random thoughts – Day 1,170 – (Wednesday) – loose ends

Vacation Day #7 and the final countdown. There was no plan for the day, and when I rolled out of bed at 7:00 to a sunny day, the thought entered my head, “I could go to the beach.” The next thought was a debate about which beach, exactly – Hampton? Salisbury? York? Someplace I’ve never been? Then there were thoughts about what to wear and where it is currently hidden. It became too much work and by the time the coffee was brewed, the idea was off the table.

Reading nook on the porch.

There was morning reading of the news and an actual book on the porch with coffee. The replacement fence post cap was taken from the bathroom closet. The idea struck to go to Lowe’s to get another post cap to replace the latest one that came off on a crazy windy day a couple months ago. Makeup was applied for the occasion. 

Gift card balances were checked on the Lowe’s site which led to a side quest of shopping for peel and stick removable wallpaper for a paneled bedroom wall in a design similar to one seen on Amazon. That led to another mini quest to research installation tips, which seem to indicate it won’t be a good idea to put over painted paneling due to the lines in the paneling. The next idea was to paint instead. The wall space was calculated and notes were made. By then, I was already bored with the idea of the bedroom wall and moved on.

Upon further inspection, the recently detached fence post cap merely needed to be reassembled and reattached, not replaced. The caps were set back in place with the aid of vinyl fence adhesive. The receipt in the bag with the adhesive and the replacement cap indicated the stuff was bought in February. Of 2022. Procrastinate much? Only 15 months for me to glue on a fence post cap. I kind of feel like an actual contractor.

In the end, there was no trip to Lowe’s. There were no physical trips anywhere, just lots of online trips and mental forays down various garden paths, including an actual search for a stone walkway and new steps for the front of the house.

Because I recently searched for “home window repair,” window ads now fill my Facebook feed. An ad for bay windows got me thinking that instead of just repairing the kitchen casement window, I should go big and swap it for a mini bay window with a deeper, more useful window sill. That led to research on the smallest size bay window which is larger than the current opening and there may not be enough room on the wall to go larger. But if there is .... hmmmm.

While loose ends were dealt with on the fence caps, more threads of ideas were cast with ideas for the window, front steps, and walkways. They will join the other ideas already on the list – new shed, new gutters, and relocating most of the plants in the back yard to the correct lighting situations. Maybe a walk-in shower, which would undoubtedly lead to a total bathroom remodel. Awnings for the eight windows across the enclosed porch at the front of the house. I need a million dollar winning lottery ticket.

The summer couch.

Three photos from Italy, which have sat since March on the dining room table next to a pile of frames, were finally set into said frames. The living room was dressed for summer with a pillow cover changeout and the reversible couch cover washed and flipped. In the cold seasons, the couch has the red side of the cover, dark blue pillows covered in a heavy cotton weave, and an ever-present throw blanket. For summer, the look is lightened with the tan side of the couch cover and lighter weight, lighter colored pillow covers. 

While the couch cover and then the winter blanket were being laundered, I read my book. In between the internet searches for bay windows and steps and walkways, I read. Instead of turning on the TV at supper, I read. It helped that the book is short stories. 

It was great to set the phone aside and read a book. Countless times I have intended to do this, and then been derailed by social media, news, streaming shows on TV, and games on my phone. Reading for a good chunk of the day is being logged as a vacation success. One book from the reading pile almost done, countless others to go. Too bad I can’t have another week off. At least the weekend is only two workdays away, and there is a three-day weekend a couple weeks out. This is the sort of mental carrot I use to keep going.

random thoughts – Day 1,169 – (Tuesday) – winding down

Vacation Days #5 and #6 were on the quiet side. A lot of time was spent “relaxing” which of course we know means “sitting around doing not much.” There were minimal house work and life maintenance activities like laundry, vacuuming, and fetching Winston's roasted chicken.

Tuesday, there was a family lunch in Fitchburg so Eldest Niece could get a New England seafood fix before returning to Las Vegas. We went to S.S. Lobster in Fitchburg, a family favorite. The Captain’s Platter featured light and crispy breading on the fried scallops, clams, shrimps, haddock, and lobster chunks. So yummy. 

With the holiday on Monday, there was no attempt to contact a window repair company until today.  It took a few calls. The first place didn’t answer the phone. The second place does repairs in-shop and I would need to remove the window unit and bring it to them, an activity which I am not in any way equipped to do. The third place was the charm and there is now an appointment scheduled for measurements.

In a departure from the sit-on-the-couch flavor of relaxing in front of the TV, I sat on the breezy porch reading a book. From the growing stack of books to be read, Northwest of Boston Stories by Stephen O’Connor was chosen. Like several other books, I had started it a while ago and then set it aside. For any number of reasons including reading book club selections and little else, it sat on the pile, taunting me, along with a Margaret Renkl book and several others that were started months ago. Porch reading season is always nice. 

Tuesday night saw a marathon binge of Barry. I realized I had started the latest season and saw the first couple episodes before forgetting I was watching it in the week before a new episode came out. Tomorrow is the last day of this vacation. Let the tears begin.

random thoughts – Day 1,168 – (Monday) – memories

Thirteen years ago today, I drove to the airport in Nashville to pick up my friend Barry, who had flown in from California for a visit. He was originally from Massachusetts, but was living in Santa Monica and working in a camera shop. In the course of his career, he had worked with bands in various capacities, and worked with Letters to Cleo before they made it big.

Barry texting.

As we left the airport, he was busy on his phone texting. That was pretty much his thing. He said that a guy he knew from Worcester was playing with a band at Edgehill Studios Café in Nashville that afternoon. It wasn’t even surprising this particular friend was in Tennessee for five minutes and knew people already. We went to see the band, The Young Republic, and they were great, and it was a fun time. 

The rest of the weekend was less exciting, as I didn’t know any musicians in bands. When we went to the local winery for their outdoor music event, the only person I knew there besides my visiting friend was the second ex-husband, who magically appeared on a blanket about three blankets from ours. Luckily, X2 and his date left after an hour (some things never change).

During the visit, we took a walk around my neighborhood with Moose. It was sunny and hot, and Moose shimmied under a car into some shade and B, a diehard “not a dog person,” pulled him out and carried him home. He got along pretty well with Moose, despite him not being a cat. A week or so later, I learned that Moose had heartworms, so our extra-long walk that day was probably wearing him out.

Both Barry and Moose are gone now, but I have sweet memories of both. And photos. Miss you guys.

random thoughts – Day 1,167 – (Sunday) – cake hole

Vacation Day #4 started warm and got warmer. The day’s plan, set earlier in the week, was for a gathering at my sister’s house. The main menu was sandwiches and crockpot pulled pork, designed to eliminate the need for someone to be tending the grill and missing the chance to socialize. There was also a cheese dip with corn chips, potato chips, cole slaw, and more things I am forgetting. My sister always throws down a big spread when she has people over.

Flutophone!

My sister’s birthday is coming up and the visiting Eldest Niece and her two sisters conspired to get a cake (marble with a chocolate buttercream frosting) and give her gifts today. I gave my sister a plant, a bag of coffee, and the real star of the gift, a Flutophone, just like we had in grammar school. She immediately blasted out a quick “Three Blind Mice” which sounded pretty good after all these decades. I got one for myself, too, so we can finally start our band.

Before learning about the Nieces' birthday cake plan, there had been the idea to have a cake for the Bride to Be. There was a good amount of cake today. 

The canopy was set up in the driveway, and the table and chairs started out in the shade. As the afternoon moved along, we all scooted over and chased the shade as the sun moved across the sky.

Back at home, as I stood at the sink preparing a glass of ice water, I noticed something odd about the window. There is now a hole and a crack that extends to the upper corner of the pane. That definitely wasn’t there when I left this morning. The window cranks out and the screen is on the inside. The hole is in the outer glass pane of the dual pane window.

I looked outside on the ground and bulkhead below the window, expecting to see a rock, a ball, or a bird with a broken neck, but there were no clues about what sort of projectile caused the damage. The hole in the window looks larger than the volume of glass shards in the window track, but I’m no scientist or measurements expert. Now there is a brand new item on the top of the household to do list – window repair. 

I texted the neighbors on one side of the house to ask if they heard or saw anything weird today. They hadn’t, but they came outside and we had a conversation about the window, glass repair, and the Nuisance House theatrics of a couple nights ago. I don’t have a number for the neighbor on the other side, but hopefully I’ll see them tomorrow. I like mysteries, but not this kind, and especially not when they come with a price tag.

random thoughts – Day 1,166 – (Saturday) – art and culture

Vacation Day #3 opened early, when the neighbor’s drunken gathering erupted into a screaming match in the street at 2:00 a.m. Apparently, someone disrespected someone and soon there was a female screaming and a male screaming. One weird feature of my house seems to be that sounds from street level carry right up to my bedroom windows and can be heard louder and more clearly than when I’m downstairs.

Once awake, I had to get up and look out the window. Curious minds want to know. With a front row seat, it made more sense to watch the drama unfold instead of imagining what was going down. And it wasn't like I’d be able to sleep through it. From the window, I saw about a dozen people. Two men were holding back the screaming man and two women were holding back the screaming woman. Then the screaming woman stomped off and sat in a white Honda parked nearby. The guy kept yelling.

Meanwhile, a car with three women arrived, parked, and the occupants headed to the porch, seemingly unfazed by the yelling. The whole spectacle lasted between five and ten minutes and ended when an occupant of the first-floor unit came outside onto the porch and started screaming “everyone get the f*ck out and f*cking go home.” The three newest arrivals were the first to exit.

The production was not the highest quality. The start time was inconvenient and there was no Play Bill with cast bios and a synopsis, but the costuming accurately captured the everyday attire of the average contemporary late 20-something aged city dweller. The dialogue was repetitive and overly loud and the abrupt ending lacked resolution. It took a while to get back to sleep after all the excitement.

At the more normal awakening of 6:15 a.m., coffee was brewed and consumed, and Winston’s breakfast prepared before I headed out to the monthly Finnish Breakfast at Saima Park in Fitchburg. It’s always fun to see  my cousin and her husband, Mom and StepDad, and friends and their family.

From Saima, it was over to my sister’s for more coffee, needed thanks to the hella-early community theater production, before Sis, Eldest Niece, and I headed downtown to the Main Street Market of art vendors. The street was closed for a couple blocks and there was a nice variety of arts and crafts, along with food and beverage vendors. It was fun seeing the drawings, candles, sculptures, stickers, and knitwear, and chatting with the creators.

While downtown, we paused for a few minutes in Monument Park. Under a cloudless blue sky, the many white crosses and American flags commemorating the local military dead were on display for Memorial Day. It's important to remember. 

random thoughts – Day 1,165 – (Friday) – meatball day

Vacation Day #2. A couple weeks before my eldest niece came home for her first visit in two years. Mom, my sister, and I talked about things we might want to do while she’s here. There were some things we knew that Niece wanted to do, which included eating Espresso Pizza, and learning how my Mom made her meatballs and spaghetti sauce, back in the days when she did so.

Getting busy on Meatball Day.

Today was designated “Meatball Day” and we convened at my sister’s house. Mom and Sis had already stocked up with all the ingredients, and after a pizza lunch from Espresso, we got busy. 

Garlic was chopped by Eldest Niece and added to a bowl with ground beef, and eggs, bread crumbs, seasonings, and parmesan. Another bowl had the same ingredients with crushed Saltines in place of the bread crumbs, which is how I remembered Mom making them when we were out of bread crumbs. We wanted to see if we could tell a difference. Once the bowls were emptied, we mixed more.  

We had a deviation. Usually, Mom browned the meatballs in the kettle the sauce would be cooked in, but the six pounds of beef yielded a lot more meatballs than would fit in the pan for browning, We baked the meatballs in two roasting pans instead of pan browning. There were so many meatballs by design so there would be leftovers.

While the meatballs baked, the sauce was underway with tomato puree, tomato paste, and crushed tomatoes, seasonings, and the onion and peppers the eldest niece had chopped. Then the baked meatballs were added to the heated sauce and set to simmer.

Once that was done, we were able to settle in for another important activity – Scrabble. Mom, Niece, and I love to play, and in our everyday lives, we all have the game (multiple copies even), and have nobody to play with. Today, Mom, Eldest Niece, Youngest Niece, and I played while the sauce simmered and until supper time.

Napping amidst
the commotion.

While all the cooking commotion and competitive board gaming was going on, Winston napped nearby. Once he had done a couple initial laps around the living room and kitchen, he settled into his bed and he was such a good boy. He can get comfy and sleep anywhere that I bring his bed.

Then we feasted on salad and fresh bread, angel hair, sauce, and meatballs. And it was good. Very good. The whole day was good. There are more adventures lined up for tomorrow. And meatballs in the fridge.

random thoughts – Day 1,164 – (Thursday) – car, book, beer

It was Vacation Day #1 and Winston and I were up at the usual hour of 6:00-ish am. There was the usual coffee, without which there is no ability to function, and the usual dog stuff. So far, so normal.

Once sufficiently caffeinated, I was headed to the Jeep dealership for a service appointment. The sunroof (sky panel in Jeep speak) hadn’t been opened since a year ago when it wierded out and wouldn’t close. It took two of us to close it – me pushing the power button and StepDad pushing the panel closed by hand. 

The malfunction broke my trust and it hadn't been opened since. I finally got around to making a service appointment, but mostly because the driver door speaker is making a weird muffled rattling sound that is thoroughly annoying.

During the drive to the dealership, as the sun shone, I opened the sky panel and closed it. It worked. Of course it did, and I wasn’t the tiniest bit surprised. It was tried again, and it worked again. On the third test, and it slowed down half way through closing and then slid back again. On subsequent efforts, it barely closed before reversing and reopening.

The car service went well. Both sky roof panels were removed and the tracks cleaned and lubed. Even better, the extended coverage package I fell for when buying the car covers the speaker, which is being replaced. The visit included an inspection and the discovery that the front sway bars need replacing, which is also covered under whatever package it is that I bought. 

The service appointment afforded the opportunity to focus on finishing the book for book club tonight. It was two hours of dedicated reading and phone Woodoku time in the quiet waiting room. I might need to schedule auto service when I need to get things done, away from the distractions of home. I’m already looking forward to the waiting room reading and relaxation time when the parts arrive and I return for the replacement.

At Boozy Book Club, we sat outside at Warp and Weft. It was a bit breezy, and except for the occasional loud motorbike and car with booming stereo, easier to hear each other talking. There were onion rings, sweet potato fries, fried pickles, and I had a Troegs Independent Brewing Mad Elf Belgian strong dark ale. Vacation, baby!

The book, The School for Good Mothers, is well written and mildly disturbing. It’s one of those dystopian tales that feels frighteningly possible. We all liked it and were all bothered by it. It was a good discussion. 

Friday, Vacation Day #2, is a family fun girl's day with Mom, my sister, and the nieces, including the one who arrived today from Las Vegas for a visit. Good times ahead.

random thoughts – Day 1,163 – (Wednesday) – rough

It was a short workweek for me with Thursday and Friday booked as vacation days, but that doesn’t mean it was easy. It was three days of being hopping busy and one and a half of those days were dominated by dealing with a super annoying task that is so horrible three of us on the team rotate it. I swear if one of us had to deal every month with the aggravation of this particular task we’d have quit years ago. Or maybe that’s just me. This is the stuff they don’t tell you about in marketing classes, and this month it was my turn for the torture.

The week might not have been so bad if not for also dealing with multiple unexpected tasks that landed in my lap. About 90% of this week’s to-do list has been carried over to next week. The punishment for having time off is trying to cram a bunch of work in before the time off. Then, once back, for every one day out, it takes two days to catch up, so I'm already dreading my return next Thursday.

Shortly before the rain came.

To add to the fun, this morning, when I checked the weather forecast, I saw 77 degrees and a little sun symbol. I liked what I saw, stopped reading and closed the app, and dressed accordingly. Lunch went into my bag (frozen steamed Korean dumplings) and the umbrella came out (77 degrees! Just extra weight!), and I headed to the office in sunshine. At work, a colleague mentioned the afternoon rain the forecast. Oops. I missed that part. 

Sure enough, during the afternoon, the clouds gathered and around 5:00 they were looking kind of dark and moody, much like how I was feeling. Not long after, it began to pour. Luckily, there was an umbrella in the office for the walk to the car when I finally left, an hour later than usual. There was no carefree feeling of “I’m on vacation for the next week!” It was more of a sense of guilt over all the stuff that wasn’t finished. This is the curse I bring upon myself.

Winston was waiting patiently for me when I arrived home. Well, probably less for me per se, and more for my ability to serve the kibble and chicken. It’s good to feel needed. It's nice to have tasks that can actually be completed without having to suppress the urge to scream. Thank goodness for dogs.

random thoughts – Day 1,162 – (Tuesday) – ripe

Breakfast was toast with peanut butter and sliced banana, because the banana was on its last leg before transitioning from ripe to ewww. It was a tasty start to the day.

Work launched headlong into busy. Before long, there was a stress baseline, and mid-afternoon, my jaw hurt from the stupid stress thing where I clench it, but don’t know I’m clenching it until suddenly it hurts. Four hours after the workday ended, it still hurt. This is why I have the super sexy night guard. This is why I need a massage.

Back in the salad again.

The Sunday sunshine inspired the purchase of salad ingredients, just one day after having thrown out an entire bag of lettuce, bought because it had a “best by” date of May 25 but had already turned to a soggy mess by the 20^th. Ugh. Liars. 

The way to trick myself into salad is to have the lettuce visible, so this week, the big clear box container is on the shelf instead of hidden away in the produce drawer.  When on the prowl for lunch, I saw the lettuce, strategically placed where my gaze lands after opening the refrigerator door and was tricked into wanting to be back in the salad again. 

Supper, much like breakfast, was dictated by a ripeness situation. The avocado that had been sitting a bowl for days in a “not yet” state, was suddenly ripe and ready, teetering on the edge of the five-second window before crossing into too far gone. That meant guacamole for supper, which required a trip to the store for corn chips. The other avocado had been eaten without chips a couple days earlier, and the whole time I was thinking how much better it would be with the crunch and salt of tortilla chips.

Of course, the day’s guilt free lunch salad was offset by ice cream. Twice. The second bowl emptied a container and made room in the freezer for something that doesn’t exist yet, but it still seemed like solid reasoning. And you know what never has a ripeness problem? Frozen egg rolls, frozen leftover pizza, and ramen. Much less stressful. 

And I wondered why my warm weather cropped pants fit like a sausage skin today. Actually, there was no wondering at all. We all know damn well why and it has lot to do with things like pizza, ice cream, and “relaxing” on the couch.

random thoughts – Day 1,161 – (Monday) – skates

Thirteen years ago today, I got my quad skates for roller derby. Our team was early in the days of forming, and we were doing military-style physical training workouts in the parking lot of the Greenway in Clarksville, Tennessee. Pushups on hot asphalt. Running in circles. Burpees. Crunches. In full blown 6:00 pm hella-hot Tennessee sun. 

Once we had a rink to skate at, the skate shop we all used was Asphalt Beach in Nashville. They had a mini track painted on the floor in there to test things out. After Steve, the skate guru, fitted me for my skates and laced them up, I stood up from the bench, and immediately fell on my arse. Hard. Yup, all good, no test track for me, let’s just bag these up along with some knee pads and I’ll be on my merry way.

Unlike the majority of my teammates, roller skating was not one of my growing up activities. It was ballet and downhill skiing for me. I remember my family  going once to the Whalom Roller Rink when my brother was in Cub Scouts and they had an event. When I was in college, a friend and I went a few times to Roll On America when her firefighter boyfriend and his friends were going there for roller disco.  

In those college days, I bought some candy apple red patent leather skates from a discount store near Worcester and an outfit planned around them – white pants with a red piping stripe down the outer leg and a red short-sleeve blouse with little white birds all over it. Not long into the skate session with the new skates and coordinated outfit, the front wheels fell off my skates. The guy behind me scooped them up from the floor as if it was a daily activity for him. I didn't know at the time about skate wheels and trucks and adjustments, and returned what I thought were defective skates to the store. The wheel scooper upper did not become a rom-com boyfriend like in a Hallmark movie. I didn’t skate again for decades. 

New skates at home on a
hardwood floor, May 22, 2010.

The day I bought my skates in Nashville, it was a hot Tennessee Saturday afternoon. The toe caps and wheels chosen were blue, because we were going to use aqua and gold as team colors (later changed to red, black and silver). After ringing up my purchase, the skate sales guy walked me the block to where my car was parked, carrying the box with my skates for me and we had a nice chat. 

At home, I put on my skates and skated in a loop on the hardwood floors of my ranch home. It was through the living room, left down the hall, into the dining room, left into the kitchen, and a left back into the living room. It was neither smooth nor graceful.

Once our team had a home rink (Magic Wheels), I properly learned to skate, and perhaps the most valuable skill, how to fall six safe and different ways. Dang I miss it. All of it. The bruises, the rink rash, the physical and mental challenge, the competition, the skills test, being in top physical shape, the derby sisterhood. All of it. Even the dreaded burpees.

random thoughts – Day 1,160 – (Sunday) – TeamWalk

Around the Tsongas Center.

It had been several years since I participated in the Lowell General Hospital TeamWalk for Cancer Care, but today, I dusted off my walking sneakers, laced them up, and was one of approximately 50 team members who walked for the team from the Bank. 

The morning started with heavy cloud cover and in the low 60s. It was perfect for walking. I arrived at 8:15, which was earlier than needed because I hadn’t forwarded the work email about it to my personal email and forgot the timeline. Being on site early gave me a chance to walk around with a banker and her husband and check out the festivities on the grounds of the Tsongas Center, the host site, before our team photo on the front steps. 

Dunkin Donuts provided coffee, juice, muffins, and donuts. Hundreds of tee shirts honoring cancer patients and walking teams hung on clothes lines draped through trees throughout the grounds. Sponsor tents offered free items like bandannas, hand sanitizer, stress balls, and lollipops. A balloon artist created fanciful headgear for kids and artists did face painting and temporary tattoos. A fellow banker, who is also a DJ, provided the upbeat music that set the motivational mood for the hundreds of walkers.

Along the Merrimack.

The three mile route offered lots of shade along the Merrimack River before taking a turn and winding through downtown, along some of the canals, then back to the river and finishing at the starting point. It was kind of cool walking on the path when it went under the Aiken Street Bridge, where I sometimes spend too much time sitting in traffic. 

Somewhere during the morning, the clouds had disappeared and the sun was shining brightly. There was food for hungry walkers at the end, which included hot dogs, pulled pork macaroni and cheese, homemade chips and cheese, popcorn, and fruit. A colleague and I grabbed a bite after walking and before heading our separate ways.

Back at home, there was relaxing. My skill had really improved in this arena. I used to label is as being lazy, which carried with it the baggage of guilt, but the rebrand to relaxing feels healthier. Around 5:30, when the sun was lower and felt less hot, the yard was mowed. It really needed it. The weeds and faux grass had grown quite tall. The investment in effort was worth it, it looks much better now, and there is no longer fear of Winston becoming lost in the mess.

random thoughts – Day 1,159 – (Saturday) – rain delay

Winston had a vet appointment, so it was up and at ‘em, and off to Fitchburg. There was more traffic on routes 495 and 2 than most Saturday mornings, but the ride was uneventful. Win was taken “out back” in the office and I could hear him yelp a couple times as I sat in the waiting room. 

The vet technician said he was nervous, and I get that. I get nervous at doctor offices and I can see where I am. They said he might be sore in his hips from his shots and tired. He sleeps most of the day, so there isn't really a way to tell if he is more tired that usual.

The lawn has grown to the point of needing another cutting, but the rain came and scrapped that idea. That was today's excuse. Other excuses this week included me being tired. And lazy. This is not a complaint, just a statement of fact.

Busy bird builder.

One of the back yard irises bloomed when I wasn’t looking. It’s taller and a lighter color than most of the other irises in the yard. 

The bird nest continues to be enhanced. It was extra flouffy today and is becoming quite the architectural marvel. One of the birds emerged from the rhododendron that is ready to explode with blossoms. It had a cluster of straw or feathery bits in its beak, and flew up to the nest.

When the rain came in harder, one bird perched on the upper edge of the storm window, the other on the wire from the telephone pole across the street, both sheltered by the overhang of the roof and just outside the nest, which was further expanded with green and dried grass and even bigger feathers.

Architectural marvel.

Hopefully the rain washed the pollen off the car. It had a coating on it that was the color of a fishing lure and seemed as solid as a fancy fondant on a cake. The puddle lake formed at the end of the driveway and the bottom of the stairs. 

Winston scratched the door to go out during a rainy moment but turned and went back inside once the rain hit him. Earlier, he got so wet from going potty that he looked like he’d just gotten out of the bathtub and I had to dry him with a towel. He was not amused.

Putting the day on a rain delay was nice. Even the indoor tasks got a pass. By carefully rationing the remaining chicken, the weekly purchase was delayed until tomorrow. 

random thoughts – Day 1,158 – (Friday) – nature stuff

Feather like those atop the nest.

The drainpipe birds have literally and somewhat extravagantly feathered the nest. This morning, it was crowned with what looks like quite a lot of dark colored feathers. They are significantly larger and darker than the feathers of the small brown birds seen at the nest, and fluttered in the morning breezes. I want to know where all the big feathers came from. After work, one of the feathers landed on the front steps. 

At work, the day dragged and limped along and it felt like time had stood still. When I was staring out the window for a moment around 11:00, there was some crazy crap like from a movie. The hands on the clock in the tower at City Hall were turning backward. No lie. I kind of shrieked along the lines of "holy crap time is turning backwards." It might have just felt like a shriek because there were only a few of us on site and the office was quiet. It certainly fit with the feeling of time being altered. 

I tried to video the spectacle of the clock running backward, but it is just a bit too far away and the video feature won't let me zoom. The movement of the hands barely showed up in the video and you'll have to take my work for it.

Bunny in the driveway.

This evening, a brown bunny sat in the front yard, nose twitching and sniffing the air as it paused from chewing clover or whatever delicacy it found. Usually, I see a bunny around 9:30 or 10:00 when Winston goes out, but this was much earlier, at around 8:00. The camera/phone was in the living room, and I dashed the few steps to grab it. 

At about the same time I was back to the front door and got the camera app opened, the bunny bolted through a space in the fence gate. It paused in the driveway at the other side of the fence. It sat there long enough for a couple quick photos from the porch window before it was back in motion and headed for the next-door neighbor’s yard. 

The front yard seems to be its own little world. It’s a fun little reality show.

random thoughts – Day 1,157 – (Thursday) – a day

A shoe in front a shoe store.

It was a bonus office day today so that I could be on site for a photo session for banker portraits. It was 3.5 solid hours of photos with folks arriving one after another at scheduled intervals, but I had the easy part. As the person who coordinated the schedule, I got to sit at my desk and keep track of things like who arrived and who was next in the lineup while the photographer did all the actual work. The shoot went well, mostly without a hitch, which is just how I like them to go. 

The morning walk from the garage featured another downtown Lowell “huh?” moment. On the sidewalk in front of the shop that sells running gear, sat a lone shoe. It looked clean and new. Did it escape from the store? How long had it been there? What caused it to be there? I will never know.

Korean food. I miss you.

Netflix has a Korean drama “XO, Kitty” that is in English and it’s a nice break from the dramas where I have to read everything. Of course, there are food scenes, and of course they make me miss Korean food, and especially MoMo Korean Restaurant in Clarksville. It’s been years since I've even been to Arisu, the Korean restaurant I like in Leominster and  and I’m way, way overdue for a Korean restaurant food fix.

random thoughts – Day 1,156 – (Wednesday) –chill

It was a full house in the marketing Suite with most of the team on site plus a guest from the leadership development program. If that wasn’t exciting enough, there were donuts! And then a bake sale fundraiser! So yeah, it was a pretty good day at the office.

It was chilly, but I accidentally dressed in ankle pants. This was a grave miscalculation. Bare ankles are more appropriate for me when it’s 10 degrees warmer. The ankles were cold and that made the rest of me feel chilly most of the day.

Freeze warning!

There was a late-morning walk to City Hall to pay the water bill. The Ibuprofen has helped the mysteriously sore leg so the pace was brisk. The afternoon had a quick walk with colleagues to a building across the street for the bake sale. I rushed out without putting on my coat and was super cold. Live and learn. Or not.

There is a freeze warning for tonight, and I swear I am not making this up. It’s just New England and that’s how it is. It's in the high 70s one day and people are lulled into planting flowers then bang, it's back to a freeze warning for several hours overnight. 

The two windows on the porch that have been open for a couple weeks are now closed. The recently repotted yellow flowers were brought into the enclosed porch. Now the debate is whether or not to turn the heat on again. 

random thoughts – Day 1,155 – (Tuesday) – building boom

New addition - before the big wind.

There has been lots of construction activity at the drainpipe birdhouse the past few days. The little brown birds have been very industrious and this morning it looked like a second story had been added to the base nest that has been there for several years. 

The walls were much higher and fresher looking than even yesterday. Green grass and feathers had been added, along with dried dead grass. The effect was something like modern art or a crazy hat.

It was also windy, and at one point in the day, the newly added top seemed to have disappeared. Later it had been built back higher again. Busy birds. 

Tall and flowery.

In other nature news, there was a wasp buzzing around in the remote office for a few uncomfortable minutes. It kept heading for the windows and crawling on the curtains. When it buzzed in my hair, the surprisingly sane response was to run to the door and open it. It must have gone outside because I didn’t see or hear it again. I was pretty impressed I didn't panic.

The Columbine plant growing in the foundation crack is dramatically taller and more flowery than the ones that are perpetually chomped in the flower bed. It’s doing well, but even so, there are two flower stems that were chomped off. I used to blame the groundhogs, but I haven't seen any of them this year, and none of the grass and weeds at their entry points are disturbed.

random thoughts – Day 1,154 – (Monday) – May 15

On the afternoon of this date (May 15) in 2012, I got a ticket through StubHub to a sold out Jack White show at Ryman Auditorium that night. I had been checking for a ticket without getting my hopes up too high so I wouldn't be crushed if there were none. When I got the ticket, I contained my excitement in case it somehow fell apart. This is kind of my standard mode. 

May 15, 2012 -
before heading to a
Jack White concert.

After work that day I dashed home and changed from a work outfit to a more fun going out outfit of black skirt, black tights, boots, and an embroidered jacket from The Hip Zipper vintage shop in East Nashville. The journey began. To Nashville. Alone. This was kind of a huge deal. 

Until the night of the Jack White show, I had usually just stayed home and sulked if there was nobody to accompany me to a show. But this day, that nonsense was not getting in the way. Before pulling out of the driveway, a selfie was taken to commemorate the event. At the box office, ticket in hand, the show was finally a sure thing and I finally let myself get properly excited. 

The marriage to X2, who refused to do pretty much anything with me that I liked, really dragged me out of my shell and prepared me for my future. By the time we split up, I had become quite adept at attending small-scale local events solo. When I wasn't  expected to go fishing at 4:00 in the morning, that was a big bonus.

The seat for the Jack White show was pretty good, but most of the seats at the Ryman are good. Unfortunately, there are no photos from the show as it was prohibited. Sigh. I loved the music and had fun, but it still wasn’t as great as having someone to whom to say, “Oh I love that song,” or “Check out that outfit.” I still said those aloud, but I was the crazy one talking to myself.

Still light at 8:15 pm,
May 15, 2023.

This year, May 15 meant I went to Finnish class after work. There was no fun going out outfit, it was just what I wore working from home. Class was fun, but not quite Jack White at the Ryman fun. 

When we got out of class at 8:15, it was still quite light outside. This is the best time of year when the light hangs around later and later. I really need to get outside more in the evening.

random thoughts – Day 1,153 – (Sunday) – fur mom

Winston on kiltti koira.

Having celebrated Mother’s Day with Mom yesterday, today was a mostly blank slate. It was a quiet day with the fur baby, who, with the help of a super thoughtful human accomplice (my cousin), sent me a really cute card. The pup on the card even has similar coloring to Win and the message inside included his "arf." Thanks Missy! I mean Winston! 

Win and I slept late, specifically, 7:00. It’s funny how “sleeping late” is barely an hour later than a work day. Sunday coffee was consumed and homework was completed, like all the Sundays since class began. But after that, the sky was the limit.

The sunshine had me thinking a ride to the beach would be nice, but then I went outside with Win and it was way too chilly. The birds have extended the wall of the nest and the latest addition is some dried grass sticking out of the top.

Thanks Winnie!

Ideas danced through my head all day. Finish the seasonal wardrobe changeover begun Saturday when looking for clothes for an 80-degree day. Tidy up the super cluttered kitchen counter and dining table. Get more flowers to plant in the yard and the flower pots. Do laundry. 

Most of these did not happen. They all felt like work.

Some chores were completed, but most of the day was spent relaxing and telling Winston what a good dog he is. Because he is. Kuka on kiltti koira? Winston on kiltti koira! 

random thoughts – Day 1,152 – (Saturday) – Mom's day

Mother’s Day weekend kicked off with some beautiful weather. My sister and I had plans to spend the day with Mom. I met Mom in the late morning to browse our favorite consignment shops and the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Leominster. I got placemats and an office organizer thingy at one consignment place, and Mom got a skirt at another.

After my sister got out of work, we went to her house and picked her up for lunch. It was a gorgeous day for a relaxing lunch on the patio at Slattery’s in Fitchburg. We chatted and enjoyed the warm temperature and spending time together without having to monitor the time to dash off to other obligations. We noticed that the much smaller, revamped menu no longer had any of our favorite items from years ago.  

Inside at the garden center.

After lunch, as a follow-up to Mom’s comment about needing bark mulch (we talk about the most exciting things), we went to a garden center. There were stacks of bagged mulch and loam and a sea of pricey plants and intermittent displays of lawn ornaments. 

I must be living in the dark ages, or maybe I’m just super frugal, but $549 for a 12" tall cement lantern with no real function beyond sitting in the yard felt a bit pricey. The lowest priced "ornament" was a $40 rock that was smaller than a softball and had owl eyes painted on it. Inside the garden center, there were even more pricey decorative items. 

One of my (too many) regrets from leaving Tennessee is having left my yard decor behind -- a resin heart that looked like stone, a Buddha head, and a cherub with a bird. I stupidly thought, "I can get that stuff anywhere." Ha! Not exactly, and not in the past six years. 

After the garden center, we headed to an antiques shop, but there were a couple traffic situations along the way. The first involved a vehicle that had been loaded onto a flatbed near a damaged utility pole. Once beyond that, we ended up in a second tie-up and after a few minutes we took a side street to get out of it. Then we drove around, past the former residences of family friends where we commented “oh, Diane used to live there” and “that was Cindy’s old house.” We ended up driving through downtown Fitchburg because they wanted me to experience Main Street, which was recently converted from a one-way street to a two-way street. I knew about the conversion, but hadn't a reason to drive it.

The empty spot over the gas line - filled.

It was an all-day event and a fun time. On the way home, there was a quick stop at Market Basket for Winston’s weekly chicken and a bright yellow potted flower for the front yard. The $6.99 plant was repotted in the terra cotta pot. Then it was set in the empty spot along the street edge of the fence where the gas line comes to the house. Boom. The empty spot is filled for way less than $549. No need to worry about overpriced ornaments. I just need to remember to water the thing.

random thoughts – Day 1,151 – (Friday) – doctor visit

The leg that was hurting last week kept hurting all this week. I kept thinking it would get better but I wasn't able to will that into being. And maybe it wasn’t all week. It only hurt when I was walking, sitting, breathing, and trying to get to sleep. Standing still was okay, but walking was brutal. Every step hurt, and the walk from the garage to office took twice as long. I like to walk fast with a long stride, but there was none of that happening. Steps were smaller and the pace was slower which I found frustrating. It didn’t take long before I was limping.

At the doctor.

After a week and a half, maybe two weeks of leg pain mysteries and nonsense, the doctor was finally contacted on Thursday and they had me in the office today. Pulses were taken. Flesh was gently poked and prodded and the knee and leg were manipulated. Things were ruled out. Not a blood clot. Not an ACL tear or meniscus issue. The thing ruled in was inflammation, but there is no clue why.

The immediate fix is Ibuprofen. If that doesn’t work, then it will be off to a physical therapy adventure. I wish it was massage therapy, but those were not the words uttered aloud or printed on the referral paper. So far, after one 600mg dose taken at supper, it already feels better. Then again, it could be my wild imagination. Time will tell. And I still want massage therapy. I'm just too lazy to look for it.

random thoughts – Day 1,150 – (Thursday) – the birds

Emptied robin's egg.

The weather today! Golden sunshine and warm air. Oh, and a couple sudden afternoon downpours, one at 3:00 and another at 4:30. It sounded like a hard rain, but even two rounds of nature’s free power wash couldn't liberate the car from its gross yellow-green pollen crust. 

The morning featured a robin’s egg shell in the driveway, not far from the nest on the drainpipe. It was cracked and had a hole in it large enough to see inside where there was not much of anything left. 

Later, two small brown birds were hanging around at the drainpipe nest and the line from the utility pole across the street. And now I have many questions. Are the brown birds the original occupants, or did they force another bird family out? Or did they just happen along and decide to live in the possible death nest?

Original occupants or evictors?

Wait, there are more ... Was the emptied egg a casualty of a nest estate dispute? Is it related to the four tiny hatchling corpses on the front lawn and the larger one in the back yard in the past week? Has this been happening the whole time I've lived here and I never noticed? Is there a bird murderer at The BungaLowell? Should I call Bat Man and Robin to solve the case? And if I get new gutters, will the birds rebuild or become homeless?

random thoughts – Day 1,149 – (Wednesday) – photo finish

Red lights in Lowell can be infuriating with the knuckleheads clogging the intersections and interrupting the flow of traffic. Then there are the drivers of the first car in the lane who seem to be in a daze. They contemplate life or the grocery list as they still sit there after the light turns green, seemingly unaware that the signal has turned, and none of the ten cars behind them can advance until they move.

Photos on the lawn.

There can also be entertaining moments. Today, at the big intersection at University and VFW Parkway, as the walk signal countdown ticked away and the pedestrians crossed in various directions, there was activity on the lawn of one of the north campus buildings. 

Four guys in suits stood in a loose cluster while a fifth stood near the sign in front of the building, being photographed by a guy in jeans and a red hoodie. 

As the driver of the first car in the line, I had a pretty good view of the photo action. Of course, I pulled out the phone and took obstructed view pictures of the photo shoot in process. As the light turned green, the photographer lowered his camera, and the photo subject rejoined the other suits. The five guys in nice suits began to walk away, but after a few steps they turned back quickly. 

The five scrambled into a line in front of the sign and the photographer returned to his position for a group shot. I missed that shot. I was already in motion, having been poised and waiting, foot ready to hit the gas the instant the light turned green, just like you’re supposed to do. None of this waiting around. It was one of the few moments of my day in which I felt like I was in control. 

While crossing the intersection, I imagined the drivers behind me rejoicing in my readiness and excellent intersection time management skills. 

random thoughts – Day 1,148 – (Tuesday) – flower front

Surprise Columbine!

For several years I have gotten myself all torqued up over some Columbine plants my sister gave me that were planted in the yard near the lilac which also came from her. There were problems with flowers being eaten leaving empty stems, but last year, the flowers made it to bloom. It was great. There have been groundhogs in the space who were blamed (by me), and today, a black cat was walking through the area. Who know what else wanders through there.

After mowing the lawn and pulling weeds the other day, I noticed something growing against the house. It had familiar looking non-dandelion leaves, tall stems, and purple buds. Today, the buds are more defined and it's a Columbine! 

The random plant is bigger than any that were deliberately planted have ever grown, so maybe the sunlight is better or the animal traffic is lighter in that spot. How it got across the yard and over by the house is a big mystery. Now I’m wondering how many of these may have pulled out without realizing they were the same flower being agonized over in the planted area across the yard. there will also be some agonizing over how to transplant the flower against the foundation.

More lilac blooms than ever.

The lily of the valley plants are advancing from under the lilac and into the backyard lawn. Previously, the approach was to just move the flower bed edging out and expand the flower bed to accommodate. The lilac has more blooms than ever, so maybe the trim it was given last year helped. 

Out front, the purple violets are creeping under the fence to the narrow space of dirt with intermittent weeds along the driveway. The violets are preferable to the straggly stuff, so hopefully they win the land battle.

This could be fun to watch and tricky to avoid mowing by accident.

random thoughts – Day 1,147 – (Monday) – memories

Awww Facebook Memories, you continue to kill me. Bit by bit.

Today’s memory is from my old marketing agency job in Tennessee. It was the link to one of the several videos I worked on in my role at BLF Marketing.

One video we did was to commemorate 80 years of history of a family-owned bank in Georgia. Another is about the four-year long Civil War occupation by both the Union and the Confederacy in Clarksville, Tennessee. Another was about the iron casting process and Clarksville Foundry, a foundry operation that had been in business since before the Civil War, and at the time, was celebrating 100 years of ownership by the same family.

The video memory for today’s date, originally shared in 2013, was for “New Old Stock,” a profile of artist Mike Andrews, who uses casting patterns from Clarksville Foundry in his work. Checking out the video again and seeing my name under the writing credits is bittersweet. There are the great memories of being part of the team on the project and pride for having been involved. There is also sadness at having left the company and the city, removing myself from the environment to return home to New England. 

Once upon a video credit.

Being included in video credits was an even greater thrill than seeing my bylines and photo credits each week when I wrote for Our City and later, when I freelanced for The Leaf Chronicle.

It’s probably not healthy to live in the past, but dang, it’s really hard not to do so when the past was actually pretty damned great and the present is, at best, lackluster in comparison. On the bright side, there is now a fresher understanding of all the “when I was younger” stories of old people I’ve met. Some day, I'll be the one in the old people's home, dragging around a box of old newspaper articles and making people watch videos. Oh wait, it looks like that already started. Run while you can.

random thoughts – Day 1,146 – (Sunday) – fresh air

The weather was beautiful again today with sunshine and temperatures in the 70s. Windows were opened. Things were accomplished, some as a benefit to dealing with other issues. Finnish verbs were conjugated for class on Monday and Duolingo lessons were done in Finnish and French. It’s amazing how much high school French is coming back while doing the Duo lessons.

For most of the past week, there has been an annoying pain in one leg. It started as an outer leg pain from knee to ankle when walking. Throughout the week, different shoes were worn, but that didn’t seem to make a difference. While sitting, which unfortunately happens for most of the week, there is a throbbing pain down the back of the thigh. Stretching helps, but only while doing the stretch, and unfortunately, it isn’t practical to be in a stretch position all day.

Winston checks the
 mowing progress.

To keep the mind off the leg discomfort, weeds were pulled and the yard was de-pooped. The lawn mower was hauled out and the back yard mowed. I tried to spare the dandelion blooms for the bees, but it was impossible. Some of the faux grass was tall and dense, but the mower handled it. Winston served as job supervisor, making sure the job was completed. 

The walking part still hurt, but there was at least something else to focus on, which included itchy eyes, sneezing, and a runny nose. I like being outdoors, but it often comes with a punishment. Allergy pills need to be restocked. Oy.

Another dead hatchling was found yesterday, this time in the back yard. It was  larger than the first four and had a line of tiny feather sprouts on its back. Luckily, no more corpses were found while working in the yard today. It’s getting really creepy.

The rubber tread mats were taken off the front steps and the outdoor rug was laid on the side deck. Chairs were hauled from the shed. The table top was rolled across the freshly cut yard and set on the base. The furniture was arranged on the deck. Trash was bagged and the bin set at the curb.

Winston engaged in his inside/outside/lounge on the couch routine. He’s been walking into walls and furniture a lot more lately. My whistling has improved greatly in the past year from trying to guide him with sound towards the front doorway or the backyard gate. Usually, it’s five quick, short whistle blasts. I don’t know why it’s five, but it’s probably because I don’t have the lung capacity for more. It’s also a mystery why I count them, but it’s probably related to counting steps when walking and items going into the washer.

It felt good to be outside in the sun, and even better, to accomplish something. And it's going to feel good to go to bed.

random thoughts – Day 1,145 – (Saturday) – pageantry and monologues

The workweek wore me out and it was off to bed at 9:00 Friday night. It worked out, because one of the neighbors had a gathering and cars were parked three deep at the end of the street, blocking me in the driveway, so I couldn’t have gone out easily, even if I wanted to. History shows I probably wouldn’t have wanted to leave, but it still ticked me off.

That crown looks heavy.

Going to bed early almost always means being woken up more times during the night. True to the pattern, at 11, Winston wanted to go potty, and again a couple hours later. At 6:00 a.m., he sent the Winnie signal to go out again. That’s when I remembered the Coronation was happening. As tempting as it was to return to bed, coffee was brewed and the day began. 

The pomp! The pageantry! The symbolism! The wardrobes and jewels! I wondered if King Charles’ neck hurt from the weight of that nearly five-pound, jewel encrusted coronation crown. 

Dang, those "caps" look annoying.

The other thing I wondered about was the gigantic, fluffy bear skin cap worn by the Foot Guards. Yes, the “cap” (I looked it up) which happens to be a mere 18 inches high and sits low over the eyes, which would make me insane.  My bangs make me nuts when they are a  fraction of an inch too long and in my eyes. And it takes one black bear to make each cap, which makes me sad. It was better when I thought it was fake bear skin. Sometimes a little knowledge is a troubling thing.

And speaking of bangs – cripes, newly crowned Queen Camilla, could you not quit touching your hair after that crown was placed on your head? Maybe she and I share the same hair being annoying thing.

After all the fanciness on TV, it was time to reenter American commoner reality with a trip to two Market Basket locations. The first one had roasted chicken for Winston and mini cupcakes for an art reception, but no stuffed grape leaves, requiring the trip to the second store.

At The Brush Art Gallery and Studios, the associate artists’ show of painting, photography, fiber arts, and sculpture is displayed beautifully. Did I take a photo of my photo hung on the wall? Or maybe the lovely refreshment table a few of us set up? Nope, nope.

There was the usual reception wine and great refreshments, including the elusive grape leaves. There was banter and chitchat and at least one conversationalist I couldn’t seem to escape. A man asked me to show him my piece in the show. He never said his name, but I was wearing a name tag, so he had the unfair advantage. We were joined by another photographer, and first guy launched into a longwinded spiel about himself, his arts organization affiliation, and his recent sale of a sculpture. I was finally able to extricate myself.

Later, I ended up being in the audience to another longwinded recitation of first guy’s career. When he pulled out the cell phone photo of his sculpture at a show elsewhere to show the other audience member, I bolted.

Even later, as we prepared to take the remaining snacks to the back room and clean up, first guy approached and asked me to show him my photo display in another room. He barely glanced at it, said something like “oh,” and launched into another monologue.

Good grief, man. Don’t drag me to another room and then not even look at the stuff you asked to see. After too many painful minutes, I headed to the main gallery to help with the event breakdown. The guy (whose name I still didn’t know) was walking behind me, and asked if I knew some restaurant in Dracut. I said no, and that I rarely eat out. He said, “I could take you there some time.”

Finger food supper.

Caught off guard, the deeply rooted awkwardness responded, “oh, no, that’s ok.” I’m not good with spontaneous speaking. That’s why I’m a writer. Top of mind was how the dude couldn’t even try to pretend to care one whit about anything I do before launching into his lengthy recitations about himself. Maybe it was my fault for politely nodding during the earlier droning. Afterward, there was a combination of feeling like I had maybe been rude, but also like I dodged a bullet. 

Back at home, finger food reception refreshments mode continued. Supper was stuffed grape leaves, feta, kalamata olives, olive bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and a glass of wine. Yum. Maybe not fit for a queen, but fit for me.