Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Monday early walk, Freecycle

Monday early I walked to the pond via streets, to avoid mud, and alarmed a lot of frogs. You'll see eyes above the water here and there. I missed the drake taking off. What a racket ducks make when they get into takeoff.




On the way home I saw ripening fruit. Birds and squirrels will get whatever the groundhogs don't.


This morning humidity was high, dewpoint 75. Translation: really uncomfortable. I was glad to shower once I got home. 

In fact I was so eager I jumped in with hearing aids in. I think I escaped again. I found out quickly and dried them. They're water resistant, not waterproof. I'm absentmindedly testing the limits, with being distracted.

Mid afternoon 


Home again and here's this morning's Freecycle items. There's another scheduled for this afternoon. 

Gary wanted me to keep the walker until I reminded him I have two more. 

The Crate Expectations saga continues. The receiver picked up the books, left the crate. The walker-wanter was interested in the crate, too, but ended up with neither, having decided the walker wasn't for her and the books had not yet been picked up. Missed connections. Then later she saw my message and came dashing back for the crate. It's finally gone 

I texted the man who originally gave me the walker because he does it a lot, and we'll see if he wants it. And a crate..but he didn't, they're overstocked-- it's the Elks -- but he did congratulate me on graduating from the walker. 

Back to homeowner issues, handsome Son made a call about the AC unit at the condo and, as I'd expected, they're busy and will schedule a visit when they can. He'll stay on it.  They're trying to fix a time when they can both be there.

It's always something. No news on the car yet, but Gary ran off to get his phone fixed, so for all I know, there's a call on there. He took over the car issue from me. 

Since I wrote, we called the auto insurer on my phone, insisted on a return call, which they did and it went to voicemail, no ring (!?)
And it's now moving to the next stage, adjusting online, then, if approved, paying the body shop direct to get on with the repair.

In other news I've signed off on the agreement with the house contractor, who confirms he arranges the work including subcontracting with regular people. So far so good. The estimate is not yet approved so we'll see. I'm in a brisk exchange of texts with Contractor Steve. He expects full approval. So I know more now than I did.


I also discovered Amazon has been charging me for a prime membership I hadn't signed up for. It's cancelled now, anyway. The stuff you need to be alert about. I just looked over my credit card charges then went back and, well wouldya look at that, sneaky petes.

Happy day everyone, bit by bit.




Because it's my flag, too. 





42 comments:

  1. Those are red, but I remember picking blackberries in the fields in the summer when I was a kid.

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    1. They're unripe, but the birds may not wait.

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  2. Beautiful scenery for your walk!

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    1. It definitely helps, knowing I'll enjoy the surroundings.

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  3. Freecycle and like can be like that...the messaging seems not to work as smoothly as it could.
    Morning walks are good.

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  4. I too think it’s fantastic you have graduated from the walker.
    Free cycle is sometimes more trouble than it’s worth. With no shows and misunderstandings. It’s good your persistent.
    I hope all the paperwork is soon all done and the real work can begin

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    1. Free cycle is sometimes very funny, like a farce, with people appearing and failing to and picking the wrong stuff!

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  5. Yes, it IS always something. Our AC is making a funny noise... again. And it involves the homeowners insurance which means it’s a pain. Hope HS’s AC problem is quickly resolved. And that all your repairs get moving!

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    1. I hope everyone's AC works. This is no time to be without it. I feel better now that things are starting to move.

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  6. It's all go, though some things take a little longer to do so.

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    1. It's been all wait up to now, so I can't complain.

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  7. No morning walks here until it cools down in a couple of days, but I did walk in a nearby mall yesterday and took public transit to get there. It’s free for seniors and the newer bus had ac that worked well. Interesting story about the freecycle items, what went and what was left. Insurance issues are always a headache and home yours are sorted ok. Wonder how the Amazon Prime was on your billing?

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    1. It's great to have public transportation. As you know, NJ doesn't shine there. I think I may have accepted a no shipping cost thing and that was interpreted as taking out Prime membership. I caught it early enough that I think the membership fees are about what I'd have paid in shipping. I try not to use Amazon but some companies sell exclusively through them, so it's hard to avoid. Not that my frugal shopping will make anyone rich any time soon.

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  8. I’ve been caught with unwanted subscriptions too, or at least wanted in a different form.

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    1. They're pretty clever that way, reckoning, correctly in my case, that people won't notice, for a while anyway.

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  9. Good thing you caught that unauthorized Amazon Prime charge.

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    1. It's their own fault -- they announced that as of July they're going to charge me an annual fee. That alerted me to check and find the sneaky monthly charges they'd started.

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  10. It's going to be hot here today, so Jack and I will be sleeping in the basement tonight. I'm nervous of the bathroom down there, because it has a step in it and I missed the step a couple of months ago, fell and gave myself a goose egg.
    I'm glad the repairs are all getting sorted out and done.

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    Replies
    1. I don't blame you for being nervous. Can you leave a light on?

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  11. The AC guy is here right this second but just for a scheduled check-up to make sure everything looks good. He is about fourteen years old and has tattoos and is very, very shy. So far, everything looks good. On the AC, that is.

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    1. It certainly helps when the technician is cute. Or so I'm told.

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    2. He wasn't really that cute and was definitely so young that it wouldn't have mattered if he had been!

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  12. I've kept the medical equipment that my parents used and share it with family as needed. Today I will drop off the walker to my older brother who has been having issues with back pain, balance, and dementia. It's sad to see this happening to him but we rally round to help however we can. I'm glad you have people to rally round and help you after the car crash trouble.

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    1. It's useful to have equipment ready to hand. I still have the extra walker, but I hope eventually it will find a use.

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  13. Is there a 'lending closet' in your area for durable medical equipment? It's a valuable resource for the un- and underinsured. We have one not far from us, and that is where I will take my things...when I get a minute. You can thank your stars that your pond doesn't have multiple blue herons. My gosh what a cacophony!

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    1. That's a good idea. Quite far from here there's a place to donate for resale at low cost. Where I used to live we had great blue herons but they were quiet. Only one or two though.

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  14. Wonder how you got signed up for Prime? That's very strange. A bit of faff with the freecycling but at least the crate is gone!

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  15. See my response to Beatrice above. My best guess. I went through quite a bit for that crate!

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  16. Seems things never get sorted out and done as fast as we would like, but they are moving along, thank goodness! :)

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    1. Never as fast as I'd like anyway! But any movement is better than waiting.

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  17. Glad to hear things are changing hands, and frogs are still alive! Hey, we’re just their cousins after all! Hope insurance is helpful.

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    1. The contractor tells me he expects full approval. And the auto people are finally doing the adjusting.

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  18. What a gorgeous walk - won't be doing my morning walks again until it is warmer (and lighter) here. I am an early riser but the sun is obstinate like that.

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    1. It's a nice walk in all seasons, and I walk in all seasons. I agree with needing daylight.

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  19. I had unexpected Prime memberships costs too and you're right, clicking on the free delivery does sign you up for Prime so at the end of that first month you need to go into the "your account" and cancel the membership. This time around I used the free month and they sent me a reminder that it would end soon and I would be charged unless I cancelled. I'd already marked my calendar and cancelled a couple of days early.

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    1. I didn't get any warnings. Just billing. Thanks for confirming how I got into it.

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  20. You mention the racket the ducks make when they're taking off and that reminded me of the Canada Geese that learn to fly from our river. They honk, honk, honk as they're getting ready to take off and the honking gets progressively more frantic until finally off they go. Then when they're returning it's the same thing - frantic honking until they make a safe landing. Once they master flying they don't make nearly as much noise.
    Amazon is sneaky with getting you to unwittingly sign on for Prime - there's an itty bitty little 'thing' you have to check off if you don't want it and it's certainly easy to overlook.

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    1. Amazon has different displays in different countries, I think. I never found an opt out. But Canadian law might require it. Or warnings as in Australia. Similarly Facebook is more regulated in Europe, same idea. In the US it's not so consumer friendly.

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  21. Glad he'll stay on them with the air.

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