We were semi productive this morning - mostly because we absolutely needed to get to our vet's before noon to pick up the Tazster's special food. But then we were able to stop by my office so I could copy our office neighbor's bathroom key because ours got walked off with again. And THEN we went to the Pitot House on Bayou St. John and attended their Le Marché des Fêtes holiday crafty bazaar thing. I had satsumacello (like limoncello but with satsumas), a Cafe Brulot, a very nice gumbo, and we bought soap from monks and some books for the niecephews and had a generally nice time. We may well wander up Magazine Street later, it's the Merriment on Magazine celebration thing today.

We did minimal cleaning when we came home (basically cleaning up after our drunken cooking session last night) but I am pretty wiped...

No snow, Stephanie? Wow. K-Bug's bf drove back to NM last night and got stuck a few times due to the snow. Once to rescue another car that was stuck and once because the road was closed down for the night. The forecast looks like it is going to keep falling on and off through Monday.

So I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say I think no one had cleaned behind that radiator enclosure in 30, maybe 40 years. At first, I thought there was carpet back there. THAT bad.

(Well, I'd accept laundering in in hot water as an alternative.)

That would ruin too many of the clothes to sell.

I went out! I went to Target, where I spent a really long time dithering over presents for kids I don't know, so how could I possibly decide which action figures to get?? I asked a kid at random, and he asked what shows the kid watches. I don't know! Then I went to a craft fair at a local church and got some other presents! And only one or two things for myself.....

In community activism news, they are really picketing the crap out of the Marriott around the corner, and also there was a big rally for Syria in the park.

Oh, heck. I forgot about Merriment. I went to Doggies and Donuts, then my neighbor helped me pack and clean for a while. Then I realized I hadn't eaten, so she made me come have some gumbo (NOM, Y'ALL) and now I'm watching the LSU/UGA game at their house. Got another nasty headache, unfortunately. And I've got a lot of moving/cleaning left to do, boo. It always takes so much longer than I think. Nora, I actually shamed J the porch sitter into coming and helping for a bit!!

I've been watching the Roller Derby World Cup all weekend. But tonight, we brave the freezing rain for drinks with friends.

I got MOST of the office clean, and will attack the rest in a bit.

Le sigh. We are gonna be without internet/cable for a week or two, between the plane tickets and another unexpected has-to-be-paid-NOW bill. Our cable's already out; I dunno why internet hasn't been cut off yet.

So if I go grey, that's why. E-me, call me, text me; I can check my messages via phone, and will be heading to a friend's house every day to get wi-fi and get work done, until we get paid again on the 15th.

'Tis the season. But I have a fucking root. (Just not, soo, root access!)

And goddammit, no Leverage!!!

Argh. After replacing the handle on our front hall toilet, I've discovered that the problem is actually that the overflow tube has completely broken off from the flush valve, so the tank can't stay filled. With no way to get to a hardware store today, I've "fixed" it temporarily with some duct tape. Debating calling a real plumber to replace it. It's something I *could* do myself, but do I really want to?

Can you afford it? Are you sure you can fix it? What's the cost-benefit ratio of plumber vs. PITA, Jessica?

I also dithered over toys for children I don't know, since I'm going to a concert that's a Toys for Tots benefit tomorrow. By the time I eliminated Barbie, war toys, Disney princesses and things with lots of small parts that I thought the parents would curse me for, there wasn't a lot left. I bought a teddy bear and a "take it with you" Toy Story coloring book.

Toilet insides aren't usually difficult, as long as there's a parts kit that matches. I've had a few older toilets that had insides completely foreign to the hardware store and the plumber.