ugh, poor SIL. That utterly sucks.

When we aren't here, we turn the heat off entirely and it gets to about 55-60 in the winter. We turn the heat on in the AM and it gets to maybe 68 then we turn the heat off for the rest of the day until the next AM. If it gets to 60, I'll turn the heat on for a bit and then off.

This week is 70s during the day and 60s at night.

It's been a little chillier here (hit 70 today for the first time in over a week) so I've mostly been temperature controlling with the ceiling fans. I think the heater kicks in at 64? (I think AC kicks in at 75) Doesn't happen too often though. I've also had to switch it back to AC a couple times.

It's mostly that golden time of year where we need neither heat or AC! Love.

I am thinking about going to the beach on Sunday.

It's supposed to warm up? I'm fucking freezing right now.

Neither the coffee nor rum are for me, as with one of the cakes. I keep the rest, though. Already made a dent in the bun and Milo.

Say, you know that Haunted Mansion picture of the girl on the tightrope over the alligator? Is there anywhere I could get a print of that?

Say, you know that Haunted Mansion picture of the girl on the tightrope over the alligator? Is there anywhere I could get a print of that?

Off the top of my head, no. My friend Queenie did a painting of what happened after, but I haven't seen copies of the original pictures.

Talked to SIL. He died this morning. It was sort of a cascade of things, admitted to the hospital last night, fluid in the lungs because the flappy thing that prevents stuff getting into them quit, then they discovered a massive blood clot in his leg that started falling apart and...the end. She thinks he was just done. No funeral or service, as he wanted, just cremation, so she has no plans to go up there at this point. Right now, she's torn between sad and fucking pissed. See, he was living with her parents. Every sunday, and this past xmas, she calls. Her mother never picks up. So she hadn't talked to him in months. Her brother (who was the one who called with the news) upon hearing this started swearing and told her that had he known (mother never told him that PJ was calling all this time,) he would've made sure to go over to the house and make the call. Her brother is still somewhat under their dysfunctional spell, but still knows what is right.

My dad thinks her mother is mentally ill and her dad just a wuss. That's...kind. Regardless of the source, I'm just calling them assholes. They weren't going to tell her. I mean, the rest of her family (surviving grandma on her dad's side, her paternal uncles) are still all in contact with her and think her parents are being idiots.

When I told her I knew there really wasn't anything I could do, but I wished there were something, all she said was "Just tell me you love me." Oh gods, yes. Yes, I do.

Jeez, sarameg, how awful for her. I'm glad she has you in her life.

I'm glad my brother found her and she picked him. She's good people, good mom, good wife, good DIL, good SIL. Hell, she's a good daughter and granddaughter, no fault of hers that her parents are from hell. I ache for her.

My apartment is cold. It's in a converted Victorian and I have gas heat via radiators. There's one in the bedroom, 1 in the living room, 2 in the dining area and 1 in the bathroom.

I try to keep the thermostat around 60 because I don't want to pay for the gas. I did as much winterizing as I could. My computer desk is right near an window - it's energy efficent and not draft but cold.

The bathroom is the worst it's got to be 10-15 degrees colder than the rest of the house. There's a stairwell (to nothing) that shares a wall with the bathroom and just, no insulation in there.

The apartment is all an open area for the living-kitchen-dining room so there's no way to block anything off. But I just bought a small space heater. I usually wear two layers of pants, two layers of tops, 2 layers of socks (or socks and slippers) and fingerless gloves in the house. Plus I have throws and wraps.

YAY BABY! Here's to making good new families.