[Small Talk: The Library]

I will personally attest that Loandbehold is awesome in person. 10/10 would meet up again. ;)

(Okay, a few of us have been known to drug people and steal their organs on occasion. But we don't bite.)

Well, okay, there is that. But do you really need your spleeen? I mean, really?

Thanks everyone for asking for real estate updates: it looks like we'll close this Friday, and get the keys, so by this weekend we'll have access and ownership! I am very excited, but also still freaking out about how much work is ahead of us. Mr F has been doing a yeoman's job of going through boxes of old crap and throwing away 90% of it. He has serious packrat tendencies, so this is awesome. Getting rid of craaaaaaappppp, yaaaaaay!!!! (Darkpool (and other Trekkers) -- any interest in mint-in-package TNG action figures from the 90s? Going for the price of postage, pretty much. If anyone has interest in seeing pix, PM me here).

Good vibes to all.:) Break a leg, KPC. :D

[Small Talk: The Library]

Endeavour, they are totally being reasonable, hooray. There's a $2500 repair allowance, which is a common thing here (I don't know about anywhere else), and the required repairs are going to come in less than that, so it's all good. The chimney has been cleaned and the one loose roof tile replaced, the outlet T (I'm just going to accept that this means something -- my realtor assures it is a thing, so okey dokey) for the septic has been replaced, and the wax seal for one of the toilets has also been replaced. The last thing is also the biggest -- the AC defs needs refrigerant and may also need a new compressor. So, that'll get fixed, then we just wait for escrow to close in a couple of weeks. I am trying not to think about how much more work I need to do.

AND the F-ster has to take math in summer school, damnit. He has to physically show up for this one, no doing it from home. 8 am to 11 am five days a week for three weeks. Grrr. As the one who'll be driving most of the time, I am not happy. And the kid is no longer familiar with 8 am, so it's more happy-fun-Mom-alarm-clock times. Whee.

[Small Talk: The Library]

I think my old man and KPC's old man should get together and go bowling.

The septic tank has passed inspection at my new house, so that's good, it's nice to know that we'll have functional plumbing. ;) Oh, and I was going to report on the TMI thing (that's your warning if you don't want to read about menstruation) --

--the Diva cup is the best thing ever. I wouldn't recommend it to someone who is shy about getting their fingers up in their vag, for sure. I used contraceptive film or a diaphagm as my birth control method for years, and both of those require you to know where your cervix is, as does the menstrual cup, so it's no prob at all for me to insert and position it, but if you're not okay with sticking stuff all up in there, it's probably not for you. I lurve it, though. I can leave it in for eight hours, no leaking. And so much less waste. SO MUCH. No more wrappers and applicators and packaging. Awesome.

[Small Talk: The Library]

The only show that I watch that's on what you'd consider a traditional TV schedule is Supernatural, and I wait a year between seasons to watch it, since I wait for it to come out on DVD and binge it. I don't like watching stuff week-to-week, turns out. I'll wait a year (and I've been doing this for years without ever having been spoiled). So I assume there's gonna be a loooong wait for more OITNB, right? Eh. I can wait. ;)

Congrats on the success, L&b. That's awesome. :)

I have no interest in the World Cup. The only direct experience I have with World Cup stuff is when I was working at LAX during the 1994 tournament, and we kept having to deal with belligerent Brazilians. They were the worst. Rude, demanding jerks. I know that can't be all Brazilians, of course. But their soccer fans are assholes.

[Small Talk: The Library]

My husband and I have not slept in the same bed for years. He snores, and our schedules are different (I'm an early-to-bed, early-to-rise person, he's not) so it works better for both of us to not be in the same bedroom. We're nearly at our 24th anniversary (next month) so I think it's okay. ;)

Thanks everyone for all the good wishes; I had a great time meeting Mark, who is a really nice, funny, genuine person. There were about 15 fans at the event, which lasted three hours that just zipped by. He mostly told stories about some of his encounters with fans (fandom produces wackaloons. I think we here already knew that, having been involved in fandom for quite a while, but it was still a "holy crap what is wrong with people" moment to hear about his various stalkers (!). And he read bad fanfic. So, so very bad, and not purposely bad, just...bad. Oy. But hilarious when read by a performer and natural storyteller. And it was only about 90°, which is a freakin' miracle. It was fun. I'm glad I went.

Anyone got anything exciting or fun or annoying this week? I'm waiting now for the required repairs to be completed on our new house. All the inspections are done, the list of stuff that needs to be fixed has gone to the seller, and now we're just waiting for them to get that stuff done, and we're good. Escrow closes at the end of the month. My current house is a disaster area, all boxes and chaos. Fun! ;)

[Small Talk: The Library]

Thanks, @Endeavour!

95° is only good when compared to what it could be -- Sacramento is hell on earth in the summer, a land of muggy swelter (okay, it only feels humid to me because I'm from the desert, but Sac is on a river delta, and it's blechy). I'm gonna take it and be happy. :)

Just checked Caltrans, and they're not up to any construction shenanigans on the freeway from here to Sac, so that's good. This drive is only two hours, but it's over the big ol' Sierra Nevada, and sometimes in the summer there are massive delays while Caltrans is doing stuff. The weather can fuck with your plans, too; I've been stuck up there, not able to get home because Donner Pass is closed. That (almost) never happens in the summer, though.

[Small Talk: The Library]

He watches tv shows, and he reads books. He videos himself doing both (for the watching, you can hear the sound of the ep, but you can't see it, you can see Mark watching it. When he reads stuff, he reads straight into the camera). And then he writes reviews, which show up on his site. He's an amazingly smart watcher of TV -- he's been getting stuff on SPN that took me a couple of viewings to notice or think about. He does this all unspoiled, which is a lot of the fun. He's never prepared. He's going to be watching Farscape pretty soon, and he will defs be completely unprepared for that.

At these Mark in the Park events he mostly reads bad fanfic aloud, for the fun of the listening audience (he was nominated for a Hugo a couple of years ago for

, and it was freakin' hilarious).

[Small Talk: The Library]

Big big vibes coming atcha, Erratic.

I'm going to Sacramento today, for this event (Mark watching Buffy? Amazing. He's currently watching Supernatural, and just started reading the Discworld. Here's his main page). It's only supposed to be 95° in Sac today, so that's good -- it could've easily been forecast to be 105° or so.

Have a good weekend, everyone! :)

[Small Talk: The Library]

Yaz(oo) was Alison Moyet and Vince Clarke, who was in early Depeche Mode and later was half of Erasure with Andy Bell.

Abso-freakin'-lutely. I mean, sufferin' succotash, I'd forgotten how often that word was used in Bugs Bunny cartoons.

As soon as @Chyna mentioned Bugs Bunny, I couldn't help but hear NIIIIIN-com-poop-pbbtt in Mel Blanc's voice. Ssssuffferin ssssuccotashfshfhsh!

[Small Talk: The Library]

Congrats, @Harvester! That's awesome. :)

@DAngelus, @trudi-tru is right; it might seem like @dusky's ex is trying one last gasp of emotional fuckery, but past data does not suggest that he's got the brain power to work something like that. Besides the swatches and the jerky (yep, those are for-real gifts he gave to his daughter, 'cause what teen doesn't want to receive random fabric swatches?) he also gave her a flute one year for Xmas. A random, out-of-nowhere flute, to his kid who has never played. This guy is just the worst.

[Small Talk: The Library]

he demands that his 17 year old daughter speak with him at least twice a month or he will no longer send child support.

This fucking guy. Yeah, sure, it's totally possible to force a teenager to talk. Yep. Easiest thing in the world. And of course a 17-year-old is completely a child, not an adolescent with their own identity and thoughts and feelings about, mm, let's think of an example, I dunno, let's say being treated like a baby by one's father. Just as a for-instance.

Can anyone find my eyeballs? They rolled right outta my head onto the floor.

[Small Talk: The Library]

@Endeavour, inspections went well, thanks for asking. A few little things, which always is the case, but overall things looked very good. Fingers crossed that the septic is fine (they couldn't do that one today) and if so, we're good to go.

I'm glad you're okay, @Barphe. I concur with your decision to not do any of that crap any more. ;)

Only you, Yaz, only you. Loved that song.

The Yaz that always pops into my head is "Situation." "Don't mess around, you bring me down, how you get about, don't make a sound just move out..." God I love Alison Moyet's voice.

[Small Talk: The Library]

The vomit-flavored ones are truly nasty.

[Small Talk: The Library]

Stop it, candy thieves. Jeez, be a grown-up. Buy your own damn candy.

@Loandbehold, I hope you and your brother can figure something out. That situation sounds extremely difficult.

(I did have another thing for you. Neener neener? :P)

I'm sorry about the rain and the anxiety and the blaaaaaaaaaarghhhhh, @KPC. :(

[Small Talk: The Library]

Fuck MS. And Cancer. But tonight, especially MS. Fuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyou

^^^^^^^^This right here.

[Small Talk: The Library]

Thank you all so much; I complain here because I know you all are sympathetic, and it helps. Thank you.

I am spending a lot of time lurking, because my life is effing insane I can't process, but I also can't deal. (It's complicated)

This sounds sucky. I'm sorry, @Barphe.

despite the format being approved weeks ago, I had to change at the last minute because it was too . . . orange

No such thing! (I like orange. Go Giants! ;) )

[Small Talk: The Library]

Thanks for vibes; pain is a funny thing. There's always a new basement, you know? Just when you think you've hit the bottom, nope. More bottom!

I'm completely useless at packing and sorting right now, so I started bingeing OITNB (the first season, not caught up yet). I'd be curious to know if Kate Mulgrew is doing a good accent or not (I...have doubts, but what do I know?)

I am the same way with all the little icons: okay, I know FB, I know Twitter, I know Reddit, but what are some of these other squiggles? No idea. Pee-interest is one, I gather? Seems like a really specialized niche. ;) (Truthfully, I still don't quite get the point of Pinterest. Except copyright infringement; it seems to be perfectly designed for that particular use.)

[Small Talk: The Library]

Thanks for vibes, everyone. Right back atcha, as needed. :)

[Small Talk: The Library]

I'm so sorry about your father-in-law, buffyjunkie.

[Small Talk: The Library]

"The Senior Partners...will be watching you." Yeah, that's not creepy at all. ;)

Vibes to all. I'm in a pain place, it's sucky. But it'll pass. Inspections on house #2 happen on Monday. I have a better feeling about this one, but my fingers will be crossed anyway.

[Small Talk: The Library]

I'm so sorry, trudi. I hope the funeral is...well, peaceful, I guess. It's hard to make positive wishes for a funeral, because it's a funeral, but I hope it's not too stressful.

[Small Talk: The Library]

will you need to do a lot of inspections like you did on the other house or less?

@Endeavour, almost certainly fewer. We don't need an arborist to check out a bunch of trees all growing right into the power lines (grr, that still annoys me about the previous house's neighborhood. People of the 50s, stop and think about what you're doing! Heh). Nor will we need multiple opinions on the HVAC system, in all likelihood, since the major mechanical remodel happened on this house in '07, and people have lived there since, so one hopes that if the heating and a/c didn't work, it'd have been fixed by now. And we don't need to check a sewer line; this is septic.

But that does still leave a general inspection, pest inspection, septic* inspection, and pest inspection. Whee!

*TMI time for menstruation stuff: changing to septic from sewer, which is what I've had forever, has finally motivated me to order a Lunacup. I've been meaning to do it and just have been lazy, but now there's a reason to get on it. Anyone familiar with a menstrual cup? Love? Hate? Neutral?

[Small Talk: The Library]

I've got the exercise commitment down, but it took the MS diagnosis to make that happen. I don't really recommend getting a chronic illness just to get your exercise routine on track, though. Seems counter-productive. ;)

Mice. Yuck.

The ones that my cat can catch, mighty hunter that she is, are teeny little field mice. They are freakin' adorable. Until they've been gutted and decapitated, then yeah. Yuck. :)

We really liked the house we saw yesterday, so...onward. We've cancelled the other offer, and now it's time for more inspections, 'cause I can't get enough of those. Wheeee!! Thank you all so much for all the vibes. :)

[Small Talk: The Library]

Thanks everyone for the vibes. :) We saw a house this afternoon that we REALLY liked, so we're going to make an offer. This place doesn't have any fixer-upper aspects to it, hooray. Fingers crossed that inspections don't turn up anything major -- this house was built in '67 but rebuilt from studs in '07, so all the mechanical is pretty new. Let's all hope...

Annief, I read "mouse hunting" instead of "house hunting."

Hee, there could defs be some of that, as my dumb ol' kitty is quite the hunter, and there would be opportunity in this yard.

Super-happy long weekend vibes to the USians, and happy weekend to all y'all furriners. ;)

[Small Talk: The Library]

Yep, invisible dog in the car, too. @Darkpool, you wouldn't recognize her; I saw her in March, and she is definitely getting old. Her eyelashes are white! I hope she doesn't have too much pain. :(

I am so angsty about real estate and finding the right house and moving and arghhh. Thank you all so much for all your good wishes and vibing; it really does make me feel calmer. :)