Not a bad zoo, but multiple snowfalls, physical therapy which leaves me quite bushed, taxes, and the big marine tank is having a snit, having just gone through blackouts and 2 years of house remodel—my equipment just finally bit the big one. The circulation pump died and the lights had an electrical crisis.
So that had to be replaced.
The central computer in our house network is having issues right before tax-time. Joy! And that is the body of the octopus which runs the whole household. That is being replaced.
There is still the back walk and driveway to clear. Again.
I’m not griping, understand; equipment just goes when it goes. But meanwhile I’ve begun to recover my brains after so much crud in the air—the new air cleaner unit is doing real well, and that helps immensely.
I’m cheered by the response to Alliance Rising—Jane and I are plotting the next one.
And…we are close to being able to paint and tile the library, which means we can move all those stacks and stacks of books back into their places. I wish I could ship all of you all the books we’re having to get rid of, because there are some nice ones, but we just don’t have room. I am keeping my copy of the Egyptian Book of the Dead, my Patrick o’Brien novels, and various treasures in the field.
I have just tidied our digital archive of contracts: when your contract from 1983 is for Book A, B, C, and D, titles to be determined, it is a headache to attribute them properly.
And otherwise we are doing well. We come back from PT quite stove in, but the improvement is huge. I was occasionally walking with a cane and hurting at every step; Jane not quite to the cane stage, but hurting worse than me, except the instability—and I caught myself taking a short run the other day, crossing the parking lot aisle. Wasn’t much, but it was a lot, if you get my point of view.
We’re about to be socked with another winter blast.
I’m answering questions on the next Foreigner cover, so that’s in the works.
I REALLY want to get the library put back together.
We are letting kitty relations take a breather. We’ve sent Tanner back downstairs for a cooldown, and the conditions down there are much nicer for him. We’ll let him back up intermittently, until everybody gets bored with sniping.
We are both in good shape—better shape than prior—and I am really looking forward to less chaos in the house.
You might want to consider letting your readers have your books for a handling and shipping fee. You might have something I’d like to add to my library.
I’d go for that, but only if Our Gracious Hostess already has a list of books she intends to get rid of that can be posted. I don’t want to heap more work on!
Speaking of weeding, I have a cartful of unloved art reference books that are regretfully going to where the dead crabs go. No one here is reading them, we need the space, and they are in that nebulous region between ‘mostly current’ and ‘collectible’, so away with them.
Ah, the joy of taxes. I had to call the Social Security people; their site had locked me out on the first try to log-in, saying I’d failed three times, so I needed a live human: I didn’t get their 1099 which I need for my taxes. I think that’s the only missing piece at this point.
Ooooh! Painting. That’s the home stretch. Want to see a photo tour, please. I envy you your space for a library. Mine is limited to a carefully curated five 6 ft x 3.5 ft bookshelves. The Foreigner books take up a whole shelf (hardback). Books I have in paperback that I know after 1 read I will be rereading multiple times are replaced with the hard back edition. I recently got the collector’s edition of the Earthsea books illustrated by Charles Vess. Beautiful volume.
So glad the PT is working. I hear you about the cane. I’m allergice to opiates, which rules out Darvon, Demerol, Torradol, codeine, and fentanyl, and I can’t take acetaminophen because I’m taking Plavix and aspirin. Thankfully, the only time my knee hurts is when I’m standing on it. Hoping against hope I can pull off the knee replacement through the VA and get it done here by a local physician I’ve been seeing for over 6 months in a local hospial, instead of in a hospital 125 miles away by surgeons I have to drive 125 miles to see. Going through the VA is the only way I can afford the surgery. Oncologist has already cleared me. I see the cardiologist on Tuesday.
I’ve been taking Naproxen 500mg, prescription strength for my RA, along with other medications. I wonder if the Naproxen would work for you at that strength? I was on methotrexate, but the rheumatologist has determined that it’s not working and I am at my maximum dosage. So, he’s taking me off the methotrexate and starting me on Humira (adalimumab), probably 40mg subcutaneously every two weeks.
Good luck on it!
Hmmm, (Reaches for a stack by his chair. Yep!) I’m, err, “proud” to think I can name A, B, C, & D. I can give you PB copyright dates if needed, toot sweet. [Done, PM] Might one venture there is a reason for that, hmmmm? (Not that I don’t have my own fanfic sequel.)
I got a lumbar facet-joint injection a few weeks ago to take care of my similar physical complaint. 😎
I quite agree about the weather! Here, rainyside, January averaged 43°F vs normal 46°F. February: 38°F vs 51°F! Many of my early bulbs, Iris reticulata, et al., had bloomed in January, but came to a sudden stop! I’ve been waiting for a couple to unroll for a couple weeks. It’s also past time when my roses and apple trees should’ve been pruned and had swelling buds! I had started in late January because it had been so warm an early season was expected. “Fooled you!”
Got my costume change in early, rather than late. (It says “Happy St Patrick’s Day”.) [Happy to know I can claim it, descended from Sigtrygg Silkbeard. (Simultaneously both son-in-law and father-in-law of Brian Boru.)]
Regarding your fish tanks — do you have the vital systems on UPSes? They won’t hold out for more than a few hours, but that might make a difference in critter survival.
Since the 8 day winter blackout—we own a generator—don’t have a power cord for it, which we need to get. But we have one.
Very glad to hear from you, CJ (and indirectly also from Jane). Yes, it has been a while. I quite understand the yearning to get one’s house back into normality from waaaaaaaay to long a period of construction—our pretty much finished bathroom (the fan vent needs to be routed to the outside, not the temporary attic location once the snows stop) looks surprisingly elegant and well-planned and I think much of the bathroom cabinets/drawers, etc. contents can be moved back in this weekend and other areas of our dining room that functioned as construction depository shoveled.
Wol, great news that your oncologist cleared you for knee surgery! I’m crossing fingers and toes you get it soon and local. A friend just had his second knee replaced and he’s looking more relaxed (pain-free makes a big difference) and taller!
Hi, all! Things are just perking along here, neither great nor awful, just sort of, meh…?
Both the local weather and package delivery are on a yo-yo cycle. The weather can’t decide if it’s winter or spring, and mostly, it feels too mild. Dude, we even reached 80°F ± a degree or two one day, in February. (I still want to look up historical figures for my city, but it “feels like” that’s near making a record.) And package delivery has been equally odd, most getting here, but a few things (like, oh, cat litter) being delivered to the apt. offices. Whee…. Still trying to reach “I’m busy / I forgot” friends to swing by and pick up packages…not a lot, but they’ve been sitting there since mid-month. Sigh.
I loved the Orville’s two-parter, Identity, which had part 2 on Thursday. The show keeps improving. Hoping we’ll hear soon if it’s getting renewed for season 3.
A YouTuber’s comments on an upcoming non-genre reboot (of the Babysitter’s Club on Netflix) had me agreeing with her halfway and not quite agreeing the other halfway, which means I will be thinking on that more. I think I know what and why I disagree and what I think my solution would be in terms of series or story structure. But it was great to have something challenge my thinking like that to examine why I did and didn’t agree. She’s kind of intense in her videos, but hey, each to their own tastes. She’s outspoken and has a brain, which are useful traits too seldom sought after these days. So I check her channel occasionally. Didn’t expect the non-genre video, but liked the challenge.
And — Wow. A few minutes ago, I heard a kid go pretty much out of control outside, yelling. I very nearly went out there, thinking he was really getting hurt. I don’t know what was actually going on, but there were adults and kids out there. This went on for too long. At first, I thought he’d gotten hurt somehow. Then I thought maybe some_one_ had hurt / was hurting him. And that stunned me enough to stand up and then stand still, plus, it was already dark out, which, these days, limits my eyesight much more. — And then I heard adults’ and kids’ voices, as if this is OK, and that…confused the heck out of me. Didn’t want to insert myself into a bad situation or a false alarm, but if it was something, not doing anything would be wrong too. — While I was trying to work out what I should do, as the worried neighbor who doesn’t know the situation, or them, and who is middle-aged and low-vision and white…hmm… the boy got quiet for a minute. OK…. And another kid said something I couldn’t hear, but in a tone very obviously both unconcerned and cheerful enough, too cheerful if something was actually wrong. So…I don’t know what to think. But that yelling voice for that long from that boy, that out of control…wow. I don’t know what that was. But it had me convinced something was not OK. (From the sound of it, the boy was somewhere in elementary school age, past toddler but not quite to preteen.) I came within an inch of going out there anyway. The boy resumed yelling about a minute later, but it was shorter. Had me convinced something was wrong. — Folks, I don’t usually misread things like that. I got bullied enough as a kid, I do know people, including kids, are not angels. But I have been fortunate not to have been around true abuse. (My parents were overly controlling, but that was never physically abusive, and it’s hard to say if it was just dysfunctional or worse. Overall, compared to a lot of people, I know I had a good family life. Just certain aspects I have come to realize were not what they should have been, and dysfunctional.) So…wow. I don’t know if the boy was just acting up or burning off steam, or if he got hurt or he thought he did, or what that was. But it didn’t sound good. and yet, the kids and adults around did not seem overly concerned. Not in a spooky, creepy, you-ought-to-be way, but…well, I don’t know what to think of it. If I’d seen what was going on with the kid or the others, I would have.a better sense of it. — I hope I don’t hear that again. It shook me up, worried me. I don’t think that was only playing. I think either the boy was out of control or he thought he got hurt or was hurt somehow. But note, I didn’t hear yelling or hitting / slapping to indicate any adult did anything to hurt him. So…I don’t know. — I do hope he’s OK. (Also, I’m not sure if that’s the same family who had an earlier issue with a domestic dispute between a man and woman ex-couple.) So I’m just going to be alert and keep my head down, I guess, unless there’s really something there. Just not sure what to make of that. I am tending to this the boy was out of control and that I’m therefore reading too much into what I heard. But I’ll be alert, in case, for the next few days.
Probably going to watch a video or two this weekend. — On Sunday, I turn 53. I do not know how I got to be 53. I’m still not used to being over 50, haha. Oh yeah, and I got a letter from AARP last week. Dude. Well, heck, maybe that’s a good thing. — Now I know why my grandmother was not ready to be a senior citizen when she hit 65+, LOL.
About the only bright note from the national news lately was Congressman Elijah Cummings saying that we are “in a fight for the soul of our democracy.” I wish I could vote for that man. In one sentence, he stated what I wish a lot of people could have stated that precisely and concisely. Well, two bright notes: I like what one upcoming freshman woman congressional representative has been doing and saying, even if I am not sure I agree with her always. However, I would love to see more of that zeal and willingness to work for, fight for, ordinary Americans’ needs. — Er, and I won’t get any more political than that. I’m just dismayed at the national and global mess we are in. That goes beyond parties. But it’s good to see a few people still want to step clear of the mud and do something productive and right for a change. (Even if I am not sure I agree with every point, I can still admire the desire to do better.)
Take care out there. Polar vortex on one end, unseasonably warm at the other end, and magnetic poles wandering around at bike and car speeds. Well, at least it isn’t boring…. Take care, everyone. I wish everyone could have someone special. Maybe people wouldn’t be so prone to meanness, if they all had someone special, enough food to eat, and other basic needs.
Yeah, I know I’m a romantic and a dreamer. Always have been. Not likely to change that part. 🙂
We’re having another cold snap — down into the 30’s for highs and teens for lows for a couple of days, then back up into the 70’s by Thurs. I swear it’s getting so a body doesn’t know how to dress!
It’s locust bean raking time. I’m going to divide the yard into sections and do a section at a time. I’m desperate for aerobic exercise, trying to work my stamina back up. Hard to think this time last year I had just started chemo, just had a heart attack and had had a couple of stents put in. Got a letter from the VA authorizing me for more treatment from my local cardiologist. No small victory, that.
I’ve been a (expletive of choice) hermit this past month or so because of having the germ of the month last month, being so horribly sick and then having such a slow recovery time. Trying desperately to stay healthy. All the ladies in my knitting group have friends in nursing homes and grand children. Take your pick between antibiotic resistant old people germs and freshly mutated hybridly vigorous day care and elementary school germs. Ack!
I will be spending Mardi Gras visiting my cardiologist. Laissez le bon temps rouler, especially if he takes me off Plavix ( or will clear me to be off it for the period of surgery. . .) Livid yellow is definitely not my color.
I must actually be getting back on my feet. I’m actually seriously thinking about that front flower bed. Turks cap bushes along the wall, and English lavender, and I’ve got some native wildflower seed . . . . And if I was truly ambitious, I’d transplant those durn rose bushes to the back yard where they could get some sun. They’re in an east-facing flower bed that gets roof runoff from two directions, and they’ve got black spot so bad. Either that or put them out of their misery and just dig them up. Turks caps are native species, lavender would do well in that bed, and the wild flowers are all growing zone selective native Tx species. (not to mention self seeding). It’s a triagular shaped bed with the long side along the wall of the garage. I need to find something ornery to put at the point, something the Bermuda grass can’t strangle. . . .
The Turks’ Caps I know are variants on hibiscus, not malvaceae, but the flowers look nearly identical. Why not try a agave or aloe for accent at the point of your flower bed — the darned couch grass hasn’t lacked for trying to bury mine, but they are still thriving. This is the grass I have seen grow up through the supports for roadside signs and sprout from the top of the steel column in a fountain!
Errm, I thought, and Wikipedia confirms, hibiscus are mallows.
“Hibiscus is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae. The genus is quite large, comprising several hundred species that are native to warm temperate, subtropical and tropical regions throughout the world.”
It finds several “Turk’s Cap” lilies, a cactus, and a mallow.
My bad, the Turks caps I know are more like bushes than herbaceous plants, and the leaves are different from the pictures of the ground hugging ones, which is what I thought you had.
I was pointing out something different, the statement: “The Turks’ Caps I know are variants on hibiscus, not malvaceae.” Hibiscus *are* Malvaceae. How are the Turk’s Caps in the Hibiscus family not Malvaceae?
I looked at the wrong family ‘tree’ and didn’t realize they were related. I should have known better; they’re also related to Rose of Sharon shrubs, which I knew were mallows.
Violets? Once they get a good system of corms in, they will take over from most grasses. If I ever have my own home again, I think I’ll try for a violet lawn.
And the Turk’s Caps I know are old-fashioned lillies with their petals turned back… which I happen to adore and have been contemplating adding a couple more to my sunny, front flower bed—except I can’t remember if I already put in some of them this past fall.
Hi WOL, I’m glad to hear you got the letter okaying further treatment by your local cardiologist, and that you’re feeling better enough to do the raking and gardening.
That’s both good news, that is.
Good luck on the sorting out of contracts! I dearly hope it will result in your ebooks being made generally available in the UK…