for day 3 of getting my garage door to work. Like literally just follow the GD directions in the manual. They had not done any of the tension tests, not programmed the down or up setting so it would work with the wall button. Had not tested the retract action by placing an object in the path.

As with many contractors. I like the actual owner contractor and not so much confidence in the other guys unless I stay right on them and I HAVE TO WORK and DO NOT HAVE THE SPOONS. If I have to go out several times to explain things today, I will absolutely loose my shit.

Also? electrician has still not been back to fill in trench.

Also? irritability is a sign of anxiety.

I AM NOT A GODDAMN DELIGHT RIGHT NOW!

Depending on how easily found the china pattern is, you could make someone's day selling it on ebay. My grandma's china pattern has long since been discontinued, and I was thrilled to find someone selling their set of it on ebay. I hit that "buy now" button with no regard to storage or financial sense.

I might go the ebay route ... I've thought about it ... it's just a matter of DOING IT. This move has taken up so much of my time and energy - as I was doing the weeding out and starting packing - that, as has been said, I don't have any spoons. And I have to spend eight hours in the office each day ... plus commute (which is, thankfully, shorter these days), so there's a large chunk of the day. Also - I'm 68 years old. I don't have the energy I had even a few years ago. I get tired and I hurt pretty much all the time.

We have a number of eBay sellers around here where you just drop your stuff and they take care of selling and shipping and so forth. I haven't used them, but I should!

I cannot believe that they do not allow working from home in this year of our mother earth 2020.

I cannot recommend enough getting yourself some epson salt (I like the lavender scented) and having a long soak bath.

Also, bless doing things online. I was really able to accomplish almost all non-work things I needed to yesterday just sitting at my computer.