February 5, 2024 Monday--5am

 Good morning!

Another very short post this week.  We had fog many days the past couple weeks.  One day it never lifted all day long!!  This was a day we had some sun peeking through.

Going to be a brown February for a good while.  We've been in the mid-40s and looking at the same till mid-month.  Might even hit 50!  Even the birds are here less often.

Miss Allie was actually up on what used to be "her" chair.  She lost interest in that spot ages ago.

So very long ago I had to get pictures.  Her favorite spot is her cat bed in the bedroom on the table by the window...for months and months now.  So far this was a one-off--lol!

Well, I ordered a little red wire egg basket for my eggs.  Love it so much!  Will be so handy for after I move to carry eggs down to my apartment.  ;)

 

BTW--for those who asked me about it...the United States, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and parts of Scandinavia are the only countries where eggs are kept cold before and after purchase.  In the US it is illegal for egg companies to not wash the eggs and keep them chilled.

I researched it a little and the main reason eggs have to be kept refrigerated is that washing the eggs removes the protective coating they naturally have that keeps them from becoming porous so that they don't absorb bacteria.  Once they are washed they must be kept refrigerated to keep down bacteria getting into the now more vulnerable eggs.  The thing that is the main problem with eggs is salmonella.  But even with companies cleaning the eggs with soap and hot water (I didn't realize they even used soap!) we still do have some cases of salmonella in the US.  Over 100,000 a year, I read.  

But in many other countries unwashed eggs are out on the shelves like this grocery in the UK.

Since our eggs come from a private local family farm with free range chickens, we can keep ours out and they should be good for up to 50 days, I read.  They say 20 days for store bought refrigerated eggs, but I have certainly kept them longer than that.  Anyways, makes me feel quite European--lol! :)

I had another apartment inspection Thursday morning.  This was the annual one from Federal Housing.  He didn't expect me to still be here.  Neither did I--lol!  But things are moving along now so I certainly shouldn't be seeing him again. ;)

The electricians were there last Monday and Tuesday.  I guess they finished up in like a day and a half!  Trent had been almost done with that part.  And now--believe it or not--the plumbers will be coming this Wednesday through Friday to do all the plumbing and HVAC.  They may finish in three days but may not.  I expect they'll be back the following week, because they're doing all the plumbing from scratch and finishing the HVAC.  It's bathroom, kitchenette, washer and dryer...a lot to hook up.  Plus they are doing a few things for the house, too.  

This is all so exciting!!  Now it feels unreal in a different way--lol!  ;)

It still upsets me when I think about that inspector being so mean to Leah that he made her cry.  He even threatened her with the police.  Leah had made inquiries before they started and was told to go ahead and have an inspector come later.  You get told one thing and then another.  I am soooo glad the contractors will deal with all the red tape and be responsible for that now.  She couldn't get a straight answer about Trent working on the build anymore either.  Bureaucracy!!  Anyways, we won't have to worry about that end of things anymore.  And the build is moving along--so far--faster than expected.  Nice!!  

With the crazy warm weather we've been having (mid-40s every day) I worry when I see partridges showing up in pairs.  I hope they don't think it is spring already!

 

I was working on letters again.  Finally caught up with the entire 29 I owed.  Done and dusted!  Have a new one to answer, but I should be able to keep up now, though.  Feels great!  

I always have something else on my list, as you know--so next is to get back to the birthday cards.  Need to color the rest and address all the envelopes.  That is the next project on my priority list.  

Oh, and Leah came over Thursday night to cut my hair and drop off some wood pellets.  They use the wood pellets for Blink's litter box.  Way cheaper and can't be dragged all about on their feet so easily, either.  So, the plan is to slowly add a little bit to Allie's litter box and see if I can gradually get her switched over to the pellets before we move.  With cats--well, you never know, do you?  Just been sprinkling about a cup on top and been mixing them in so far.  When I scoop quite a few come out with the rest...so I add a little more.  Just keeping it like that for now.  I can tell Allie doesn't really like the chunkier feel of them in her litter by the way she's changed how she's using the box (doesn't want to bury her business like usual).  But she's using it.  When I tried this with shy Annie she immediately pooped right outside the box on the floor--making her opinion crystal clear--lol!  Fingers crossed.  Cats are so opinionated. ;)

McFamily was sick again...or still.  I have heard of people from all over getting this cold that lingers for weeks where you might think it is gone for a few days and then it is right back.  (It's not covid--and they did test, just in case.)  Sounds like what McFamily has been dealing with for a couple of weeks.  Everyone else is pretty much better except for Leah.  She might miss work today she told me.  I still haven't gotten it.  *knock on wood*  Fingers crossed for not getting that, too.  

Too many crossed fingers to type--ROFL!

Well, that's it from here for this week.  You have a fabulous week!  Till next time.  :) :)