Just this or that

DH is finally getting a little bit started on the shelving for the pantry. About time. Currently I have a small old bookcase in there with foodstuffs on it, and other stuff just on the floor. I'm getting tired of this, to say the least, but I've kept my mouth shut. Life is better when I just let him do stuff on his timeline. We emptied it out and he did some measuring and markings for where to put shelves. That's it. That's all he got done, haha. I guess he's still trying to figure on exactly how to do it all. I think he's also been asking woodworker friend for a few tips/ideas.

DH has been off and on, since about summer, in little bits of communication with his older brother, older by like 7 or 8 years, so he's 63. Mostly it's brother trying to contact him (after nothing from him for 20 years). DH would love a relationship with a "brother" but sadly, neither of his brothers are going to cut it in that regard. People don't usually change much and for sure this brother hasn't. He's still a loser (pot smoking alcoholic, was a TERRIBLE parent to his 3 kids). He lives about an hour from us. Keeps wanting DH to meet in the city for lunch, but DH really doesn't want to. DH just keeps telling him to come here and visit and he makes some excuse about not driving, though if he can drive a half hour to the city, obviously he (or his wife) can drive, LOL. DH really doesn't even like having to go to the city - too many people for him and our trips are usually just quick in and out of there. DH hadn't heard from him in awhile. He will text DH off and on and then Dh got some vague text yesterday "I feel like the ugly stepchild." Rather than text back, DH just called him. I guess brother said something like you've probably come to town 20 times since we last talked. DH just explained to him we usually just come in and pick up pre-ordered groceries and leave, about every 2-3 weeks. I think it's mostly that DH just really doesn't have much desire to spend time with him. He said he's easy to talk to on the phone and they did talk quite awhile yesterday, but I think DH just really doesn't want to waste too much time on brother. He already tried that with his younger brother and it was a big waste of time. I think Dh kind of knows how this will go too - spend a bit of time together, realize they both are the same person as before and lose contact again, LOL. Once they get past the "catching up" there's not going to be much left to have in common. Not worth the effort.

My mom did go to the grocery store on the shuttle bus trip and said it was good to get out.  She doesn't remember how she paid though, but it must have been cash because her online banking shows no charge on her credit card or a check written. When I was there last she had a whole bunch of one's in her wallet (from a yard sale who knows how long ago she had at her old house, last spring, I think) so maybe she used those up. Or I know she had received a couple of refund checks from canceling services from her old house/insurance, etc and I'm thinking she had just cashed those rather than depositing. I had just looked at her bank (as I do every day to make sure it looks ok) and hadn't noticed a charge for groceries, so I was wondering if she ended up going. Then I remembered this grocery store they went to is strange...they don't take credit cards, just cash, checks, and debit cards and you have to bag your own groceries. She always uses her credit card, so I'm guessing she probably tried to use it and then had to pay with cash.

My new bath towels I ordered from Kohl's arrived already. I chose a camel brown color (my others are a taupe color) so we can keep DH's towels and mine separate, haha, since he likes to use older, more worn out towels. He's washing them up for me now. I think the color goes well with the wood and wood tile in our bathroom.

I did get an email back from my side job owner (well, she is the wife of one of the owners and she is their money controller for the business) about getting their business savings into something making much more interest. She agrees she needs to do that and just hasn't looked into it. The guy they had for their "personal banker" got moved to another branch last year and for some reason she was told he couldn't be their banker anymore, so that is partially why they ended up opening 2 other bank accounts (and still keeping this one for a little use). She asked who my company uses and what rate. I told her and that it is 1.8% interest. I also explained to her that we have always banked at smaller/local type banks and have never had a branch that is close/convenient to the office, so we've always just mailed in deposits for many years and then the past 4-5 years have been using mobile deposits, with a bank supplied scanner. LOVE it. No more filling out deposit slips and no worrying about mailing. For some reason this side job owner likes to do banking the old way - filling out deposit slips and actually making trips the bank. I don't know why - she has so much stuff on her plate, why not make life easier?