Meaning not the 1st floor or the 2nd floor, but above the 2nd floor? Is that not open to the 2nd floor?

Yes, the attic is a full space, and interior of the cupola is up there. I'm talking with Erika on how to turn the attick into Stede's pirate ship library from Our Flag Means Death: [link]

David, just remember that it's important it not fall down. (I've worked with engineers and I know that's something high on their priority list.)

My highest priority as well!

it's important it not fall down

"Gravity works!" -- Batty Koda

In the land of ouch, my grandmother-in-law is hitting the "has lived past the amount of money allotted for her remaining years" stage of life. (She's 98. She's also in independent living, but independent living is expensive, and her savings + investment income has been running out.)

As she had a decent nest egg and a good financial services dude to manage things, I'm currently despairing over a: ever retiring; b: the issues around my parents and siblings WRT money and everything else; c: wondering how my mother-in-law will manage if she lives as long as her mom.

Yikes, that’s scary PM! But I guess less scary than not getting to enjoy any of it, which also scares me.

I can’t believe they’d cancel senior night because of grades (at this point in the year??) that sucks so bad for poor M.

I can’t believe they’d cancel senior night because of grades (at this point in the year??) that sucks so bad for poor M.

Senior Night is just part of a regularly scheduled game, where they honor graduating seniors. It's a fairly low-key celebration where the underclassmen say thanks to their graduating teammates.

It's not canceled as such, it's just the scheduled game where they were going to do that is cancelled.

They can do something at school and possibly will. Though there are only two seniors and Matilda is one of them, I'm afraid it'll just got lost in the shuffle.

Anyway, she's shifted her focused and was psyched that her prom shoes arrived.

Also, Emmett was going to the store so I had him grab some Wasp Spray for me and we sprayed the nascent nest with wasp in it. She's dead. (video on FB - not of the killingating. Just the industrious wasp and her Japanese influenced paper lantern technique.)

OMG, I've finally set up Autopay on my mortgage and my insurance policies. And I set them up to an account that won't be affected by the Joint Account changeover I'm finessing with the credit union.

Now I just need to cut one manual check and get it in the mail for today and I can go have a drink at Alembic.

That is hard and worrisome, PM. With the bulk of Boomers getting ready to retire and eventually need care, I hope population forces will make the US come up with a reasonably humane solution by the time we need it.

That is hard and worrisome, PM. With the bulk of Boomers getting ready to retire and eventually need care, I hope population forces will make the US come up with a reasonably humane solution by the time we need it.

The bulk of Boomers are already at or past retirement age! Sadly, I don't expect to see a solution in the near future. Or even by the time Gen X is ready for the retirement home.

As she had a decent nest egg and a good financial services dude to manage things, I'm currently despairing over a: ever retiring; b: the issues around my parents and siblings WRT money and everything else

My mom and stepdad are in great shape financially (they're leaving for Scotland in 2 weeks, because they are by god going to travel until they're unable to) (which I totally support!), so I don't worry about them. My dad is a hot goddamn mess who I honestly thought would have been dead by now. I didn't think he'd make it to 72 and the old man is 82 and going strong. He has zero retirement plan, and zero funds to make a retirement plan. Best-case scenario, he can move in with my aunt, if she doesn't die first.

My parents are doing ok. I'm not worried about my dad financially. A little more about Mom in terms of what they will need for long term care, they are both retired.

I'm at the point where I don't think retirement is something I would be able to do. I'll be working full time in my 70s because ....not much in savings, I only have a solid work history for the last decade and my 6 years at Belk was my longest time working at any one place. I have to figure out what is going on with my 401K situation. I've been taking a kind of Don't Think About It Too Hard approach because otherwise I tend to start spiraling.