Month: August 2017

emmeetslawschool:

a-necessary-dream:

Under Trump’s laughable immigration plan, I wouldn’t qualify to immigrate to the U.S. because my doctorate is in law (not STEM) and my comfortable government law salary is considered “low paying.”

Oh, except this isn’t just “laughable” – it’s the stark reality that would be faced by people who really want to immigrate here and have a lot to contribute in their own way. I don’t think it’ll pass, but the fact that someone even proposed it as a serious idea is ridiculous.

My husband and I had a long debate last night about the wording on this quiz trying to figure out if you had to:

1)  have a US professional degree OR a whatever other type of degree in STEM, or 
2) if it meant you have to have a US professional degree in STEM or this other type of degree in STEM.

(I mean the plan is dumb regardless, but also poorly worded either in the bill or in this quiz. Which is probably indicative of the exact types of issues that would arise if you throw together a points system haphazardly) 

The underside of that drain cover from the nasty water coming up from under there, while the guy was working 😦

(He’d gone back to the van to get something then. I was also kind of surprised he put up that barrier as SOP, working in a walled-off area well away from pedestrians.)

And an after shot of the patio situation! 👌 Before, and the water was even higher by today.

So now I feel like shutting down and going to sleep for a while after that disruption, but I really need to get some food in. Part of the problem right now is likely from a stress-related blood sugar crash, anyway.

I’ve been stressing about needing some things from stores I’ve been having trouble getting to anyway. Actually got a craving for some zucchini yesterday, but couldn’t get out after it.

As much as I don’t like taking deliveries on my own, especially with the shoulder problems and trying to wrangle the bags around when they’re understandably in a hurry? Probably past time to put together a grocery order. At least there are plenty of options for that here, and for about the same cost as taking a bus to the store and back; one benefit of living in such a built-up area. Even if it were a £20 delivery charge instead of around £5, it would be doable and well worth it to have better access to food.

I just keep putting it off, when the Just Try Harder approach really hasn’t been getting me out after a better selection of food. (Or anything else.) Doesn’t magically increase the spoon supply, but that can be hard to break out of anyway.

Fresh produce and meats are also definitely items I prefer to look at in person, and pick out (or pass up) myself. But, at this point zucchini of unknown quality is sounding way better than none. And not just that, of course.

Well, that’s both stressful and a relief. Upstairs called the water company to come and look at that drain, because unsurprisingly the smell was bothering them up there. I thought we needed a plumber because the blockage seemed to be between our house and the main line, but the water company apparently sent somebody.

The woman caught me outside maybe 10 minutes ago (when I started writing this) to let me know someone was on the way and might need in our gate. That was pretty awkward, but at least she was very polite about it and didn’t get snarky to my face over our not having taken care of it already. I’d kinda been dreading dealing with them over it. I did act apologetic and thank her for calling them. They didn’t get directly confrontational with us over that sewer problem we were unaware of before, but they did get the council involved and I was more concerned about that happening again tbh.

Sounds like a quick response if they called this afternoon. Somebody already came to look at it, went to try and see if they could get at it from further down, and is back with a set of huge drain rods now. So Feist screamed at him and ran off 😼

And now he’s sweeping the worst of the nasty lake back into the hole, so hopefully it’s sorted. With maybe 5 minutes of work.

(Yes, I just asked him about it and thanked him for doing it.)

More time spent sweeping so far than on the actual drain clog. Looks like he also put down some kind of foamy disinfectant, which I hope the cats will have the sense not to walk through either. And a lot of the smell is gone now!

Some disruption I didn’t need, and the smell got extra atrocious while he was working. (So glad for the cleanup afterwards!) But, I am so relieved to have one less thing to worry about around here. That’s also one less excuse to put off washing some clothes. *wry smile*