Tag: chop wood carry water

My father says that almost the whole world is asleep

What went before ONE: Litter pans changed out, basement vacuumed, shower had, shopping done (Do I need more jeans? No. But I adore the Starfish pull-ons from Lands End, and? They’re On Sale! Besides, I cleaned out the basement.)

Next up — the midday meal — and then back with the WIP.

For the Record, should there actually be a record — it’s raining like heck.

What went before TWO: The afternoon theme. My question is: why am I awake?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What went before THREE: So, I did not finish reading the WIP today. I did realize that what I have needs to be rearranged, now that I have nearly half of a (technical) book written. Tomorrow, I’ll start the rearrangement. Or, I’ll write the scene that’s missing. Or, yanno — both. Or neither.

I note that, for this book, and against Standard Practice, I made what I’m pleased to call An Outline, in service of the fact that I’m operating on half the recommended brain-power for the writing of a Liaden book.

It has served me well this far, but its usefulness will end as I commence rearranging the segments, which is fine, because I have the middle pretty much nailed down, and A Few Ideas about the ending.

In other words, we’re in pretty good shape, over here in It’s Time to Write Your Novel Land.

I did not take a nap today. This may or may not have been An Error, though I did not make the Definite Error of applying caffeine, which leads me to suppose that this will be another Early Night.

The Coon Cats have been suing for Happy Hour since 4:45. Right now, they’re being quiet, perhaps even Too Quiet, but I’m willing to take a lack of noise Right Now for the probability of Chaos later.

I will append the Outline to the end of this communication, for those who have an interest in such things.

Everybody stay safe; I’ll see you tomorrow.

Outline for current WIP
VARIABLE
VELOCITY
TIME
CONVERGENCE
DISPLACEMENT
SOLUTION

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Honest to ghu, people don’t pay attention.

Here’s Charlie Giguere, flying the Pride flag outside the Silver Street Tavern, which he has done for years (I mean Literal Years: I’m pretty sure there’s a picture of Steve and me standing in front of it around here somewhere, and I was wearing a corset, which is an article of clothing I last wore in 2019. But that year the bullies were too interested in shutting down the bookstore), and only now, he’s getting flack. Like it’s all Brand New, and Charlie Just Got Woke.

It’s not that I want a better class of bully, but the stupid does sometimes burn.

In other news, the Maine Grain Association is sponsoring a Bread Walk in Portland and also an After Dark Bread Walk, which makes me both grateful and sad that I don’t live nearer to Portland. On the 26th, though, there’s the Bread Fair at Skowhegan Fairgrounds, and I may try to make that, absent brain-fying heat.

Where was I?

Ah.

Sunday. Bright and warm.

Breakfast was French toast with strawberries. Second cup of tea is brewing. Lunch may be, um. Maybe I can take a premade chicken patty, cook it in tomato sauce, put it over macaroni and pretend it’s Chicken Parmesan. That could work.

Today is a writing day.

That’s it. That’s all I’ve got.

What’ve you got?

This morning’s blog post brought to you by Abney Park, “The Wake“

Rites of Spring

What went before: So, I’ve read 108 out of a possible 197 manuscript pages. Will finish that tomorrow.

Otherwise, a Very Quiet day here at the Cat Farm and Confusion Factory (except Now, because Trooper is yelling for Happy Hour NEOW!). I am for some reason Just Exhausted, so it will be an early night hereabouts.

I watched “Rogue” last night from Dr. Who. The Doctor did look ever-so-tasty in his Regency duds, though I’m going to be very disappointed in him if he doesn’t find the lad.

Hope everyone has had an enjoyable Friday.

Stay safe; I’ll see you tomorrow.

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Saturday. Cloudy and cooler.

Slept late. Thinking about sleeping some more, but! Today is change-the-cat-boxes day, so — duty first, then nap, if I’m still So Inclined.

It rained last night — a lot — and the ‘beans are calling for more, off and on, during the day.

Tali and Rook did engage me before breakfast in a vigorous game of Spring, which presently goes like this:

1 Rook and Tali Gather Round, looking up at me Expectantly.

2 I Produce a Spring and show it to them.

3 They wriggle.

4 I throw the spring.

5 They chase it at turnpike speeds (Tali runs faster than Rook, but this isn’t an advantage, as she often over-shoots the target).

6 Rook (usually) recovers the spring (if Tali manages to get to it first, he takes it away from her), and brings it back to me, so I can throw it again.

6a If Tali retains the spring, she bats it around until she loses it, then comes back to me, eyes wide, waiting for me to Produce a Spring. However!

6b The game ends when the spring is lost.

7 VARY: Rook hides the spring and then comes back to me, eyes wide. I go find it and throw it again. This Variation has a three-throw limit or ends when 6b is invoked.

So, that’s the news from the Cat Farm. I note that this time last Saturday, I was driving twisty little roads through tidy Vermont towns in the Pouring! Down! Rain! and wondering if it just made more sense to pull over, buy a house, and never drive anywhere again.

What’re y’all doing that’s interesting, today?

Well, our fathers fought the Second World War

What went before ONE: I have achieved and sited roses. The tiny one is the baby from the front garden. The yellow one is True Kindness, which is a hybrid tea rose, said to be hardy, disease resistant and heat tolerant.

If this works out, I’ll try an heirloom rose.

I have also registered for the watercolor class and conquered the rest of my errands, save the bank, which is a Phone Call.

What went before TWO: So! I have a couple more things to do to catch up with Real Life, but it looks like I’ll be going back to work on Friday. Yeah, Friday; and I’ll probably be working all weekend, too, because my boss is a witch, man.

Tomorrow will be a Hide from the Heat day, because 90F/32C, and sunny. Friday will be a little cooler and cloudy, and then Saturday it will be SIGnificantly cooler, with rain. So, it’s not like I’ll be missing a Great Weekend on anything.

I have taken the Executive Decision to put twinkle lights up in the living room. Those should arrive tomorrow, and will be something to do In-Between.

Rookie very responsibly made his annual vet appointment for July. I’m so proud of him. Trooper is calling for Happy Hour, but he still has a little while to wait.
. . . and that’s the evening report.

Everybody stay safe; I’ll see you tomorrow.

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Thursday. Sunny and already warm enough by my reckoning. The weatherbeans are calling for Warmer, and a thunderstorm or two.

I had hoped that the Corning trip would serve as a buffer against meltdowns, as I came home from a con without Steve, and, indeed, emotions have taken their time catching up. Unfortunately, this morning it all kind of hit like a dump truck. Firefly just brought me her orange chew-and-chase thing, which is of course a Great Comfort.

Today, I’ll be doing normal quiet things — hanging away the laundry, making a pot of rice, doing one’s duty to the cats. I have two phone calls to make, and that will be my limit on Real World Business today.

There had been a call for me to post the text of my speech, so it can be compared to what I actually said. I’ll try to get that done — just a cut ‘n paste.

The coon cats have put their plans for the day into motion. What’re your plans?

Today’s blog title brought to you by Billy Joel: “Allentown”

Art storm

What went before ONE: So, I report a Tragedy. There was a traffic jam between me and home about an hour ago. So, I was forced to turn off at Gifford’s Ice Cream and partake of a chocolate milkshake (yes, with whipped cream) while I sat on top of a picnic bench, and watched the traffic sort itself out.

Alas. O! Alack.

What went before TWO: So, sewing was fun; I got a good start on my next project.

It’s going to be Summer tomorrow, really Summer on Thursday, Summer on Friday, and! rainy and cool on the weekend. Guess I’d better close the windows and crank up the heat pumps.

Everybody stay safe; I’ll see you tomorrow.

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Wednesday. Sunny and heading for the mid-80sF/20sC.

Breakfast was the last of the noodles with an egg scrambled in, tea on the side. The rest of the eggs that vacationed in the fridge while I was away are on the stove for hardboiling, because lunch? Will be a summer meal: salad with tomato, and potato, and olives, and tuna, and egg — I think that’s all I’ve got that can go in a salad, but yanno? That actually sounds good enough to eat.

I slept long and hard, and did not dream of zombies, which has been the default for the last week, and let me tell ya — I’m not a fan. I did dream of having to escape through tunnels, but I attribute that to the book I’m reading.

Woke up with a determination to, yeah, sign up for the watercolor class at the senior center. I mean, it’s been proved many times over that I Am Not An Artist, but I haven’t tried watercolor in half a century or so, and at the very least, I’ll learn something about technique and philosophy.

I also have a couple of errands to run — to the vet for Trooper’s Special Sort, and to Uncle Dean’s for some dried lavender, and to the bank to tell them that, no, I do not want them to just roll the CD-about-to-ripen into another CD of similar length, but Sekrit Interest Rates.

Then I thought I’d go to Agway and see about buying a rose bush, which has blossomed — or do I mean exploded? — into this notion that, since I’m so often at the back of the house overlooking the deck — could I grow roses in containers on the deck, so I could see them from my windows?

The answer is — yes! This is possible. I need pot(s) and probably wheels for the pots, so they can be moved at need; the deck is plenty sunny, and — this is no longer a Case For Agway. So, I’m guessing I’ll go out to Fieldstone Gardens and see if I can get the ear of an expert.

So that’s the morning taken care of, and I’ll be getting on the road as soon as the eggs are done.

Who else is Exploring Art today?

Oh.  I hung the plaque in Steve’s office; there was space on the wall behind his desk:

If wishes were fishes…

What went before: So! Two-thirds packed in clothes. After I finish this letter to the internets, I will finish getting the laptop prepped and packed.

Or — a sort of productive day with intermittent flashes of: I can’t do this/Who thought this was a good idea?/I am going to get so lost/I’m going to forget my speech/and several other variations on We’re All Gonna Die. I wish my brain wouldn’t do this, but if wishes were fishes, we’d all be eatin’ chowdah.

Tomorrow: Early doctor appointment; possibly wash car on the way home; update the prices of books at Amazon; change out the cat fountains; pack the Big Bag with Con Clothes &c. Honestly, I have about ninety bags to take with me, each one embodying A Thought (for instance, I have bottles of distilled water to feed the CPAP machine — in a beverage bag). Perhaps I’ll be able to consolidate some thoughts. If not — ninety bags it is. The Subaru is commodious, or, in the local dialect, “You can fit two men anna boy back there.”

On that note: Everybody stay safe; I’ll see you tomorrow.

Monday. Dim, cool, and damp.

It took forever at the doctor’s office, which, given that the hospital is closing down around them I guess was to be expected.

I did eat a cheese sandwich before I went, and that turned out to be a good call. Cup of tea brewing and, yes, I do believe I will be having an oatmeal cookie with that. Or two.

Next up is updating the cover prices on those books that are, according to the Wisdom of the River, underpriced.

After that, I’ll swap out the cat fountains, and then I’ll start in packing the Big Bag, and trying to make some order on my desk, so I don’t come home to Compleat Chaos.

Oh. And I need to call the practice in Bath to find out what their preferred format for receiving my health records from Inland might be.

I should also look at the TBR pile on my tablet, to make sure I have enough to read while I’m away, given that I’ll probably finish the Earl this evening.

So, that’s the shape of my day.

What’s the shape of yours?

It pains me to report that Young Rookie Transgressed yesterday evening and pushed Tali off of the cedar chest, Just Because He Could.  Tali left, came back with reinforcements and A Chat ensued, which included Staring, Smiting, and Being Utterly Unimpressed with Upstart Voids, no matter how cute.

Sunday clean-up

What went before: So Ron Currie’s presentation at the library was interesting. He spoke and read to a Very Full Room of appreciative readers. He chose to talk about culture, history, what motivated him to write the book, and to set it in Waterville’s South End, which was at the time the book is set, largely French. It was a good talk; I learned things. So! An afternoon well-spent.

Came home to answer some correspondence, and now? I’m kinda beat for some reason, so I believe I will leave the form that arrived in today’s mail for a Sunday activity, perhaps with my second mug of tea — flips through questionnaire. Ah. My second and third mugs of tea.

Everybody stay safe; I’ll see you tomorrow.

Sunday. Rainy and cool. Argh.

Breakfast was oatmeal with cranberries and walnuts, second cup of tea in process. Lunch will be a fish sammich with, um — grapes.

First thing on the day’s agenda is Basement Cleanup and Cat Box Change Out. After, I can look forward to a lovely hot shower, a pair of soft old jeans, a sweatshirt, and! A lengthy medical form to fill out. I think I have enough milk to make a mug of hot chocolate, if I really want to get decadent.

I also want to finish getting the laptop updated and the duffel bag with my Corning Adventure Clothes packed (the overnight bag for Cooperstown is all set to go). That will leave the Big Wheeled Convention Bag to be sorted out, and a cooler to pack. I should maybe run the car through the car wash, too, just for fun.

All four cats visited me at the breakfast table, as I sipped my first mug of tea and redecorated Perry Wink’s house in Finch. Perry and the pig will be finishing up their tour of the Rain Forest tomorrow, which is the day the pig becomes an adult. I need to decide which “pet” to bring to adult next, or if I’m just going to grab one of the cats send Perry to New York City.

The “pets” in this game, I just … I got a PILE OF ROCKS for a “pet.” I don’t know who needs to hear this, but a PILE OF ROCKS is not a “pet.” It is either a pile of rocks, a portal to another space/time location, or a conduit for magic. That’s it; those are your choices, and you seek to make any of those into a pet at your very great peril.

Yeah, I gave the rocks back.

So, I’m reading The Elusive Earl and Everyone Here Spoke Sign Language. Everyone… continues to fascinate, but I’m getting a little Impatient with the Earl. I liked The Mysterious Marquess, despite the, um, airiness. The chemistry between Lucian and Penelope, the charm of the family that had worked out how to go on even with the head of the household long absent produced a comfortable feel-good air. I was happy while I was reading it, and that’s all we ask of any book.

The Earl, however — not nearly as charming in the telling; I don’t feel the frisson between the leads. It broods, this book. Also, there seems to be an actual murder, if not several murders, to be balanced. Perhaps it’s Scotland. Macbeth has a lot to answer for.

And — fair being fair — I had somewhat assumed that this book would bestow some well-earned good fortune upon our friend the Heir Finder, and I’m somewhat disappointed to learn that this will probably not be happening, at least in this book. I suppose there are still more heirs to find.

I think that’s all I’ve got for the moment; my tea is gone; the skies have opened, and I? have a basement to clean.

What’re you doing today?

It wasn’t the bullet that laid him to rest, but the low spark of high-heeled boys

What went before: So! 600-odd new words today, bringing the total very drafty WIP to +/-40,200 words.

Quitting to do some ASL review and maybe see how much of my acceptance speech I remember today.

Tomorrow, I have an early(ish) appointment for a haircut, and some errands to run while I’m out and about. Then! I have Endless Phone Calls to make, and then? We’ll see.

So, I’m checking the weather for my various locations starting next week. Cooperstown’s more or less on par with my part of Maine, and Corning’s a tad warmer, but Baltimore? Baltimore, what’s going on with you? It ain’t Summer.

Of course, we here in Central Maine are operating under an Active frost advisory from midnight to 6 am tomorrow. Just in case anybody thought it was Spring.

Everybody stay safe; I’ll see you tomorrow.

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Well. Monday, eh? Damp and dim and at the moment, chilly.

Waiting for my tea to brew, then there’s a raisin bran muffin with my name on it to be toasted.

It looks like two of my friends have been whatever the FB term is for “hacked” overnight. Both visible in the city. Both women. Of course, you might say.

Sometimes, I think that I’d like to know what goes on in the heads of people who do this kind of crap (ref “hacked” above), so I could understand why they do it. If for nothing else, look at the material I could get for my stories, O! Me of Can’t Write Believable Villains.

But, then, yanno, I think, no. I’ll just sit over here writing overachievers who at least try to be compassionate, if they can’t be kind, and who recognize that none of us go it alone, we all need each other, even the bullies and the billionaires who proclaim themselves Self! Made! Met your mother, mate?

“The comfort of the rich depends upon an abundant supply of the poor.” Thank you, Voltaire.

I think I’d better go find that muffin.

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And. A name I didn’t recognize liked my previous post and in the time it took me to click on the name and block it — I had two messages from that same name.

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Glam shot:

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Haircut achieved, per evidence previously provided. Firefly approves and that’s all the validation I need.

Stopped at Holy Cannoli and bought a slice of lasagna that will easily be two hearty lunches, and a chocolate mint brownie bigger than my head, which will also be eaten across days. In fact, I’ve just eaten a slice, which I washed down with the tea (still hot!) in my Yeti tumbler.

As previously advertised, I have phone calls to make and, to reward myself for phone calling and getting my hair cut, I have reserved a seat at this evening’s free talk-and-film at the Waterville Arts Center. This evening’s movie is The Shape of Water.

Waterville is doing the city-wide clean up, and people are throwing away Perfectly Good Stuff, so I thought, but figured it was Just Me. Turns out not. I chatted with a lady who had rescued several small child amusements from piles on people’s lawns, took them home, washed and disinfected them and, hey, presto! The grandkid wins.

So. Brownie slice consumed — man, that was good — and tea finished.

Time to make my first phone call.

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primal scream

Phone calls accomplished. I may not have a copy of my log that the insurance company keeps on me, which is a record of every time I’ve called them, or they called me, and a synopsis of our talk, on account of that is … proprietary?

My first contact was with someone who wanted nothing to do with me and bounced me to another department, which fortunately got me someone who thought her job was solving problems.

Unfortunately, all she could do was research and compile a case, but she had to send me and the information back to the general office, where? I was “helped” to fill out a grievance that I cannot have a copy of, and I should hear “something” in 30 days.

Takeaway: Insurance company does not care if it has a trust issue, because — where else you gonna go?

I’m going to go heat up some of that lasagna for lunch. I do not believe I will be going to the movies tonight, but I may binge Dr. Who.

Today’s very late blog post title brought to you by Mr. Steve Winwood and Traffic, “The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys”

 

Adventuring for the faint of heart

Convention Business: The BaltiCon Program is now live. Word is that it’s still being tweaked. I was, for instance, double booked for Saturday evening, and have been moved from the panel discussion of how to make your characters relatable. Here’s the link. Note that you can search the schedule by day, and by person, and you can create your own list of things to do and see.

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What went before: So, that’s 636 new words on the day, along with some retrofitting of old words. The WIP Entire now weighs in at +/-39,597 words.
For a book that has quite a large cast of characters, Salvage Right is amazingly tight, and I have to keep going back and refreshing myself on what happened when and to whom, as well as what was left over.

Also, prep for BaltiCon, including the travel details, and speeches, and reservations at Corning — not to mention the stupidity with the insurance company and! something else that landed on my desk today — is all kind of borking my concentration on the story. Well. Maybe I’ll have time to write at the con.

Yeah, who am I kidding?

The rain has stopped and the wind has come up. Word is that tomorrow will be sunny and beautiful.

We’ll see, she said darkly.

In the meantime, everybody stay safe.

I’ll see you tomorrow.

Sunday In Two Parts

ONE
Oh, my gods and goddesses.

Rookie fell out of the bathroom window.

SPOILER: He’s OK; I’m — a little stressed, and so very VERY pleased that he didn’t run away, but just sat in the garden under the window and YELLED. Firefly and Tali came to get me, both looking very worried, and I had heard a cat calling, but thought it was Trooper singing the song of his people downstairs, as is his habit.

But Trooper was on the copilot’s chair. I ran to the bathroom; the screen was awry and I could hear a cat YELLING. I closed the bathroom door, ran outside — and there was Rook, staring up at the window and YELLING. I called him and he came to me, just like the spoiled kid he is, and I picked him up and told him how brave and smart he was, and brought him back into the house, where we both collapsed onto the couch. He’s only just gotten up to grab a snack.

I pushed the screen all the way out, closed and locked the window. I’ll figure out how to put it back in later.

Offerings to Bast are in order.

TWO
Sunday. Sunny and still a little chilly, though warm enough that I opened the bathroom window for the edification of coon cats.

Breakfast was … eggs scrambled with tomato and onion and rice. I guess I ate about half of it before Adventure overtook me. I hate cold eggs. I did finish my toast and jam. Lunch will be chicken tender and mashed potatoes out of a bag and, oh, peas, why not?

I have a letter to write, but mostly I want to write. I really hope that isn’t too much to ask.

I … am still a little shaky, and so glad that Firefly and Tali came to get me instead of following Rook out the window. I might’ve talked Firefly in, but Tali’d be halfway to the mall in Augusta by now. Fans of Trooper will be pleased to hear that he slept through the entire thing.

So! Who’s up for Adventure today?

Picture of Rook after the fall:

In which dragons rule

What went before ONE: Plot twist! A folder has been opened for me at the Legal Aid for the Elderly. I am promised a call from a lawyer, perhaps today.

It is now cloudy here at the Cat Farm, though we’re not supposed to get rain until this evening. One’s duty to the cats has been dispatched; and I took a small walk. Laundry is being washed. Moving on to checking off Even More things from the to-do list.

What went before TWO: The credit card bill just came in and I had one of those HOLY FREAKING GHU! How much cat food did I BUY? moments.

Scrolling madly down the list —

Breathe, breathe. You bought a washer and dryer, remember? It’s OK, you planned for this…

What went before THREE: Window washer/gutter clean-and-repair guy still here. The sweet potato for lunch was good. The top rack of my dishwasher has decided to get out of alignment. Of course, it’s full of dishes. I manged to finagle it back to where it’s supposed to go, will wash the dishes tonight, empty it tomorrow and try to figure out what’s going on.

In the meantime, I have heard from the lawyer. She needs to speak with a colleague, and will call me back.

I spent an hour watching a comedy/poetry show called Biology with Alok. I’m assuming that I am, as always, late to the party, but if you haven’t seen this video, I … give it a qualified recommend. The poems are difficult, especially the segment about Alok’s grandfather, which is part of a long riff on why love is dangerous.

It seems like part of the intent of the show is to create a balance of high and low. The aside into made up words is hysterical, and I really liked the segments where the subject is straight/straight white people, where Alok is pretending that the audience are unfamiliar with the subculture. Kind of like Peter Grant, who only mentions a person’s race if they’re white.

I also liked the bit where Alok and friends are walking down the street and a guy yells, “GAYS!” “Give me something I can make poetry from, not comedy!” has got to be a classic line.

Anyhoots, for those who may be interested — it’s an hour and I spaced it out into three segments — here’s the link

What went before FOUR: One of my ASL classmates made this for me:

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Business first: Ribbon Dance mass market debuts on the Bookscan Bestseller List of new releases at Number 35!

Friday. Mizzling and chilly. sigh

Breakfast was rice crackers, cream cheese, and the last strawberries. Lunch… Yeah. I’ll think of something.

ASL class was a little chaotic last night; all of us, including the instructor, were one step off of center. Next week is my last week, by reason of Balticon, and I’ll also have to miss two fabric craft meetings. Thus! the price of fame. And of wanting to have a vacation.

Also next week — Monday, in fact — I have an appointment to get my haircut, which I have mixed feelings about. On the one hand, my hair’s grown long enough that, if we just chopped off a few points and got my bangs out of my eyes, I’d let it keep on doing its thing. On the other hand, I ought to at least look respectful. And on the gripping hand — who even looks at old scifi writers?

Is that DAVE BROMBERG on Classic Rewind? Oh. No. Ice Cream Man. Van Halen. That’s actually something of a relief.

Today, she says in a Determined Auctorial Voice, is a Writing Day. That may mean that lunch is solved by takeout.

. . . Back when I was a young writer, newly partnered and feeling completely safe for possibly the first time in my life, I could drop into story space and stay there for — hours and hours; half a day — or night. Sandwiches and glasses of ice tea would magically appear and I’d eat them without ever coming out of my fugue. I wrote several stories, start to finish, that way. Even as a older writer, I could drop into fugue for at least a few hours, knowing I had back-up. Nowadays, I have to keep one ear cocked and one eye open, and I — kinda resent that.

In other news, my dentist wants me to come to an Exclusive Event! An Invisalign Screening! And? If I sign On The Day, I can get $1100 OFF of Invisaligns.

While I’m the first person to agree that my teeth are crooked and have always been crooked, I take leave to doubt that the Invisaligns can be made to fit around the rocks in my mouth. So — recycling bin.

Spectrum Generations — aka the Senior Center(s) — have a newsletter called Wicked Aging. Make of that what you will.

And that’s what I’ve got on a gloomy Friday.

Who has weekend plans?

Oh, the new dragon is making friends.

Sunshine!

What went before, short form: So, yesterday morning I discovered a new and disturbing discoloration on the back of my calf, about the size of my palm. I spent some time thinking about that, my inclination being to Just Ignore It. Had it be Steve, now, I would have nagged him to go to the clinic, or at least call his doctor, and finally I decided that — in all fairness and in the spirit of While One Stands Both Live — I should do the same for me, so! to the clinic I went.

Examination, measurements, conversation, and ultrasound later — nobody knows what caused the broken blood vessels, but the discoloration is not a sign of a DVT — that’s a blood clot — and that’s really all that interests me.  Oh, and the disturbed area may be treated with warm compresses, elevation, and Tylenol.

It was not a very productive day, otherwise. I rewarded myself with ice cream and going to the local Reny’s to buy socks. Because buying socks is always in order.

Thursday. Sunny! Going to be warm(ish), though not so warm as it eventually got to be, yesterday. The windows are open. For now.

Breakfast was oatmeal with cranberries (a fat free food! it says on the package) and walnuts. Lunch with be a sweet potato.

Consumers for Affordable Health Care called me back as I was at breakfast and they too! gave me the number for Legal Aid for the Elderly, which is on my list to call as soon as I have my second cup of tea to fortify me. I can’t wait to hear how they can’t help me, either.

I have more things to do than I have time to accomplish, but I’ll see what I can make happen.

Window wash/gutter cleaning scheduled for noon. ASL at 5:30. Cat bowls have been refreshed.

Rookie came up into my lap after I finished my oatmeal — we have this thing where he visits me after breakfast (and after lunch, if his schedule allow), and this morning, Tali came by, saw the lap was occupied and jumped up anyway. She snuffled Rook’s ears; he snuffled her cheek. She stood there on my knees, a little uncertain, but unwilling to get down — so Rook got down and strolled off to have a bite of cat food. Tali turned around a couple times, bumped my chin with her head, tried to eat the blood pressure cuff while it was doing its thing, then bumped me again and jumped down.

So — progress.

What’s progressing in your vicinity?

Oh — Proof of sunshine, and! How many cats are in this picture?