I wasn't able to do a few of the back exercises at Boot Camp yesterday, but otherwise have not suffered any real repercussions after (stupidly!) trying to help lift one of the heavy pipes Friday evening.  At least I'm not as stupid as those who worship Donnie!

Yesterday had interactions with several neighbors.  First, met another Marcy from up the street, who had found a stack of our mail (and a stack for the church across the street) in her mailbox and was delivering it to us.  So Tom checked our mailbox, and found stacks of mail for two neighbors (Hoogie and Dave) whose mailboxes sit next to each other.  Obviously someone had been messing with the mail on our block, which we will be reporting to the post office today.  It's especially concerning because Tom had written sizeable checks for a number of bills and put them out for Saturday mail's pickup!

Later got to meet our newest neighbor, Sara, who is still looking for one of her lost dogs. (Edie had mentioned that on Saturday.)  One of the reasons they have so many animals is that they do rescue/fostering for the Humane Society.  We, of course, will continue to keep an eye out for missing pooch Linus.

When Latina came over for her afternoon jaunt in 'the park', I worked on teaching her a new trick: shaking "hands".  Marcie wasn't especially hopeful (she knows chihuahuas are not known for their brain power!) but after just a few tries Latina seemed to be getting the hanging of it.  Anything for a treat! <g> 

I got a super night's sleep last night - was asleep before 10:00, and not only didn't I wake up during the night for my usual run to the bathroom, but slept in until after 6:00!  And all of that was without taking any sleep aids!!! 

Did have an interesting dream. I was attending a pot-luck at Amy's house, and when I went to get out plates they weren't clean.  I kept trying to wash them - but people kept "stealing" them before I could get them washed.  So I kept taking them back to wash them - and never did get to eat anything!

I was busy yesterday, and didn't get onto social media until late afternoon - which was the first I learned of the mass shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh.  Given the pervasive  atmosphere of hate and violence (spurred on by constant inciteful rally rhetoric and tweets by Donnie) none of it is surprising... though I am at a loss for an adjective "bad enough".

I had started my day (after a relaxing soak) by dropping off bags and bags of clothing at Park Meadows (my closet and drawers are less stuffed now, though still need additional mucking), and then helping Patti and Gary with their yard sale.  Did come home from there with a few items: two outdoor chairs to replace the falling-apart ones for the patio at the back house, a Tupperware container large enough for all the leftover beef stew, and a jellyfish Beanie Baby for Latina to replace the penguin toy that is finally beginning to disintegrate.   My neighbor Edie stopped by the sale so we got  a chance to chat, and I also took a pic of shopper Walt in his Kodiak, Alaska t-shirt:

 In the afternoon Tom and I made a trip down to Bookman's, 

where I found a copy of Ella Minnow Pea.

  Ella Minnow Pea is a girl living happily on the fictional island of Nollop off the coast of South Carolina. Nollop was named after Nevin Nollop, author of the immortal phrase containing all the letters of the alphabet, “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.” 

Now Ella finds herself acting to save her friends, family, and fellow citizens from the encroaching totalitarianism of the island’s Council, which has banned the use of certain letters of the alphabet as they fall from a memorial statue of Nevin Nollop. As the letters progressively drop from the statue they also disappear from the novel. The result is both a hilarious and moving story of one girl’s fight for freedom of expression, as well as a linguistic tour de force sure to delight word lovers everywhere.

Tom found a number of books by an author he's been enjoying lately, but after the store announced it was buy-3-get-1-free he was 'forced' to go back to the stacks to find a couple more.  On the way home we made an unplanned stop at 31 Flavors, where I pigged out on two scoops (Rocky Road and Mint Chocolate Chip) so I really wasn't hungry for dinner.

  

Did worry all that chocolate might keep me awake, but I was falling asleep early in the evening, and easily could have crashed at 7:30.  Luckily I was able to force myself to stay awake (without resorting to toothpicks!) until a more reasonable hour.

Marcie and Latina came over to the park for a bit shortly after we arrived home.  Latina was her usual cheerful self, chasing the frisbee and penguin, but Marcie is struggling because the fourth anniversary of her son's Thanksgiving murder is approaching.  

Of course there isn't anything I can do to lessen her grief, just give her hugs and let her know she can cry and fall apart here all she wants.  

Unfortunately instead of getting "better", she says the annual sadness seems to start earlier and earlier each year, which is not what she "expected".  She is not the only friend I have who has lost a child (sadly I can list way too many!) and I don't know how anyone ever "recovers" from that loss.

After Marcie headed home (with the last quilt of hers I'd been doing the hand-sewing on!) I got on my computer, which is when I learned of the latest hate-crime horror, resulting in yet many more grieving families.  Things have gotten worse these past two years, with Trumpers feeling "validated" for their hateful beliefs, in no small part actually encouraged by his ongoing litany of comments supporting violent actions.  

If only they would adopt this sort of hate:

It's increasingly difficult to stay positive in world where it seems that the news reports, almost daily, on a new "unthinkable" horror, and we are faced yet again with having to think about what should be UNTHINKABLE!

Jury Summons arrived in yesterday's mail, for the end of November.  

Biggest headache will be fighting the rush hour traffic to get downtown in the early morning.  Last time I was called the lawyers settled just as we were filing into the courtroom, so I have never actually sat on a jury.

Awake past midnight last night (even though Tom, wiped out as he was, dealt with letting the water go) so I was glad I slept until almost 6:00.  Already finished one of the books I picked up at the library yesterday, Mitch Albom's newest book The Next Person You Meet in Heaven, which I enjoyed.

Irrigation was not the total success we had hoped for, 

though <sigh> there's always next time.  

It's a good thing we've gotten some rain lately, because due to the late start the front yard hardly received any water... and temps are back in the 90s.  The biggest issue with the actual system was that the box overflowed (we were surprised to find the water was up to the top when we first checked on it) so it will need another level of blocks.

On the plus side, because both neighbors with horses also had Steve pipe in their ditches, the water was incredibly clean; for a (welcome!) change there didn't seem to be any of the usual prolific amount of "recycled feed" from the horses.

No soaking this morning; don't want to tromp through the water in the backyard to get to the hot tub, and also don't want to be "surprised" by the Poolman tech when he comes to service the pool this morning. 

Never did muck the closet or drawers yesterday, so that is on my agenda after I get back from the gym.  Patti is having a yard sale tomorrow and has invited me over to keep her company, and I might even bring over a few things to actually sell.

Better check with Kathi to see what the deadline is 

for dropping stuff off at the Goodwill truck on Saturday!

Steve and Rick did come by this afternoon, so now we have a baffle and a concrete pad.  What we don't have (yet) is water.  Tom and I were out back, awaiting its arrival at 8:51 (and with everything underground here and at the neighbor's, we can't see it coming.)  Long story short, the people upditch, who were supposed to do the gates on 35th Ave. and take water, "forgot".  That flooded the people at the end of the other line, so of course they called zanjero Terry.  So though he then went up to 35th Ave. and switched things over, it'll take at least half an hour to flow down to us.  Of course we still have to let it go on time, and means the south-facing front yard, last to get our flow, won't get much. 

Started off my day with a morning soak (YAY!) and then got a big batch of beef stew going in the crockpot for dinner tonight.  

Tom expects to be home mid-afternoon, well in advance of tonight's "first" irrigation.  Steve has not yet brought back the weighted baffle, so Tom may be scrambling to figure out something to use in the meantime; the system won't give us water without it!

Took care of some errands.  Dropped off/picked up at the library, and then got a new heat lamp for Pokey.  While I was at PetSmart I checked on the pooches at Doggy Day Care, which had quite an assortment.  Some seemed to be having more fun than others.

As long as I was in the neighborhood I stopped in at Target for the few things on my list - but left empty-handed.  They do not seem to carry microwave splatter covers or tongs I wanted, and were out of my preferred flavor of Emergen-C.

On my agenda today is to (finally!) clean out some drawers and closets. Park Meadows is having their annual Goodwill drive on Saturday.  There will be a large truck in their parking lot, and the school will get 10 cents/pound from any donations.  Great incentive!

Lalo arrived to fix the recliner while the ladies were here cleaning (I figured that would happen) and agreed that the chair definitely is on quite a tilt.  Unfortunately it's not an easy fix; it requires ordering a new (internal) seat cushion (which will take at least four weeks) and then they'll come and pick up the chair and keep it in the shop for a week to do the work.

Marcela called this afternoon - the quilt arrived today and she loves it!  She's flying to Florida tonight to visit Steve's aged aunt who couldn't make it to California for any of the memorial services, and wishes she could bring the quilt with her.

A man stopped by this afternoon to ask about all the "leftover" irrigation gates that Steve dragged outside the gate. Everett's setting up an irrigation system of his own, and was thrilled to find free goodies.  (We, of course, are thrilled to be getting rid of it.)  

Of course much of it is much too heavy for one man to lift (not even sure how even two men could lift them into a vehicle) but he's going to find some help and come back with a trailer.  

I grilled the chicken tonight.  Not only did it turn out yummy, but since it was a large package I've got lots of leftovers.  Love it when there's actual food in the fridge and not just ingredients....

  

I have NOT messed with the temperature control, which read 103 when I went out to soak this morning.  (Display showed a solid READY.)  And half an hour later, when I got out, it had dropped to 101.  Both times it should have showed 102, which is where Glenn had set it before he left yesterday.  I do have a text in to him, because something (!) is not right.  (Only those of  "a certain age" will recognize this book, a childhood favorite of mine!)

Now I have a few things to do, mostly declutter, before Bella and her crew arrive in a few hours to clean.  If only it was as easy as hitting a button...

Driving home from the gym yesterday, I saw that Steve had NOT hauled away all the cement gates and pipes but instead had just piled them outside the gate on 37th Ave.  Not only will bulk trash not pick up large, heavy items like those, but we are likely to get a citation for having put out trash when it's not our time for quarterly pick-up.

Tom got a call yesterday (glad he had reception out in the middle of nowhere) with the time frame for today's chair repair: sometime between noon-2:00 (which means Linda and I will not be getting together for lunch today, as hoped.)   The weather in Flag put a crimp in their grubbing on Monday, so they're going to stay another night.  He said he would be home in time Thursday to monitor irrigation since I really don't want to be on my own the first time the new system runs, "just in case" (!?) there are any problems... especially in the dark.

Bella called yesterday to say she can't come clean Thursday (doc appt.) and wants to come Wednesday, around 11:30, instead.  Guess they'll have to work around the chair repair in the living room.  Hope that guy doesn't track in too much stuff; we got quite a rainstorm yesterday afternoon/evening, starting right around the time I had planned to head out back and grill chicken, so the front porch is quite a soggy mess.  Some parts of the west valley got hail (though we didn't) and there were constant flash flood warnings.

Glenn drained the hot tub (again) yesterday, installed a second new part, refilled the tub, and got it set up.  I did ask what other components there are that could fail, and of course there are many.  Hope I'm forgiven any negativity for wondering what's next to go.  My texts with Shayne yesterday were less than satisfactory ("these things happen") and I guess I need to get a full copy of the warranty policy. 

It did stop raining by bedtime, so I actually DID get in a half-hour soak last night.  And in a bit I'll go out for a morning soak, always a great way to start my day.  Will do my best to relax instead of waiting for the next shoe to drop....

I have really worked hard at maintaining a positive attitude - and admittedly do better some days than others.  But this post, continuing the sad saga of the hot tub, will not be one of my happier posts.

I called Shayne yesterday (figured after waiting ten days for a part shipped from California I'd showed patience on my part) and after he made some phone calls it turned out the part came in Thursday and Glenn picked it up on Friday.  IF I hadn't called, who knows when they would have gotten around to scheduling me?  

I reasonably tactfully voiced my displeasure, and whaddya know - Glenn called, and arrived within an hour or two.  He drained the tub, replaced the seized up pump motor, and then refilled it.  (His extension cord wasn't long enough to reach the outlet on the back porch, but luckily Mike was home and was able to zoom down here with one of his.)  Mike is going to get them a hot tub at some point, but judging by my issues they are not likely to buy from the same place!  They did admire it yesterday...

After the new part was installed things seemed to be working, at least the jets, lights and waterfall.  (Of course that was the case when they originally set it up weeks ago.)  Glen set the temperature, then registering 77, for 102.  It seemed happy (by the time he got everything put back together and was ready to leave, it was up to 78... but

that must have just been due to the air temperature, because when I went out at 9:30 last night to see if I was going to be able to take an evening soak or have to wait until this morning, it was registering a "refreshing" 79... and that is where it still sits this morning.

I was on the phone with Alex, saying goodnight and checking on his drive (he was an hour or two from his destination) so he got to hear my profound and utter disappointment.  To say I was bummed is quite an understatement, and while I know that not having a working hot tub isn't a major crisis is the big Game of Life, I am very unhappy.  

The instruction booklet, which I was not ready to tackle last night but DID check this morning, was (NO SURPRISE HERE!) of absolutely NO HELP!

This morning I sent a text to Glenn (I've been up since 4:30, but waited until a more reasonable hour) and he did just text me back, agreeing that it is "disappointing", and asking what's on the display.  I responded, and about ten minutes later he called.  

I am following directions (turn off breaker, remove filter, turn on breaker, wait ten minutes) while he made some phone calls.  As the result of those, he thinks something else may have fried in the warehouse, and is coming by this afternoon to install that new part.  This does NOT bode well for a brand new hot tub to already have two defective parts!!!  And who knows what is next? Is everything compromised? Because of course once the warranty runs out they won't feel compelled to replace them. Will have to look into whether there's a Lemon Law for hot tubs!

Also sent a text to Shayne about how at this point I am ready to return it for a full refund, and after venting to Glenn (not really his fault!) "suggested" that when he talks to Shayne he should let him know how unhappy I am.  So I have now just gotten a text from Shayne trying to mollify me by saying that Glenn will be out today to fix it...  also trying to shift blame for at least the first part failure elsewhere.  

Not sure about the pressure thingie, which (after the tub is drained again today for that installation) is today's "adventure".  On the plus side, it's a good thing I still have Mike's extension cord here. 

Steve and Ricky actually showed up yesterday, and filled in some of the dirt around the box (although still no "official" grate, and no final cement pad poured.)  Hoping the baffle (see the gaping hole), which was removed on Sunday to have weights welded onto it, actually makes it back today (as promised!) to block off the pipe since we absolutely need it before Thursday's water!

At least he did haul away most of the old system, with just these few small pieces left behind.

Now I need to eat something and drag myself to the gym.  Maybe today would be a good day to whale on a boxing bag and let out some of my frustrations!