Scanning, Smoking and ... SQUIRREL!

Happy Holiday!!  Don't you just love it that you never have to wake up and go to work the day after a holiday?  I'm in love with retirement!!  Especially when it's a fabulous, and I mean FABULOUS 63 degrees outside.  My door is wide open and the fan is running.  I might even let it go until I actually get COLD!!!

Here's a video of my foster kids galavanting around the back yard.  I've no idea what the "fluff" is, other than moisture in the air.  Wait for it ... one comes back for a final look. 

After fixing breakfast, Cooper and I lounged on the couch for awhile.  As Mr. Chance noted when he was here, this kid never gets far from me, and he watches me like a hawk.  He's my little shadow.

I tried to get some more organizing done, but I'm SO easily distracted.  I started in the closet, cleaning out two big garbage bags of things that I wore 30 years ago.  Hey ... they are NICE things that I really like and didn't want to get rid of.  Trouble is, they are three sizes too small.  

On to the sewing room, where I would grab something that needed to go in the bedroom.  That led to the closet where I looked at all those old marathon shoes and began sorting them.  Somewhere in between I lost my phone, which of course began to ring.  It's the same old .... SQUIRREL!!!

I gave up and decided to hit the grocery store.  It's a holiday, they have only two checkers and TEN people waiting in line with full to the brim baskets.  I opt for the self checkout ... a big mistake.

Here's how it went .... I place my two bags on the bagging area.  The machine locked up.  Take those items off the bagging area.

I called the girl to fix it.  She wanted to lift the case of water.  No need ... I can do it.

I scanned one item and it locked up.  Take those items off the bagging area.

I called the girl to fix it.  She wanted to lift the case of water.  No need ... I can do it.

I scanned one more item and it locked up yet again.  Take those items off the bagging area.

I called the girl to fix it.  She CHARGED the water because I'm sure she thought I was going to steal it.

By then I was mad as a wet hen.  Just stand right there until I'm done because your machines are crap.  Maybe you should take a lesson from Walmart.  Or MAYBE she should have been at a regular checkout station checking people out.  

Trying not to let that ruin my day, I headed back home to my rack of ribs that were waiting on the counter, which is why I was rather in a hurry.  A holiday requires ribs be smoked in my smoker.

While they were on the racks, I made another quick trip to Home Depot because I now had a part number. Just looking at the part compared to what was on their shelves, didn't work.  I could have bought it on Amazon ... but wait ... you won't believe this ... THEY WON'T SHIP THIS PART TO CALIFORNIA.  Are you kidding me?  It's not a bOMb or aR fifteen ... it's a faucet cartridge.  

I got the last one on the shelf and went to work.

Veeerrryyy carefully, I turned the water back on.  Water came out, so I was ahead of the game.  LOOKIE HERE ..... NO LEAK!!!  I can't believe I fixed it!!  It's weird though .. the faucet turns on like butter ... smooth as can be compared to the other side.  I might have purchased a spare, but they only had one.  As it was, it cost me $20.  So is this how the manufacturers now control WHERE you buy products?  You can't buy this anywhere but from the big box stores?  Just a thought.

And then I was rewarded for my complete lack of patience!  Oh my great Aunt Lucy ... these were some of the best ribs I've ever made.  Tender, totally tasty from the Pig Powder ... I could have eaten the whole thing.

Instead, I'll try to make them last three days.  What now?  More getting rid of "stuff" and on to changing out the house air filters, or maybe ........... SQUIRREL!!!