AOL is actually going to transfer my journals to blogger for me! I was shocked and amazed! The old entries for this journal will not be included here. I am setting up a separate blog for the archived entries. I figured for a fresh start here. If anyone wants to check back on anything I wrote before, just let me know and I will give you the title. (Assuming AOL does come through, of course!)

I did finally get my new kitchen range. It was much more complicated than I expected it to be, and all my own fault. The good news is that Whirlpool is giving me 15% off because the original builder-grade range was less useful than a hibachi, and the company I bought it from is giving me 20% off because it came with a small dent on the right side that does not show at all when the range is in place. To begin with, this company's price was about 15% less than any where else. It seems to work OK, and certainly is a much better quality than the original. I went with Kitchen Aid - I had good luck with them in the past. I went with black and stainless after all. I figure a range can be stainless and the rest doesn't have to be, but if I got bisque, then the rest would have to match when I replace them. The appliances are all builder grade, so none are going to last long. I figure the fridge or the dishwasher will be next. The trash compactor is likely to last a while. I sure love having that - the dogs cannot ever get into my trash! I never put anything that can rot in there anyway, so it's not extremely attractive to dogs, but even so, they would get into it if they could. Just because they could.

Besides calling all over regarding the new appliance, I also finally called Northwest Airlines regarding issues I have had with them in the past. I wanted to see what they would offer me before I booked for DC. I wanted to hear their reaction to the time I was in first class and was denied use of the first class bathroom just after a man from coach ran into the first class bathroom. I was in row 4 - that isn't coach. I was offered 8500 miles or $100. I hesitated, and the offer went to 9000 miles. I took the miles, but now I think I want to pay for the trip and save the miles for another time. Oh well, it is all about the same, in the long run. The miles were also supposed to cover the time coming home from Phoenix when we were on the red eye flight at 10:30 pm and didn't actually leave until after 1 am. We had been shuffled on two different planes, and off I think three times. It was highly annoying. I actually hadn't planned to complain about that, since delays happen. However, Late was offered 2500 miles for that, by letter, after we got home. I was not. Neither was her son, who was with us! I found that inconsistency to be worth a mention. The young lady I talked to at NWA was very patient and kind. I was also patient, since whenever I mentioned a flight she told me she was unable to find that I was on it, so I had to get online and find the dates and flight numbers myself. It was a call I have been putting off since May. My to-do list is not getting shorter.

My neurologist says I have to see an endocrinologist to find out more about my electrolyte imbalance (low potassium, high sodium) issues before I can resume my wonderful new sleeping medication. When is the first available appointment with the endo? The day before Thanksgiving. When is my potential trip to DC? I would return two days before the appointment. I really would like some sleep before I go, and I would rather not drag my behind around DC - I am sure I will be doing much walking there. I already put myself on their cancellation list, but I think a few calls might be in order, with some insightful whining.

[Side note: I wasn't sure on the spelling of "cancellation" so I looked it up. I see why I have been ambivalent about the spelling. Both "cancelation" and "cancellation" are correct. How does that happen? When I was in school, judgement was the correct spelling for that word. Now it's judgment. Who changes the rules?]

How many of you have left AOL entirely? I think of doing it, but I like their email better than anyone else's. It just seems so friendly, easy to use, and I like having one long list instead of separate pages. I find the spam filter is effective, usually. Maybe I am just used to it? I have had gmail for years, but I just don't like the look as well. If I gave up AOL, what home page would I use? I like the carosel on the toolbar with AOL. Maybe I just don't like change. If you have left AOL, where did you go?

As far as my impending trip, I cannot yet find a dog sitter. I only really had two places to call - the one lady I had before, Kathy, and my nieces. Kathy recently went back to work and isn't able to do any sitting. The nieces' mother was definitely going to call me back last night before midnight so I could reserve my tickets, since flights are filling fast for that weekend. *sigh* I see myself again sitting down with a phone book and a list of veterinary offices asking if they know anyone who does dog sitting and actually will stay at the house with the dogs. Molly cannot now even go to someone else's house to stay. She is totally blind and it would be cruel to her to expect her to learn her way around another home. Her poor little nose would be all smashed up. When she is tired here, she forgets easily where she is. She somtimes bounces off things like a pin ball. It's like watching my daughter working as a bartender when there are two co-workers with her who are large men. The area is small - she just bounces off them and the walls.

I just don't want to have to cancel this trip. Let's hope the nieces call me today with good news. One is now going to community college, the other is in middle school. They are great kids, and my dogs adore them. The girls adore the dogs - it's a happy mix. So they are a little messy - I would prefer a few unexplained stains on the carpet to unexplained damage to the dogs.

It's really pitiful that I still can't stay on a topic, isn't it? On occasion I can, and I intend to re-start my personal journal if anyone is interested in reading it again. It has to be migrated first. I was working on deleting some older entries in that journal yesterday while I was waiting for my car to be serviced. Having free wi-fi at the dealership makes the wait so much more pleasant.

I have to work on my to-do list and some other paperwork, then hopefully today I can start catching up on everyone. I get upset when I get behind - it's like reading a few dozen novels simultaneously, and I hate getting behind on the chapters involved! I know I have missed a lot, and I am sorry.

Happy Halloween this weekend! It has amazed me to watch adults turn this childhood minor holiday into the second most popular holiday of the year, second only to Christmas. I wonder how long it will be second?