I started off the day feeling somewhat lonely and depressed but managed to dissipate the entire day. My bladder woke me at 7am when I wanted to sleep in. Then, after breakfast, I started feeling sorry for myself and wished that I had set my alarm for 6am to go with the BESC hiking group just to have some company! Here's how I managed:
Went to talk to John across the street to ask if Olivas Tree Service told him one price and then charged another higher one when the job was finished as that's how Western Trees always did to me. Nope - Olivas stuck to the price he had quoted John. Olivas will prune our ash, mugo pines, and cherry tree on this coming Thursday morning. He did a good job on John and Ginny's humongous willow tree.
I spoke to Joe at the LAC Building Permit office. He suggested that I get several more opinions before I replace the roof based on what LA Roofing told me. He also said that it's possible that since asphalt shingles are self-sealing that they may seal around the staple tops. He mentioned names of three local roofers - George Roofing (George Vigil), Richard's Roofing (Richard Martinez), and David Espinoza Roofing. He said that David Espinoza hand nails all the roofs instead of using staples. I called Espinoza, not even mentioning the staples and asked him to come out to look at the furnace vent pipe leak. He sounded a bit impatient but said he'll come next Tuesday at 10am. He only has a BB rating with BBB of NM. Perhaps I should check again what ABC Roofing Specialist's rating is. Richard's Roofing had an AA, I think. I want a condo!!
Then I went to MPL and trolled the free stuff in the lobby and looked in the bookstore. I was hoping the interlibrary book called something like the Good Foot book would be in but it wasn't. Then I went to WR to the MPL branch there and trolled the freebie box there and afterwards went to the Jemez House Thrift Shop where I bought for one whole buck some exercise videos that I'll preview tonight on fast forward while I kegel. Then, since it seemed cooler and somewhat overcast, I decided to walk the Hotrock Rim Trail, still feeling sorry for myself. I think I need to reserve an old pair of shoes just special for walking that lava trail. Instead, I used a mostly brand new pair of Merrell's from REI. BTW, REI in SF now won't open until the end of September.
Then home and waded through email on the computer, made some phone calls. Daughter called to ask if she could bring grandson over while she jogged so I made the pizza (easy - pizza shell, canned spag sauce, bags of shredded cheese) for grandson and spouse. After supper, spouse took grandson to Baskin Robbins. I cooked up bunch of beet tops that daughter had given me. She bought a lot of red beets to make borscht for a dinner she's going to tonight. While I was trying to get my supper underway, I heard trapped bird sounds from the woodstove. The poor thing was scratching and practically squeaking and whimpering to get out so I closed up everything and opened the front door. Man, that little birdie flew out to that beautiful light and freedom as soon as I opened the woodstove door and then sat on my car for a moment, collecting itself.
OK, after all that humaneness to the bird, well it does not apply to the squirrels that are burrowing under our back porch slab!! John told me that Go Die Gopher has styrychnine in it and he's used it for gophers but found a dead squirrel instead. I didn't need to think twice and went to Metzger's this morning to buy some. When I opened the back patio door, there was a squirrel that popped into a hole under our back porch. After supper, I left him a little treat. I hope I don't burn in Hades for killing squirrels but I already have dead gophers on my conscience so what's another squirrel? I tore out the sunflowers in the rocks to cut off the food supply so as not to attract them. God bless the soul of that poor defenseless squirrel but I like them much better in the forest. I'm afraid that when their family gets to big for under the porch slab, they'll move into the crawl space. The awful thing is that grandson loves squirrels!!
Aren't you sorry you asked about my day??? : )