We have an ancient family story about how my great grandmother Della, living on a remote farm in North Dakota, desperately wanted a nice China cabinet from the Sears Roebuck catalogue. She already had six children, chickens and a garden to manage and she undertook the job of raising turkeys on top of all that and got herself the money. The part I never really understood was why everyone thought it was such an awful job and now it's too late for me to ask anyone.

The China cabinet is still at my Dad's house in the care of my stepmother and I won't inherit it because I have no children to pass it on to. We're going to give it to one of the nieces when they marry because Grandma was adamant about one thing: that cabinet must stay with the family and never be sold or given away.

Mom is coming down tomorrow so we can chat. Outside, masked , apart. I realise that soon the weather won't be good for that and I don't know how we will get together. I wish I had done more social distance outside visiting when it was summ r and spring but I just...was in denial about how long this would all be I guess.

I keep thinking maybe it wouldn't be so bad if I hugged mom once or at least we visited inside.... but I know that isn't new practices.

Man, I'd buy turkey thighs all year round if I could.

I have no idea what the Austin/Texas testing situation is, I haven't heard a lot of public information about it. Everything medical here is overwhelming to me - I don't have a PCP and I have been hermiting rather than being proactive. I'm going to try to look into testing sites though, see if I can get that worked into the Thanksgiving planning.

I have been hermiting rather than being proactive.

Me too.

However, I got an email from CVS yesterday offering appointments for drive-through testing. "Free" - which I assume means they will bill my insurance.

Our city council agreed to fund a public testing center here four days a week - there are six local places to get a test, but none of them are accepting people who are asymptomatic.

Gah. I'm allocating orders and notice that many have a ship date of 10/21 so I'm kind of idly wondering why they haven't shipped yet, only HOURS later do I realize that 10/21 is TOMORROW not last week...my poor brain is all mushy

However, I got an email from CVS yesterday offering appointments for drive-through testing. "Free" - which I assume means they will bill my insurance.

I dunno -- CVS didn't even ask about my insurance for my free flu shot. They have some info on file for me from a prescription at some point, but they didn't confirm it or anything.

Edit: So maybe this is the same kind of free, whatever that is! I mean, someone is surely paying.

Not that I think anyone was waiting for an update, but I have heard back from my tax person today since the IRS required a response by 10/21. Their conclusion is that I do NOT owe the IRS anything, so I will only owe my tax person for preparing an amended return and responding to the IRS. I'm happy to pay that for peace of mind.

Also, I've been checking on my mail-in ballot and it is in the last stage of processing.

That's good news. Did they tell what (if anything) you need to do differently next year?

Timelies all!

Good news, shrift!

I usually go get tested on Thursday, but since I'm only in the lab on Friday this week, I guess that's when it will be.(and it will be a walk-up, rather than scheduled, as I did not bring my work computer home.)