Random 5 for June 23, 2024 – Cumbersome benefits, class reunions, old crushes, hot, grumpy

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What’s with that? – My husband was in the military back in the 1960s. Retail stores tout military discounts. However, if you want to get it, it ain’t easy! I thought there would be a card with military status like your social security card or a healthcare card but there isn’t. You need to set up specific accounts at each individual store. The beloved husband thought it would be worth doing at the big box home builder stores (you know who you are!). Yikes! He got all his info and went online. It wasn’t easy. His “sort of” techie (in comparison to him) daughter helped him. Nada. It was a path with kinks and curves. It took a few weeks to get everything in place. What do super non-techy, crotchety older guys do without a child (preferably a grandchild) to help? They really need to work on this.

Class reunion – My class reunion is Saturday. I’m not going. I’ve never gone but for the last two, I enjoyed the Facebook postings of both the planning and pictures from the event. This round, there is no Facebook page. No tales of fun planning breakfasts. The event is from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. so you can tell the group is getting old. They haven’t quite transitioned to a luncheon but it’s coming. I’m hoping they post some pictures. It’s a challenge to recognize my classmates. We all age differently.

Speaking of that – While searching I came across the pictures from five years ago. There was a guy I had a crush on. He wasn’t super cute in school. Just a regular nice guy but he has aged well. Really well. Sort of an old hottie. He has a full head of hair and is tall and thin. Standing next to the paunchy jocks, he has done just fine!

This is what my bath looks like now.

As if home projects weren’t bad enough! – We are having a record-breaking heat wave. We are sleeping in our upstairs guest bedroom while the bathroom is getting renovated. Even with air conditioning, the upstairs gets warm. Last night it was 81 degrees Fahrenheit (27.2 C) in the bedroom (it was in the 90s outside). We have a large front window that heats the upstairs. It gives curb appeal but it’s a bad design.

Grumpy – I don’t know if it’s home projects or sleeping in a hot room, but I got the grumpies. I’m even giving the cats lectures on inappropriate behavior (like that would help). We are slowly marching through both the project and the heat wave. I’m hoping our current weather isn’t a harbinger of the rest of the summer.

So how was your week?

 

 

 

64 thoughts on “Random 5 for June 23, 2024 – Cumbersome benefits, class reunions, old crushes, hot, grumpy”

  3. Michael’s is one of the worst. They give me (non-military) discounts all the time then, when I want to use the discount nothing I want to buy works with them. I wish you the best on your discount and that it actually works.

    The heat is making me grumpy. And sleepy. And probably a bit short-tempered. Once again, I wish you the best and smoothest renovation ever – plus a break in the damn heat so you can get it done.

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    • We got the break in the heat thank you! Discounts are weird like that. I stopped clipping coupons because it wasn’t worth the effort. You have to buy 27 to get 10 cents off or some other ridiculous thing. I was grumpy too. It’s 63 this morning so there is hope that I won’t bite anyone’s head off.

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  4. I think the grumps have gone viral. And I do blame it on the heat. I too have ceiling fans that cool pretty well, but I swear even they’re panting like prize fighters after one too many rounds.

    Yeah, anytime they give you something that sounds like a deal, they give it to you by way of Oz, like Dorothy and her broomstick. It’s maddening. I One longs for a simple old fashioned envelope with a stamp. Them were the days alright.

    See ya later, from one Grumpy to another.

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  5. I noticed a discount for service members at one those box stores the other day and wondered how one goes about that. Another store a few years ago, I think it was Michaels, offered discounts to teachers. I was asked if I was a teacher, and I said I was a retired librarian mostly just to brag. I wished I hadn’t because the nice woman then held up the line calling her manager to ask if I was eligible. I kept saying it didn’t matter, just ring me up, but she was insistent that she try. In the end we were told it was just for teachers. 😆 I’m rooting for your bathroom! – Marty

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    • I’m still picturing you in Michaels. Perhaps buying knitting yarn? Getting the discount turned out to be a big deal that included far more work than a service person should have to do. Military people (at least my husband) have a document which details their service dates and the condition of their discharge. That wasn’t enough.

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  6. It’s summer heat – and I like/tolerate it less each year. If we get down to 81 at night outside, we are thrilled. Whew. Dog walks are around 6:30 AM (yawn) and after dark ( only a block or two then). Other than that the dog and I are hibernating except for running out to a tree every 3 hrs or so.

    My high school was huge also – over 1,000 in each class. I was pretty much invisible and biding my time until college in hopes things would be less cliquish. I never go to reunions ( but wistfully listen to tales by those in other places that go and have a good time). Having a lunch instead of a big ta-da sounds much more relaxing and as you say, it’s during daylight hours. (Many can still drive ok, but the crime is an issue here – old people area target)

    Ceiling fans move air – and it does seem cooler! May be imaginary, but we have ceiling fans in all rooms. This time of year most window coverings are closed – or atleast opened only on the non sunny side. Counting the days to Halloween when it starts cooling down (and pumpkin spice always arrives way too early)

    Hope som clouds and breezes float your way – Cat demand it…it’s in their contracts someplace….

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    • Somehow we had a miracle. Defying all predictions, it’s in the low 70s today. I had to change into warmer summer clothes. Weird! We have a lot of ceiling fans. They make things more comfortable for sure.

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  7. I don’t go to reunions but I sure wouldn’t go to one that was from event is from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Those are weird hours. Is it a cocktail party or a dinner?

    Your photo of the your empty bathroom brings back memories. Soon… well eventually… it’ll be done.

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    • I think it’s more of an outdoor picnic at a private pavilion. There will be food and probably music. At my age, people are starting to want to drive in the light and it will just be dusk them. My husband had the big fancy dinner dances at a country club until the last one which was a midday lunch at a very nice place. He is older than me. There were lots of canes and walkers.

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      • Okay a picnic makes sense. Thanks for the explanation. The reunions I don’t go to take place at country clubs or swanky restaurants. I’d prefer a midday lunch, truth be told.

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        • I liked the luncheon too. His old high school is an hour drive which at this age, I prefer doing in mid-day. A few times we booked a room at a local hotel so we didn’t have the trip back late at night.

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  8. We’ve got a BIG HOTS here too……100+ yesterday which would have been more miserable if not for the fact we live on a well-treed lot! Shade does help…..a little…. I know you’ll be glad when that reno is done – I don’t know if I could manage to get any reasonable amount of rest if it was 80 in our room – sleeping is tough anyway at my age and achy-joint status! Just think – soon the reno will be over and – well – you can fill in that blank…….Never been to a high school reunion. I had only a few close friends and everyone has moved on or away. I kind of like to remember all of the folks I did know there looking like they did back then – seeing them now might burst that bubble of “age-denial” that I have now! HAHAHA Keep cool!!

    Hugs, Pam

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    • Last night was better. We had a mostly overcast day so the sun didn’t shine in the big window. It was 73 in the room when we went to bed. Sun is out today though. I enjoyed looking at the photos from the reunion and trying to figure out who everyone was. Some I couldn’t figure out at all.

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  9. all the good luck for the project…. and we agree for the reunions… we are old now too… and no one was able to post a simple hello in the facebook group since 6 years… oh my…

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  10. This was funny and I needed a nice laugh. I’m sorry about the heat though. I can’t sleep when it’s hot. It’s the worst. Why cats covered in fur sit in the sunlight in the summer is mind boggling to me. I melt.

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  11. You would think more consideration would be given to military vets for discounts. Here they make a big production of Veteran’s Day when most restaurants will give something free (and usually not a free meal, just a cup of coffee, or dessert) to members (former/current) who can show proof of time spent in the military.

    I have not gone to any of my high school reunions – they started having them at five years and there was a 50th reunion last year. I also am in a Facebook group set up for the 40th reunion, so it is nice to lurk and guess who people are – sometimes I have to save the photo and enlarge it to see the name tag as I have no clue who it is. We had 613 in our graduating class, so I never knew everyone back then either.

    We just had a terribly hot and stormy week and tomorrow and Thursday will be the only rain-free/storm-free days this week. And those two days are in the 70s. I’m no fan of the extreme heat either. I bought tower fans as I generally shut my A/C off if we are having storms in the event of a lightning strike. They help and are very quiet – I run it on the lowest setting of eight settings.

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    • For the last 2 reunions, they did a group photo. I saved it to my photoshop and enlarged it to read the name tags. Some people I knew because their features were the same and some, yikes!

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      • I am glad I’m not the only “lurker”. 🙂 I think there were too many for a group photo as we had a big class. However, they did create a memory book that included a printout of the Powerpoint slideshow they had of those classmates that died (123 I think) using their senior yearbook photos, as well as pics from the reunion event. We also have a Facebook site for all the Lincoln Park High School deaths – this includes not only students, but teachers and coaches, going back to the early 60s. I don’t recognize most of those from June ’73 class and if they don’t use their maiden name – forget about it.

        Yes, some of the football hunks sure don’t look like they did back then, balding, a paunch. A few years after high school, I was at the grocery store and one of the former cheerleaders from my class was shopping. She wasn’t the perky, cute girl I remembered – she was pushing a grocery cart with a kid in the seat, one at her knee and was very pregnant. She looked weary and bedraggled.

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  12. I laughed at your cartoon. A few years ago I had a reunion photo laying on the desk, and one of my grandchildren asked who all those “old people” were.

    Here’s what all those non-techie guys do when they have to go through too many kinks and curves, they give up.

    We also have one guy in my high school graduating class who is unbelievably good looking. He was semi-good looking when he was young, but he was short. After high school he shot up.

    I hope your weather will cool off.

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    • Not only did this guy maintain a good shape and a full head of hair but he was an accountant at a large firm. In school, you would never have pegged him to be such an achiever or that handsome. The girls did not flock around him. He didn’t date much that I know of. I’m the only one I know that had a crush on him and it was for his sense of humor, not his looks or potential success.

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  13. I would rather have my fingernails ripped off than attend a high school reunion. If I haven’t seen someone in years it is by choice. It is hot here too- thank God for central a/c.

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  15. I went to one reunion that I didn’t enjoy. Now I live on the other side of the country, so I won’t be going to any more. Hot here this weekend, but back to normal temps this week. That’s an awful temperature to try to sleep. I can relate because my condo doesn’t have air. I use many fans.

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    • We had the ceiling fan on but I should have gotten up and added a floor fan. It’s cooler upstairs today because it’s been overcast so it should be better sleeping tonight. One was enough for you! 🙂

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    • They appeal to people who made lasting (or at least good) friends in high school. My high school buddies were mostly friends for a season. We all dispersed. I lost touch with those who married youngish and had kids because I did not. Somehow discussing diapers wasn’t the same as math homework. I admire folks who have friends from their youth. Most of mine are from my working days and neighbors. Somehow we connected better.

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  17. I’ve never been and don’t plan to attend any high school reunions. We had over 1,000 students in our class and the couple of them that I was good friends I still touch base with now. We had three days of ‘feels like’ over 100, and the night times were not comfy even with A/C. My husband was in the military, and we use the discount at both of the big hardware box stores. It works okay on most things, but don’t look for it on high ticket items. This week’s been quiet – too hot and now too wet. 🙂

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    • My husband has been going to his reunions for the last 25 years. He was in a huge class too but there are less than 200 (including spouses) at the dinners. Last one was a lunch. It will be interesting to see what they do next time. It’s hot. Not much more you can say. The bedroom is now down to 73. I need to figure out a way to keep out the afternoon sun. My sun block shades don’t do it completely.

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  18. Our week was HOT but with some much needed rain. We are finally after two summers getting back into our rainy season. Our class reunions are no more. I never went to any of them. I share similar thoughts as Tails Around the Ranch about my classmates. I get the grumpies in summer but less grumpy as I age. I mean, what am I going to do about? Count the days down till September when we “cool” down a bit.
    Enjoying your first photo of your MB.

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    • Class reunions, sigh. I thought about the last two but it was more out of curiosity than connecting. From the looks of the attendees, there was only one person that I was friends with back then and she didn’t go to the last one. We had a shower last night but it didn’t really cool it down. It’s overcast today so I’m hoping that will keep it from topping 100 but they are predicting storms.

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  20. High temps always make me grumpy. I’ve already begun the countdown to autumn (90 days in case you’re interested). High school reunions don’t hold much allure for me. I wasn’t all that keen on most of my classmates who still remain cruel in different ways. And the passage of time hasn’t changed them much now. Back in the day when I was an angst ridden skinny teen, being part of the ‘gang’ mattered, now I see a bunch of still mean spirited folks who’ve either lost their hair, teeth or waistlines-no thank you. Here’s hoping the heat breaks and the bathroom gets completed soon and life can go back to a normal form of crazy peacefulness.

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    • Today is predicted to be our hottest day reaching close to 100. It’s unusual for this early in the season. It will be warm the rest of the week but we’ll see some temps in the 80s again. My bestie from high school died 10 years ago and I didn’t stay connected with anyone else. Seems like once I graduated we all went different ways to different lives. I made more lasting friendships from my working life.

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  21. We’re expected to get weather over 105 degrees this week, and i’m not looking forward to it. 🙁 poor sir quality continues, likely all summer. The garden is thriving as we are wilting. Hang in there!

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    • The basement is very cool but there are cabinets in the process down there so no room to set up a bed! I don’t wake up refreshed. For some reason the cats seem to like it though. Weird.

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  23. My 50th is happening on September 14, 2024. Out of a class of 287, there are less than a dozen of those people I’d like to catch up with after 50 years. My high-school BFF and I are in touch via Facebook and by phone call a few times a year. She lives in CA, and moved her mom from PA to CA (small in-law suite) about 10 years ago, so I haven’t seen her now that she doesn’t travel to PA to visit her mom. She and I both committed to the 50th reunion way back when we were graduating high school, so I will be attending my first one ever!

    I can handle a daytime temp of 80 as long as the humidity level is really low. However, since I run hot by nature, humidity makes me feel like the wicked witch… “I’m melting. I’m melting”.

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    • It’s been hot but the humidity hasn’t been too bad. We can get really humid here. My bestie in high school died about 10 years ago. I didn’t stay connected to anyone from those days.

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  24. I couldn’t begin to sleep in 81 degrees. Around 73 is my minimum, and even then the ceiling fan needs to be on as well. I have the grumpies too. With the heat and the renovation, and the ringworm, and a very heavy pet sitting schedule this past week, I’m definitely grumpy and looking forward to a quieter pet sitting schedule this week, while the renovation and ringworm continue. Sigh.

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    • The ceiling fan is on 24/7 to try to keep that room comfortable. The shades are down all day but it still warms up. I don’t know how you do it with all you have going on. At least your renovation is at the end. I am hopeful we will make good progress this week. The company shuts down for July 4th week so only subs will be around. If the tile doesn’t go in this week, I’m hopeful they’ll do it next week while the main carpenter is on vacation.

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      • Ceiling fans don’t actually lower the temperature of a room – they cool people through evaporation, but don’t do anything for the room. (Google it!) So you might save yourself some electricity. I hope your renovation proceeds as quickly as possible – sleeping in a too warm room this time of year is miserable. We’re so glad we put in central air this past March, and don’t rely on noisy window units anymore. Getting too old to put those things up in the windows and take them down.

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        • We have central air. It’s that doggone palladium window in the front. There is a tree in front of it that blocks about half of it but it needs to grow more. Temperature in the room this morning was 73. It spikes in the afternoon sun. Maybe next year we’ll figure out how to shade it. I’ll tell Morgan about the ceiling fan thing. She sleeps under it during the day. 🙂

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