I'm wondering when or if Walmart grocery items coming through the mail will arrive. My most recent food delivery order placed with them was hell. I've had so many issues ordering food online from our local store I'm not going to anymore, or recommend anyone else take that risk either, it's just not worth it. However, I've always had good luck buying both food and grocery items through Walmart and having them shipped direct to my home from the manufacturer, wholesaler, non-Walmart retailer and so on. So here's to hoping.

I'm thinking how much trouble it is breaking in a new phone and getting it set up the way I want. I was not even able to answer calls on my new phone, until I chatted with tech support and was told what to change in my settings. Who would think that being able to turn off answering your phone would even be a valid choice? It's a phone, for Pete's sake.

~~
A doctor's appointment in Tacoma on Monday...:|

Food
 

Getting my appetite under control. Have been eating like a mad woman lately. Have been eating the right (for me) foods, haven’t gained weight, but haven’t loss any either.

Am having inspections left and right and waiting for any kind of approval creates a stress in me that’s eased by food. At the same time I need to eat food in the pantry and fridge so I don’t have to toss any food out when it’s time to move.

School it starts in february so i'm so happy to be back in noiselandia 😅 and how i'll like to transform the person who hurts mom and my aunt in little pea with a baseball batte that rat should have a taste of her own medicine! 😑

Showers
 

I'm going to convert my tub to a shower. Have done this before with really good results.

The top two showers use lighter tiles than what I want, but I like the low-key patterns of the tile and the overall design.

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/17...g?v=1501071962

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/17...g?v=1501072833

I like the one below a lot but would use different hardware. Will probably go with these colors.

https://vintagemoderndesignbuild.com...8532689351.jpg

Not sure any of these will fit into my budget. Will find out once I get some quotes.

Will do the shower conversion after I move in, but will get new flooring and a paint job before I move in.

It's not a done deal yet, but we're getting there. Expecting to close the second and third week of February. And I expect to be in the mitten by March 1.

Lucky me.

:bow:

Very nice! Good luck with your closing.

I really like the contrasting tile in the recessed shelf area in the top photo. The contrasting floor might be a bit much for me, though - I think I like the 3rd one better for the floor.

Excellent to have a grown-up shower! I know that's what people want now. Personally, I don't think I could live without a soaking tub, though.

Thank you, GeorgiaMa’am. Things are going smoothly on both ends.

I’m drawn to the earth tones, but want something different than what I’m normally drawn toward. Though I may need to get a prefab. As long as it’s a walk in shower with seating it will work.

Therapy
 

It's time to get back into therapy.

Have been holding onto some bad and negative feelings. One area I've been holding onto since childhood—months or years can go by without it crossing my mind and then something reminds me of it and BAM, there it is, like a concrete block obscuring or distorting everything. I have another area of bad and negative feelings that came about in the last 7 or so years. It's more controllable, but it's something I need to address. Luckily, neither of these problems involve sexual abuse.

I had much success with a therapist a few years ago who helped me after my car accident and with a sexual abuse issue I had. But I had to stop seeing her after she downplayed my fear of Trump. I didn't even want to discuss it with her. I just wanted to do my hypnotherapy for driving, but she pushed it wanting to know how I felt. I told her and she poo-pooed and downplayed the importance of my fear. She just didn't get it. I had hoped that she could help me in other areas but we never got that far. Anyway, I do well with cognitive therapy when focusing on specific areas and problems. I'll get back into therapy once I'm in the midwest.

My wrist is on my mind. It was two years ago this week when I accidentally cut my wrist. It’s healed really well, but it’s a little numb and isn’t as strong as my left wrist. I notice the weakness when I do (or did) my curls.

Exercising and weight gain is on my mind too. I miss my bike and will start ridding again once I’m in the condo. I think I’ve gained a couple pounds. Hopefully not more than a few. We’ll see soon enough.

:bow:

Texas
 

The situation in Texas with the electricity is on my mind right now. Apparently, almost all of Texas has its own power grid which is not connected to either the Eastern or Western U.S. power grid. This is why so many Texans were without power during the storm last week.

Also, it seems that one of the electric plans that's available to Texans is a variable rate plan. This allows their bills to be low - most of the time. But in a situation like last week where demand far outstripped availability, the rates went sky high - I have heard two examples so far, one family with a bill over $10,000, and another with a bill over $5,000. Also, the ranchers racked up huge bills because they were trying to keep all of their farm animals warm and alive. Some of these ranchers are family businesses, who have all of their money tied up in their livestock - if the livestock dies, the ranchers go bankrupt and could even lose their homes.

Their state legislature is working now to do something; like for instance, the electric utility has been prevented from sending out any more bills for the moment, and they can't disconnect people's electricity. But I suspect the Texas government is spending a lot of time playing the blame game, and it will all be tied up in politics. In the meantime, the electric bills keep ticking their way upward.

I haven't heard any statistics or news stories about how many people died or how much livestock died during the storm, but surely there must have been some. I'm sure the homeless people were hit hard. Also, I know people were melting ice and snow to get water; but in Georgia, whenever it snows, we have always been warned not to drink or eat the snow. It's full of pollution from the upper atmosphere, and can be harmful. I wonder what the repercussions of millions of people drinking this stuff will be for years to come?

I know several of our own BFPers live in Texas. I hope they are all doing well; my heart goes out to them.

Now that GeorgiaMa'am mentioned it, it's got me thinking too about how the power outage in certain parts of the state coupled with the COVID crisis is affecting people down there, particularly in some of the harder hit areas, especially members of our most vunerable populations.

On your mind
 

Up here in Canada we have had tons of snow but we have not run into the problems that you have down there particularly in Texas. Even though we are separate countries we are all together on BFP to wish each other safe journey. We hope you can get some relief for Texas and all other affected states. Yes we do think of you and wish you well.

~~
Spring......

That losing my Mom has been the most devastating event of my entire life, and it has been only a little over a month since she passed. I cannot imagine a feeling of comparative heartbreak.

For those that still have their Mom- call her and tell her how much you love her.

I'm so sorry for your loss. A month for that kind of loss is like a minute. You'll need so much more time for grieving and healing. I hope you're surrounded by love and support right now.

All on my mind
 

~~
Chicago........:praying:

SNOW
The snow is melting in my neck of the woods and I’ve been out and about. Got a car wash, gas, checking out the neighborhood, not using cabs (for now), feelin’ good behind the wheel. Got a notification on my car while driving that I might be driving on ice—thank goodness I wasn’t. Didn’’t know I had a warning like that. Very cool. I need to re-read my user manual. Will do that soon.

RENOVATIONS
Met a contractor yesteray that didn’t want to give me a written estimate on a tub-to-shower conversion (!) and only offered a discount if I gave him an answer right then and there, on the spot (as if).

Met a contractor today who’ll give me a 12% discount on the conversion if I choose them in 30 days and will throw in a nice shower head/hand held thingy if I go with them in 7 days. They’ve been in business for 28 years. They pretty much offer the same as the guy from yesterday, but a few more bells and whistles that I like. I’m really digging the contractor I met today. Will meet another contractor tomorrow and they will have to come strong and be really good to impress me more than the guy I met today.