Sunday, March 28, 2021

2021 Project 365 – Week Thirteen

I had just gotten into the groove of not wearing a coat to work and was thinking about painting my toenails this weekend, but look at this nonsense:
 

Ah well, I guess it’s a good thing I washed all my socks this weekend.
 
Sunday, March 21st   
Heard in my house. By me. I was the only one there. Regarding cleaning my makeup table. “I don’t feel like doing this. I’ll do a half ass job. No I won’t. I’ll do my regular ass job.” And so I did. (Note ANCIENT makeup mirror. Like I’m pretty sure it’s over 32 years old. You can see where I tried to plug a space heater into the socket & melted it.)
 

Monday, March 22nd   
Made some more flowers. I’m experimenting with how to add the stems. Still not totally happy with this method.
 

Tuesday, March 23rd  
No picture (we had no picture last Tuesday either – I guess this is now a thing?)
 
Wednesday, March 24th     
Sent a work email that made me nervous.
 

Thursday, March 25th
Got my second Pfizer vaccine! Very grateful to have had the opportunity!
 

Friday, March 26th
I took the day off from work in case I had a bad reaction to the vaccine. I didn’t have any flu-like symptoms, but I felt very lethargic. In fact, I still do, somewhat. Anyway, I had a nice lazy day crocheting and watching Dr. M mow.
 

Saturday, March 27th  
It’s been a while since I had this delicacy – grits, runny eggs, and raisins. It was great!
 

Weekly temperature blanket update. New color alert – I got to add fuchsia! The blanket is already getting about too big for me to photograph this way. I might have to start standing on a chair (that noise you heard was Dr. M saying hell no!). We’ll see.           
 

Today is Palm Sunday. We had a really nice service at church this morning, and made plans for our Easter service next week. We’re planning to start having in person services again with all the folks who want to attend. I’m simultaneously happy about this & annoyed that I can’t sleep in on Sundays anymore. Being an adult is complicated! What adulting thing do you feel ambivalent about?

Sunday, March 21, 2021

2021 Project 365 – Week Twelve

I’ve been feeling a lot of grief over the fact that the prayer shawl I mailed to my friend in January never made it to her. It was delivered, but apparently not to her apartment. And there’s not much I can do about it. If I knew that the person who got it opened it & is using the shawl I would be ok. But the idea that it’s still in the package, or got thrown away, or is in some sort of post office limbo is kind of hard. Then last night I dreamed about my mom for the first time in a while (she was helping me take care of the baby I unexpectedly had – analyze that!). And today I was reminded that this is the 16th anniversary of her death. I think maybe the prayer shawl grief = mom grief. Life is so complicated.
 
Sunday, March 14th  
Here are the promised pictures of our ramble with the aunts. It was a lovely day!
 

Monday, March 15th  
Forsythia!
 

Tuesday, March 16th
No picture
 
Wednesday, March 17th     
We had something green for St. Patrick’s Day. Well, it was green until we dumped the sauce in it…
 

Thursday, March 18th
New FB profile pic.
 

Some crazy person sent us Goat Mail. We love it! We’ve named the goat MJ (for Michael Jordan who is the GOAT*). You can tell we’ve been married a long time – we both independently came up with that idea. Ha! (*GOAT = Greatest of all Time – I would assume you all know that, but since I didn’t know it until a few months ago I decided to tell you what it means)
 

Friday, March 19th
I stopped by Dad & Sue’s house & he had me go through a box that was FULL of letters sent to me my freshman year at college. I had no memory of getting so many letters from random people! One of the letters was actually this ransom note from my roommates. I blocked out the name of the innocent kidnaper who would be very surprised that he had been accused of stealing an elephant. The real mystery is, what elephant? I don’t remember having an elephant. I was into rainbows & had a stuffed dog in college. Very interesting!
 

Saturday, March 20th  
Phlox! And those little blue flowers that are ALL OVER our yard making it look lovely. Let me go see if I can figure what they are (which I have to do every year…)… OK, from Google University I see that it’s called Speedwell Veronica. I don’t remember that at ALL. Do you call them something different?
 

Weekly temperature blanket update. I’ve decided that it looks like saltwater taffy.           
 


You will all be ecstatic to hear that I had my root canal on Monday (easy peasy – the worry was MUCH worse than the actual procedure). There are still a couple of things to do to that tooth, but the pain is gone hallelujah. Did you do anything this past week that you had been dreading?
 
 

Sunday, March 14, 2021

2021 Project 365 – Week Eleven

The first thing I want to talk about is my tooth. I called my dentist on Wednesday after I had finished my antibiotics & my tooth still hurt. They ended up getting me an appointment with an endodontist for tomorrow. And gave me more antibiotics. Those antibiotics kicked in & now my tooth is pretty tolerable (doesn’t hurt so much that I can’t think, but also isn’t totally pain free so I’ll actually keep my appointment for the root canal). I am, in general, a person who whines about pain, so I know that we will ALL be happy once this is behind me!
 
Sunday, March 7th  
Dr. M took an overnight break to ponder the serpentine belt, but got up on Sunday & just fixed the thing. Woo hoo! He’s the best (you all already knew that).
 

Monday, March 8th  
No picture, but I did take a screen shot of this new guidance for gathering with another household. Am I really ready to be mask free around other people? I’m not sure (although I did it today with some fully vaccinated folks)! (Note: The word "sent" is covering up "all parties.")
 

Tuesday, March 9th
Felt cute. 
 

Wednesday, March 10th     
Daffies!
 

Thursday, March 11th
Made a posy.
 

Friday, March 12th
New color alert! This is watermelon, which is for average temps between 61 & 65.
 

Saturday, March 13th  
Weekly blanket update – love seeing those pinks. We’ll be back to those tealy bluey greeny colors this coming week.  
 

One of my aunts asked Dr. M & me to go walking on a trail with her today. And she came with two bonus aunts! We had a nice outing – the trail is on an old rail bed, so it’s nice & flat. You’ll see some photos from that ramble next week. It felt good to move my body. And now I shall go to bed early. Ha!
 
P.S. I LOVE DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME! So I’m pretty happy, but my body doesn’t love the change. You know if there’s anything to whine about you will hear about it here. How do you feel about DST? (This question isn’t applicable to Bruce who lives in Arizona…)
 
P.P.S. This is the 8th P365 post in a row where I have used the label "Drama Queen" and I think that's all you need to know about how this year is going. 

Wednesday, March 10, 2021

Book Reviews – the February Edition

 


Five more books this month – I’m on fire! I’m sure things will settle down as the year progresses.   
 
1. The Queen's Gambit, by Walter Tevis. ★★★★★ When eight-year-old Beth Harmon’s parents are killed in an automobile accident, she’s placed in an orphanage in Mount Sterling, Kentucky. Plain and shy, Beth learns to play chess from the janitor in the basement and discovers she is a prodigy. Though penniless, she is desperate to learn more—and steals a chess magazine and enough money to enter a tournament. Beth also steals some of her foster mother’s tranquilizers to which she is becoming addicted. At thirteen, Beth wins the chess tournament. By the age of sixteen she is competing in the US Open Championship and, like Fast Eddie in The Hustler, she hates to lose. By eighteen she is the US champion—and Russia awaits . . .
 
The Bug Says: I haven’t seen the show, and am unlikely to, so I decided to read the book. Did you know that this author also wrote The Hustler? The book wasn’t what I expected (not that I knew anything other than that it was about chess). It was excellent! I did skim some of the chess move sections.
 
2. Triptych (Will Trent #1), by . ★★★★ In the city of Atlanta, women are dying—at the hands of a killer who signs his work with a single, chilling act of mutilation. Leaving behind enough evidence to fuel a frenzied police hunt, this cunning madman is bringing together dozens of lives, crossing the boundaries of wealth and race. And the people who are chasing him must cross those boundaries too. Among them is Michael Ormewood, a veteran detective whose marriage is hanging by a thread—and whose arrogance and explosive temper are threatening his career. And Angie Polaski, a beautiful vice cop who was once Michael's lover before she became his enemy. But another player has entered the game: a loser ex-con who has stumbled upon the killer's trail in the most coincidental of ways—someone who may be the key to breaking the case wide open.
 
The Bug Says: That description up there is almost entirely incorrect – it makes me laugh so I’m leaving it. There is a serial killer and the latest victim is in Atlanta (the mutilation part is correct). The book is written from three perspectives and you slowly realize that at least one of them is not what you think. It was very well done. I’m reading book two in the series now.
 
3. Faithless in Death (In Death #52), by . ★★★★★ The scene in the West Village studio appears to be classic crime-of-passion: two wine glasses by the bed, music playing, and a young sculptor named Ariel Byrd with the back of her head bashed in. But when Dallas tracks down the wealthy Upper East Side woman who called 911, the details don't add up. Gwen Huffman is wealthy, elegant, comforted by her handsome fiancé as she sheds tears over the trauma of finding the body--but why did it take an hour to report it? And why is she lying about little things?

As Eve and her team look into Gwen, her past, and the people around her, they find that the lies are about more than murder. As with sculpture, they need to chip away at the layers of deception to find the shape within--and soon they're getting the FBI involved in a case that involves a sinister, fanatical group and a stunning criminal conspiracy.

As Eve and her team look into Gwen, her past, and the people around her, they find that the lies are about more than murder. As with sculpture, they need to chip away at the layers of deception to find the shape within--and soon they're getting the FBI involved in a case that involves a sinister, fanatical group and a stunning criminal conspiracy.
 
The Bug Says: Another fabulous Eve Dallas book. They are always very satisfactory – especially when Eve gets to show some overbearing man that she’s better than he is.
 
4. Agatha Raisin and the Wellspring of Death (Agatha Raisin #7), by  (Alias), Marion Chesney. ★★★ Agatha Raisin's neighbouring village of Ancombe is usually the epitome of quiet rural charm, but the arrival of a new mineral-water company - which intends to tap into the village spring - sends tempers flaring and divides the parish council into two stubborn camps. When Agatha, who just happens to be handling the PR for the water company, finds the council chairman murdered at the basin of the spring, tongues start wagging. Could one of the council members have polished off the chairman before he could cast the deciding vote?
 
The Bug Says: Yes, I read another one. The thing is that these books are almost always available when I’m waiting on another book that’s on hold at the library. This one was slightly less annoying than the last one. Is that a ringing endorsement or what?
 
5. I'm Judging You: The Do-Better Manual, by Luvvie Ajayi Jones. ★★★★★ Comedian, activist, and hugely popular culture blogger at AwesomelyLuvvie.com, Luvvie Ajayi, serves up necessary advice for the common senseless in this hilarious book of essays. With over 500,000 readers a month at her enormously popular blog, AwesomelyLuvvie.com, Luvvie Ajayi has become a go-to source for smart takes on pop culture. I'm Judging You is her debut book of humorous essays that dissects our cultural obsessions and calls out bad behavior in our increasingly digital, connected lives—from the importance of the newest Shonda Rhimes television drama to serious discussions of race and media representation to what to do about your fool cousin sharing casket pictures from Grandma's wake on Facebook. With a lighthearted, razor-sharp wit and a unique perspective, I'm Judging You is the audiobook the world needs, doling out the hard truths and a road map for bringing some "act right" into our lives, social media, and popular culture. 
 
The Bug Says: I started following Luvvie on Instagram. I think she’s hilarious, and this book is definitely full of her pithy commentary. But there are also some hard truths (especially about racism) that made me sit up & take notice. Her second book was just published this last week & it’s on my list to get soon!
 
What are you reading these days?

Sunday, March 7, 2021

2021 Project 365 – Week Ten

Well I’ve got to say that last week was a mixed bag. There were good things. There were bad things. There were unflattering selfies, and there were priceless gifts. And I am GLAD THAT WEEK IS OVER. 
Sunday, February 28th  
Daffies!
 

And mushrooms!
 

Monday, March 1st  
My temperature blanket through February (including my “key” in case you’re interested).
 


Tuesday, March 2nd  
I went to bed with one of the worst toothaches I’ve ever had. I reapplied orajel about every 20 minutes & finally fell asleep around 2:30 a.m. I was so glad that my dentist office had an opening that afternoon! Not quite as excited to find out I needed a root canal. Even LESS excited when I got my appointment notification & saw how long the appointment is going to last (hahahaha!). I was given antibiotics, but as I’m writing this (on Sunday) my tooth still randomly hurts like bejesus.
 


 Wednesday, March 3rd – My Birthday!    
I had a meeting in the office in the morning & then took the rest of the day off. Got my hair done – and since it was a three hour process I’m making you live through all the stages. You’re welcome. While I was there my cousin friend stopped by to deliver birthday goodies (her daughter is my hairdresser).
 







I love my new hair, and I loved having pizza and cake for my birthday dinner.
 

Twilight.
 

Thursday, March 4th
I started for work this morning (had a VERY IMPORTANT APPOINTMENT I DIDN’T WANT TO MISS), heard something clunk, the battery light came on, and I ignored all that & tried to go on my merry way. With no power steering. That woke me up. I parked the car, rudely woke Dr. M up & stole his car. Turns out the serpentine belt had come off, which apparently has negative consequences if you keep trying to drive the car. But enough about that – my VERY IMPORTANT APPOINTMENT was to get the first shot of the COVID vaccine! Our group (essential workers who provide services to frontline workers) opened up this week. I was so excited & grateful that I almost didn’t mind that my tooth was still hurting like a mother (can you tell that I’m getting saltier as we go along?). My next shot is in three weeks – the day after my root canal.
 

Friday, March 5th
Things I got for my birthday (not pictured: $$$). It was a pretty good year for birthday loot!
 
Saturday, March 6th  
MY TOOTH WAS STILL BOTHERING ME, so I had birthday cake for lunch. Meanwhile, Dr. M started working on Daisy.
 

The pluses this week were pretty good – birthday hair & a vaccine. But the minuses were pretty minus. I sure hope the antibiotic starts doing its thing soon or it’s going to be a long three weeks. On the other hand, Dr. M finished up working on the car today. Woo hoo! He looks like he’s been through a war, and his clothes look worse, but the belt is on the car & it seems to be working. And from henceforward we are taking the car to a professional for any further repairs. Ha! Are you a handy person? I personally am not.

Thursday, March 4, 2021

The Mystery of the Disappearing Glass Cleaner (A Guest Post from Dr. M)

Wherein The Bug and I spend the better part of a day searching for said item. Best we can figure, she left the cleaner sitting beside the back door, where she had been using it. Apparently I picked it up and put it in the rag bag where it lives? (Vague memory.)


THEN, or so we would have you believe, the cleaner leapt of its own accord from the rag bag into the nearby recycling can.


From there, it was unceremoniously dumped into the outside bin, where it was unearthed after an exhaustive indoor search (not to mention two less thorough looks into the big bin).




(Note from The Bug: you can't see it very well, but there is a stink bug on the counter in the last picture with the cleaner. Stink bugs are like cats. You don't want them on the counter. You tell them to stay off the counter. They go where they will.)

2024 Project 365 – Week Eleven

This week at work was brain intensive which means I’ve spent the weekend trying to use as few brain cells as possible. That might affect the...