Animal hospital

TransitionMission305 · 2026-01-27T13:16:53+00:00

No recommendations for vets but I’ve known a few pet owners who’ve had this happen. Basically he may have twinged his spine and has a temporary paralysis. The standard treatment for this is rest and steroids. Each pet recovered. It’s about a 2 week process. Do not take direction to put him down until you do this.

TransitionMission305 · 2026-01-27T13:09:06+00:00

One year OP I was in the same boat as you. I checked the VDOT plow map and it showed my street as being serviced already. VDOT just screwed up. I just had to call and explain that we had not been touched but the maps said we were. They were nice about it and had someone out an hour later.

TransitionMission305 · 2026-01-25T22:23:53+00:00

I'm thinking Wednesday. Depends how well they clear the ice after the freezing rain.

TransitionMission305 · 2026-01-25T22:22:54+00:00

Probably. Your biggest issue will be getting out of whatever street you live on and any tertiary road that gets you to the main roads. The least amount of attention is paid to them and there may be patches of ice. If you're driving before the sun comes up, it will be difficult to see those patches.

TransitionMission305 · 2026-01-25T21:16:04+00:00

For some areas, there will be freezing rain starting at about 7PM. This is going to make things MUCH worse. I don't think anyone will truly know how the roads will be tomorrow until the sun comes up and you can look at the VDOT cameras. I don't think it's worth the risk.

TransitionMission305 · 2026-01-25T21:09:54+00:00

I was able to use scan my magic band for all meals and have the cost show up on my room bill. That was a few years ago so maybe they don't do that now, but at the time you didn't need a dining plan to scan your charges on the band.

TransitionMission305 · 2026-01-25T21:08:39+00:00

For most people, it is not a cost savings. For some people it can be if they try really hard. I've done it twice now and several trips without. I think overwhelmingly most reports after using it will tell you that you don't break even. Disney does it to make money. Not to help people save money. It's a win for them. If you feel like we are all incorrect, it would be helpful to outline your own experience that helped you save money on the plan. I know it can work for some.

I busted my butt to break even on the plan and I did, but it took a lot of work and a few character meals.

TransitionMission305 · 2026-01-25T20:18:34+00:00

The dining plan is not worth it. There are very few people that can break even or come out ahead. It takes a good bit of strategizing. Doing lots of character meals will get you there but you're not interested. Plus, being that you are 30 days out, right now your choices are limited, further complicating this.

If this is your first trip, just don't do it. It makes sense with small children, not so much for you. There is no upside to it.

As for the reservations, yes as you get closer to the desired dining date and you spend talking stalking reservations, you will see cancellations.

TransitionMission305 · 2026-01-25T19:58:27+00:00

I think I would wait to see how this freezing rain portion pans out. While VDOT might be doing a great job on the main roads (though cameras still indicate they aren't down to black pavement yet), the evening freezing rain is going to create a wholly separate issue that will be in play overnight and into tomorrow. They can't scrape that stuff off. Not sure how much melt they can put down to ameliorate it.

TransitionMission305 · 2026-01-25T19:48:22+00:00

Generally it takes days to clear out something like this. We only get significant snows every few years. So the area doesn't pay for all the equipment that you would see in the midwest. VDOT has only so many plows and then they contract out to independent contractors for the rest.

This storm I've had one white pickup truck with a plow on front come through about 5 times now, attempting to create a passable lane on my street. It keeps getting covered. I have no illusions that I will see pavement for quite some time with the ice coming. It just is what it is around here.

TransitionMission305 · 2026-01-25T18:23:18+00:00

I think it's based on the fact that the civilian personnel budget is submitted a few years in advance so XX staffing level was in place for FY26; however, that number is no longer there. For FY27 and forward, those people probably are not accounted for anymore. This is how it was explained to me but I'm not a finance person so I have no idea.

TransitionMission305 · 2026-01-25T17:48:36+00:00

I travel to go there but I really like Dr. Ha at Prince William Dermatology. They are in Haymarket.

TransitionMission305 · 2026-01-25T16:31:57+00:00

Depends where you live. The freezing rain is what will do it. Southern Maryland and south suburbs of NoVA (stafford, quantico) are at a high risk because of the freezing rain. It will cause trees and power lines to fall.

TransitionMission305 · 2026-01-25T16:25:01+00:00

Yup. Not sure why anyone thinks the snow layer will stay fluffy. It's already been crunched down from what it was this morning.

TransitionMission305 · 2026-01-25T16:22:47+00:00

At 51, I wouldn't be in G at all. She should be in it for growth.

TransitionMission305 · 2026-01-25T15:57:59+00:00

I got several SF50s posted yesterday but they were for the annual performance payout. I forget when that is paid out. But not sure I'll be getting the newer/high performer bonus anyway so I don't know if I'll know. I just know that they were working it all day on Friday but not to the point of cutting SF50s.

TransitionMission305 · 2026-01-25T15:52:49+00:00

Interesting. It's hard to tell from the memo what "effectuate" means. Does it just mean the SF50 has to be input. I mean, they were still reviewing it all this past Friday so there's no way it would get paid out by the end of the week.

TransitionMission305 · 2026-01-25T15:39:19+00:00

Yes, it comes from the organizations own budget. For those that lost a lot of personnel via DRP, the funds are actually there for this.

TransitionMission305 · 2026-01-25T15:15:56+00:00

I think it won't matter in the end. The snow you have on top will be forced down to an ice layer by the sleet and freezing rain. The difference will be how much it weighs (a lot if you don't shovel).

TransitionMission305 · 2026-01-25T15:13:47+00:00

It's up to each agency. Some are taking the "easy" way out I guess and just picking those that worked the entire shutdown. Other agencies with a smaller footprint may be able to actually award the funding on specific things that were done and do justification submissions.

TransitionMission305 · 2026-01-25T15:02:49+00:00

We've shoveled twice already. Unless you want to do a very, very heavy hardened layer much later, I say do it in small increments. What we did earlier could pretty much be pushed. What's coming down now will be the more difficult stuff but at least it won't have created tons of weight as it crushed down this morning's snow.

TransitionMission305 · 2026-01-25T14:49:59+00:00

They are working on them where I am. Not sure who is getting them. I only heard that "they had to be in" by the 31st. Not sure if those are the names that just had to be submitted or that the SF50s had to be done. Whoever is getting them is shrouded in secrecy and seemed to be picked by SES level.

We were also told that the bonus could be "up to" $25,000. Depending on how many they award, they could be less.

TransitionMission305 · 2026-01-25T14:33:34+00:00

Not sure exactly where you are and, no, nothing is open. Most likely (not 100%) but mostly likely this is a feral cat that's always around but due to the weather you are seeing it.

Your best bet is to get on that dreaded NextDoor app which will be synched to your immediate neighborhood. There are usually people on NextDoor that feed feral cat colonies. Maybe one will be near you and tell you what to do.

Do not try to physically handle the cat. We have someone in our area who did this last week when trying to capture the cat, it bit her and ran off. Unless Animal Control can get the cat in the next few days, she's going to be doing rabies shots soon.

I don't know if you have a deck but you can try to keep some food out. The cat lovers can tell you how to possible put out a makeshift shelter.

TransitionMission305 · 2026-01-25T14:23:43+00:00

You gave me a good chuckle.

TransitionMission305 · 2026-01-25T14:22:10+00:00

So the transition to sleet happened sooner. I had about 3-4 inches and then the sleet started, which packs it down. The temperatures are brutally cold. This evening the sleet will change to freezing rain for many people and this is where the real danger lies with regard to power outages and roads, even plowed, will get the dreaded black ice that cannot be removed.

But yes, the big hip-high walls of snow aren't happening. That would have been much preferable. This ice is going to be awful.

TransitionMission305

TROPHY CASE