random thoughts – Day 1,204 – (Tuesday) – booms and blessings

The alarm went off this morning and I didn’t know what day it was. When it was figured out that I didn’t have to get up yet, I rolled over and went back to sleep for another hour. It was nice, and may be the greatest indication of a successful long weekend.

The laundry, tidying up, and grocery chores were done a couple days ago, leaving the day wide open for adventure. Several mugs of coffee, Wordle, and the daily reading of the news were followed by an evaluation of potential ideas for the day. By the time the parades in Chelmsford and Fitchburg were considered, they were quickly dismissed because it was too late to get to either town for the start and going to a parade alone held no appeal, especially if it might rain. The rain that fell periodically throughout the day dampened any interest in leaving the house. There was no sadness in this. 

Lunch. And supper.
For a couple days. 

Due to laziness and by default, it became another much welcomed day of sloth. This is also called “relaxation,” if looking for more positive terms with which to present it. It was so relaxing (absent brain activity) that 12 hours later, it was mostly a mushy blur. Breakfast had been forgotten, or maybe just neglected in the glory of a day of nothingness. 

The primary accomplishment was successfully feeding myself. Twice. An early lunch of a veggie pocket with pasta salad was repeated many hours later as supper. It has been the supper and lunch choices for every meal since Sunday when the pita bread was bought. It’s quick to assemble, requires no cooking, and was the perfect no-brainer food plan for a day with minimal brain function. There was also an almost obscene amount of ice cream eaten, because Hood caramel swirl chip is delicious. It's gone now.

Slumbering through the fireworks.

The Lowell fireworks were scheduled for 9:00 tonight. At 8:30, the sounds of pyrotechnics could be heard from nearly every direction, probably the usual neighborhood amateur pre-game festivities. The preliminary noise flowed into the louder booms of the official and professional city presentation, but the many trees along the brook and the taller houses around mine prevented seeing any of them. 

Winston slept in his bed through all the noise, lending support to the idea that he is losing his hearing. There are times, such as tonight, that the natural effects of his advanced age seem to contain small blessings. Seeing him comfortably reclined in his bed is definitely preferable to the olden days of fully functioning hearing and vision when both Winston and Moose would be shaking and trying to hide behind the couch or under the bed during thunder storms and fireworks.