About a month or so ago our ancient treadmill conked out, much to my dismay but not to my surprise (it was at least 17 years old and the picture above was taken when we were still in the apartment). Since replacing it was simply not in the budget at this time and even a new motor would require saving up for a few month I’ve been making do with walking around the house in laps (I’ve gone outside a couple of times when the weather is nice). But spoiled first worlder that I am, I really missed my virtual walks through Vegas, New Orleans, London, et al on my iPad while I walked on the treadmill.

Cut to this afternoon when Lyndon asked me to come downstairs for a moment. He’d talked about checking out the treadmill motor, and lo, he had pulled the cowling off the front of the treadmill and had a voltimeter hooked up to the motor. “You know the normal sounds it makes—does this sound right to you?” he said as he hit the Start button.

The start-up beeps sounded and the belt started moving!!! Turns out that there’s a speed sensor that had gotten gunked up—when he pulled it off to examine it and plugged it back in, the treadmill started working again. There is a bit of a dragging noise but that’s the belt on the deck and I just need to lubricate that again.

I had vacuumed the entire motor area last year but there was new oily cat hair along the back bar so I got out the vacuumed and cleaned everything again, including the motor and all its connections. Tonight, I get to walk through Vegas again, whee!

We’re catching just the very southernmost edge of Winter Storm Olive (and I am grateful for small favors), but now that I am a Woman of a Certain Age I can most definitely feel weather changes come in a few days before they hit. Quite apart from all my joints aching (still managed to wash the bedding and clear out the dead lantana from two flower beds, though, so go me), I’m just so bloody tired at the moment. I asked the Brit if we could forage for dinner tonight and he kindly went out and brought in a cooked chicken from the store, and I almost nodded off downstairs a couple of minutes ago. If my duvet wasn’t still in the dryer I think I’d give up and go to sleep right now.

And all we’re getting is a thirty degree temperature drop into the fifties and some rain. That’s nothing compared to what much of the rest of the country is catching. A friend of mine lives in Utah and posted pictures today of the ridiculous amount of snow outside her door (I am so grateful we’re not getting any of that).

And it’ll be back in the seventies here by next week. I ask you.

And I’m pretty sure this is due to some hellacious allergens out there at the moment since other people in the metroplex are complaining and I’m not showing symptoms of anything else. I do feel completely wiped out, however, and the Brit said I was somewhat hot and not in the sexy way.

So basically I slept in, then when I did get up (because unless I am just this side of Death’s door I can’t stay in bed any longer than ten hours) I relaxed for the rest of the day while the Brit headed off to his D&D game. I didn’t even install the new piston in the main bathroom toilet yet. And yes, it’s called a piston—it’s a Kohler toilet with complicated flushing dingies but they laaaaaaast. The piston will literally take a minute to install, but I want a clear head to do this (and to not feel like passing out if I’m bent over for longer than thirty seconds).

I’m hoping that this will clear up by tomorrow because 1) I have stuff to do and 2) the weather for next week is literally going to go up and down thirty degrees over a handful of days, plus there will be A Lot of Rain. I would prefer it if my sinuses were behaving themselves while all that nonsense is going on.

To be honest, there were no grand romantic gestures here, but neither of us were in the mood for such gestures, nor do we need them. The Brit and I are ridiculously affectionate all year round so we don’t need an official day for those kind of activities. Also, flowers need to be put out of range of the J Crew which is problematic, and we already had chocolates. *shrug*

So today pretty much consisted of working, changing out J.J.’s peed-upon bedding, fetching Thai for dinner, and generally relaxing. We may go see Ant-Man: Quantumania this weekend, and we counted Sunday’s dinner at Lita’s as our dinner out so we did get some date night activities which was nice.

Mrgh. I got all of the numbers crunched for the taxes so as soon as we get Lyndon’s W2 I can fill out the accountant’s worksheet and run everything out to their office. Actually, I should have him log on and see if he can download a copy since we should have received it by now.

The fact that I’m getting all of this finished in February instead of my usual March or early April astounds me, frankly. I guess I’m serious about making 2023 run on rails.

In other news J.J. is still alive, still happy, and still peeing his bedding at least three times a day. We’ve also moved up to two sponge baths a day (mainly to clean his undercarriage and make sure he doesn’t develop any sores or irritation from the pee). He’s so lucky I love him.