random thoughts – Day 1,740 – (Saturday) – driving, shopping, styling

Bunny tracks and bigfoot.

Last Saturday’s car service resulted in bumping my hair salon appointment to this afternoon. It was booked for late enough in the day that I didn’t have to bolt out of bed and immediately hit the road. I ventured out through the light coating of Friday’s snow dotted with bunny tracks that crisscrossed my own big prints from when I arrived home from work. The plan was to visit the magical plaza on Lincoln Street in Worcester with my shopping trifecta – Aldi, Kohl’s, and Savers. 

I didn’t get far before I realized that for whatever mysterious and still undetermined reason, Waze was not providing voice directions. At a red light the speaker volume was checked and it was on maximum volume, but no voice came out. I don’t always rely on the app for the navigation, but more for the traffic, accident, and police alerts.

On Rte 495, there was a lot of radio station hopping. With the exception of Christmas Wrapping by the Waitresses, any time a Christmas song came on, I changed the station. In addition to rejecting an entire genre of music that slipped into every station on the airwaves, I was tied up in my head. There was a lot of thinking (and talking aloud to myself) about work and Christmas and life and 10,000 other things.

Between the strangely mute navigation app and the freakishly loud monkey brain, I missed the exit to Rte. 290 and Worcester. For a nanosecond I noticed the road seemed wide and spacious and thought, “Dang, 290 has changed a lot since my last time through here.” When I saw a sign for Hopkinton, it registered that I wasn't on 290, I was still on 495 and in the wrong lane to take the next exit to backtrack. 

When I was finally able to correct, I was 15 miles off course.  What in the actual hell? Apparently I do need navigational guidance. The little extra excursion added a half-hour to the journey, which cut into the shopping plaza time planned for before the salon.

At Aldi, the store was reasonably full with far too many shoppers wandering in a stupor. 'Tis the season. One woman at the egg cooler was complaining out loud to nobody in particular about the cost. I waited for her to move so I could get near enough to see the price. She finally moved and caught my eye and said, “Oh well, what are we supposed to do?” as she put her eggs into her cart. I almost blurted, “Well, you could always not buy any,” but chose to not engage. She probably didn’t want an answer anyway. And there is nothing I can do about the avian flu outbreak that is wiping out the egg layers. Fewer layers means fewer eggs means higher cost. Basic supply and demand. And bitching about it at the Aldi egg cooler won’t change it.

Fresh hair.

I went to Aldi for butter, because earlier in the week I read somewhere it was $2.99. That information was not correct and butter was the usual price of $3.49. I bought some anyway, because dammit, that is why I was there. And a pineapple, because those were only $1.69 and since the trip to Mexico in October, I’ve been wanting fresh pineapple with Tajin seasoning like we had on an excursion, but never bothered to buy one. 

Somehow, despite not really needing anything, $49 worth of stuff found its way into my cart. While in the 20-minute checkout line, I had time to be eyeballing other people’s groceries and saw several things I should have gotten for Christmas Eve dinner. Oops. 

The salon was great. It always is. My stylist gives an amazing scalp massage with the shampoo and since high school, I’ve found having my hair blow dried to be relaxing. The ends are now trimmed and tided and the blowout looks too good to just sit home alone in front of the TV, but that is exactly where my pretty, professionally styled hair went. At least I didn’t get lost going home.

random thoughts – Day 1,739 – (Friday) – relaxing

The morning was normal. The alarm went off. Air was blowing from the vent in the bedroom and the house was the correct temperature. Fridays are casual days so it was quick dressing in jeans and a chunky turtleneck.

The traffic was an extra special gift. There was none. The ride to the garage was annoyance free and smooth sailing. It was a pre-Christmas miracle. In the lobby of the building, the idyllic morning started to face a wrinkle and weirdness kicked in when my access card didn’t work. I couldn’t access the elevator to go upstairs or access the stairwell. Panic flashed through me and I wondered for a second if maybe I didn't work there anymore and someone forgot to tell me. 

Luckily, my colleagues who sit in the suite off the lobby were in and helped me get upstairs to my own department. A service ticket was entered for the nonfunctional access card. Security informed me it was still showing as active and might just be worn out. It’s several years old, so that would track. I got a new card and can once again move freely about the workplace. Whew!

Snowy roof on Shattuck Street.

I hadn’t read the weather forecast this morning, and bounced out of the house with my hood removed from my coat, leather gloves that aren’t warm, and boots with a higher heel than I would wear for snow. At 2:00, when I remembered I wanted to go to the downtown jeweler for batteries for two watches and saw it was snowing, I was caught a little off guard. I didn’t go to the jeweler.

It was still snowing at 5:00. The roofs and cobblestones on Shattuck Street were coated, but heavily traveled Merrimack Street was wet and shiny. The walk to the garage featured benches, wreaths, and streetlamps dusted in snow. It was pretty. The first snow is always pretty.

Front yard bunny!

At home, a bunny sat in the snow in the front yard, startled and on high alert as I parked the car. He froze and I tried to get some decent photos, but bunny was small and probably 15 feet away across the yard and it was nighttime dark, so the images weren’t that clear. When I moved to enter the house, bunny bolted out of the yard to the neighbors. 

It took less than five minutes for me to shed the coat and hat, greet Kiki, and march upstairs to change into the official staying in on the couch fleece pants. They are aqua with little penguins wearing scarves all over them and are super soft and cozy and the perfect relax at home and unwind after a stressful and expensive week. 

If I could just convince Kiki to join me on the couch, it would be the perfect picture of domestic bliss. Someday.

random thoughts – Day 1,738 – (Thursday) – heat is good

The furnace has been an adventure. The cost was large enough ($8,000+) that I chose the zero-percent, 25-month financing option. The “discount” for paying in full was a pittance at 5% and would mean decimating the emergency fund or taking on 17.99% credit card debt. While this is hardly the time to be taking on new debt, the idea of raiding the emergency fund with potential unemployment looming seemed worse. For once, I was glad The BungaLowell isn’t larger with a bigger system requirement.

The financing had some unexpected challenges. When the application was submitted on Wednesday, I forgot my credit reports are frozen. That led to the application being on hold and a multiple step process for me that included multiple harried phone calls to the finance group before I merrily skipped off to the office for the afternoon, thinking everything was all set.

At 7:20 this morning, instead of seeing a text saying that the crew would arrive at X-o’clock, there was a text from 7:00 with the news the financing application didn’t process yesterday. The finance company wasn’t open for the day yet (their recording told me so). The sales guy sent a website link to resubmit the application that led to a screen saying “Access Denied.” After a couple attempts and several texts, we eventually learned the finance company’s website was down. My stress level was shooting upwards with a trajectory that felt like it would result in my head exploding. My worry was that the installation wouldn’t happen today as planned.

Luckily, after about an hour of coffee and stress, things were sorted out and the crew was on the way.

The new furnace.

I showed then team the basement and the bulkhead access that was a straight line to the furnace location and went upstairs to get to my own work done. From 9:00 until about 3:15, the basement was abuzz with activity. There was periodic banging and clanging, but it wasn’t too terrible. For a while, an electrician joined the festivity. 

The crew was polite and seemed organized. They were meticulous with cleanup. The new heating appliance that rules the basement is fresh and shiny. It has clearly labeled black and white PVC pipes. Warmed air is flowing from the floor vents and the temperature is back to the programmed settings. 

As rough as the jabs to the head, heart, and wallet have been in the past 10 days, there have been some bright spots. Sure, the furnace died this week, but it had the decency to not do so on a weekend or holiday and before the temperatures drop to the 20s this weekend. It cost a mini-fortune to replace, but there was financing available. Yes, it was a sudden expiration with no apparent early symptoms, but the replacement was also very quick. Which is all to say, it could have been worse. And now there is heat, and it is good.

random thoughts – Day 1,737 – (Wednesday) – effity-eff

This week has delivered another exciting installment of “What in the Actual Effi-ty-Eff?” Apparently, major employment uncertainty isn’t enough. Note: several of my friends and colleagues are also going through some extra effity-eff stuff. Tis the season for f*ckery? C'mon Universe, could we catch a break, please?

Anyway.

Slipping out of bed this morning, the room felt chilly. This has happened before, but rarely and due to power outages. The house was quiet. The lights worked, so power loss was not a factor. Downstairs, the thermostat read 58 degrees, providing confirmation that the house was, indeed, chillier than the usual morning automated setting of 68.

After dressing, an amateur investigation began. The gas stove worked and there was hot water, so a gas service problem was ruled out. The basement dwelling metal box furnace has no indicator lights or signals or dials to provide any clues. 

Periodic postcard mailers arrive from various home service firms and are set in a folder called “Home Repairs.” One from the heating and cooling company that installed my hot water tank a few years ago was retrieved.

At 7:00, a call to the heating and cooling company involved a question and answer session with an automated voice that used my name waaaay too much. Like every sentence. I don’t like my name. I especially don’t like hearing it in every sentence in a single call. 

At 8:00, I called the company again hoping to reach a human to determine if I could expect a tech visit today or if I should head to the office as planned and worry about it from afar all day. The news was good. A tech would arrive within the hour. The day's dental appointment, made months ago, was rescheduled to the nearest available slot. In March.

The technician arrived, listened to the day’s symptoms and the normal process, and started exploring the innards of the metal box. I returned to my own work. Before long, there was an update. Some motor- part wasn’t doing its motoring thing. A condensation line has dripped water into the furnace. There is rust. There is collected water. There is “biological matter” in the unit.

The service tech returned to the basement and got busy on his phone. He called at least five parts suppliers looking for the parts needed to repair the 20-year old unit. No parts could be found. By the time he asked me to come downstairs again, I had a pretty good feel for the direction things were headed. The parts to repair the furnace seem to be extinct. The next step was a visit from a “comfort specialist” for an estimate on a new furnace.

The service tech left. The comfort specialist arrived shortly thereafter. He checked out the system and took video with his phone. I headed upstairs to a Zoom meeting while he did his thing. After a while, he came upstairs with two estimates – one for just a furnace (8,000 effing dollars), and one for replacing both the heating and cooling components for more than twice that. Gulp. The immediate heating problem is being addressed and I'm hoping the A/C holds out for a while longer. Or I remember to buy a ticket and win the lottery.

Tomorrow morning, a new furnace is scheduled to arrive “first thing.” In the meantime, the comfort specialist left two portable heaters to provide temporary relief.

High noon from the garage roof.

By 11:45, I was leaving for the office-office for the rest of the day. The original plan had been to work in the morning in the office and go to the dentist for a cracked filling replacement in the afternoon, but the plan was modified due to the furnace situation. Arriving at the garage at midday, I ended up parking on the roof. One elevator is out of service and the other is as slow as cold molasses, but at least the views from up there are interesting.

The funny part, if there is one, is that the office, which is often chilly and inexplicably stuck on the cool setting, was running on the heat setting today and it was warm. High 70s warm. I was mostly okay with it after being cold all morning, but the rest of the team seemed to be wilting from it.

Supper and a heater.

After work, the house was still holding steady at 58 degrees. Supper of a leftover assemblage of boxed stuffing and leftover scrambled meat was nuked and eaten in the living room. The evening's unusual dining companion was a portable heater. There was no conversation, just some crazy clicking and ticking noises that eventually subsided. 

Random fact -- a year ago today, The BungaLowell had a power failure that lasted all afternoon and into the night. The stockpile of candles and flashlights was called into service. Holiday chocolate melting was done with a double boiler on the gas stove flame and surrounded by the glow of pillar candles and an LED lantern. It felt like an adventure, mostly because I was sure it would be temporary.

Tonight, I sit in the living room near a portable heater, a blanket and laptop in my lap as I type words. Netflix is playing Married at First Sight, mostly for the background noise and because it doesn't require my attention or any additional money. Fun times.

random thoughts – Day 1,736 – (Tuesday) – holiday high gear

All the way up until late this afternoon, I was thinking I didn’t have it in me to bake this year. Usually, I make a couple trays of saltine bark and several different cookie recipes and maybe some chocolate dipped pretzels, but this year, I’ve been feeling all sorts of shades of blah. Just think of a muddy mess of the crappiest colors in a 1970s polyester plaid and that's the general feeling. The massive work shakeup thing of last week eviscerated any nuggets of holiday ambition that may have been trying to fight their way up from beneath the baseline of blech.

At 4:00, while running through schedules between today and Christmas I realized with a sense of dread that Christmas is in one short week. Then I realized that this Wednesday, also known as tomorrow, is the last day that everyone will be in the office until after Christmas. And I was hit with suddenly wanting to dive in and make some holiday sweets like I have done every other year. 

Normally, the holiday baking process spans a couple weeks with recipe review and selection, ingredient procurement, and then several nights of loading things into the oven, pulling them out a few minutes later, rotating cookie sheets, and dipping other things in melted chocolate. Not this year. The timeline had contracted dramatically, and as a result, there would be no time for multiple oven bake cycles and cooling things on racks on the limited counter space.

Haystacks chilling on
a bed of ice packs.

There was a quick inventory of the baking supplies cabinet and the list of treats was drafted based on what was on hand. At 5:00, there was a jaunt to Market Basket for a few items needed. By 5:45, I was in the kitchen melting and stirring and mixing and scraping and production was in high gear. Three and a half hours later, production was done for the night. Semi-sweet chocolate coins with sprinkles. Butterscotch chow mein noodle haystacks. Saltine bark with almond slivers (aka Christmas Crack). A chocolate version of the haystacks with potato sticks. White chocolate coins with crushed peppermint.

Thanks to a gift that arrived earlier in the day, there was an accidental discovery of a good idea. A box from Omaha Steaks required the total reorganization of the freezer and eviction of four ice packs which sat on the counter for lack of a better pace. They became an excellent cooling device for the trays of sweets that needed to chill and set. 

Caramel and crackers in the oven.

Later, when the saltine bark base came out of the oven and was topped with chocolate and almonds, there was another idea. After a decade of making the stuff, it finally dawned on me to use the pizza cutter to cut the stuff. It’s smaller than the knives and worked better in the cookie sheet. Between the ice bed and the pizza cutter, I was feeling like a genius.

The genius feeling faded quickly. While cleaning the pans, I noticed my favorite cookie sheet bore the imprint of the cut lines from the pizza cutter. Then, I found the dried apricots I had just bought with the intention of dipping them in chocolate. Everything was already put away, but it wouldn’t take long to re-engage and crank them out. The kicker was that all the stuff for the office was already packaged in containers and locked in the car to solve the joint problems of it not fitting in the refrigerator and fear of forgetting them at home in the morning. 

The whole time I was busting butt in the kitchen, Kiki was meowing at me from the dining room. Approximately every 20 minutes, she would make a cameo appearance in the kitchen to meow at me face to face and louder. Perhaps she was troubled I was not in my usual spot in the living room and felt the need to point it out. Once I was seated on the couch, she was signaling she wanted head pats. She's adorable.

random thoughts – Day 1,735 – (Monday) – meow

As Mondays go, today wasn’t too bad, but that is a relative concept. Last Monday’s shocking, terrible, painful news about the bank being sold and the accompanying likely probability of not having a job for too much longer marked a new low, so most Mondays will probably now be better in comparison. At least until the next round of news.

Meow.

Kiki is being extra special cute lately. I usually eat supper in the living room in front of the TV, and she will stare at me from her chair, slink down from her perch, and walk away as if I disgust her. It’s a dramatic change from the dogs, who would sit at my feet blatantly begging. 

She is more meowy recently, walking around and randomly exhibiting her vocal range and variety of sounds. She will sashay in from the dining room, loop around the footstool, meowing all the way, and sit nearby to look at me and meow some more.

Keeks will run up the stairs with a thundering racket that is disproportionate for her dainty weight of eight pounds, pause halfway, and meow. She will meow again when she reaches the top of the stairs. There is meowing from the dining room when I’m in the living room. I meow back to her, and then wonder what oral contracts I just engaged in.

At 10:00, if I haven’t begun brushing my teeth in preparation for bed, I really catch hell. Kiki will stand in the living room, eyes fixed on me, and meow loudly. It seems she is letting me know that her evening snack is unacceptably tardy and that I’m clearly in violation of the terms of some agreement I previously meowed myself into.  

random thoughts – Day 1,734 – (Sunday) – pupu for two

With my eldest niece in town for the holidays, I hoped to spend some dedicated time with her, and today was the day. We made a plan for lunch, and over the course of a couple days tossed around some potential locations that are open on Sunday. Marcello, a new Italian-Greek restaurant in Fitchburg was a strong contender. Arisu, the Korean place I love is only open certain Sundays of the month and therefore out. Burgers and chain restaurants are available everywhere and were ruled out.

There was one question that helped us really zero in on a spot. I asked Niece what she can have here that she can’t get in Vegas. In addition to the fresh seafood we had at a family lunch last weekend, and decent takeout steak and cheese subs, one of the illuminating answers was Chinese food that isn’t from Panda Express. When I mentioned that Singapore Restaurant in Fitchburg has reopened, we knew where we wanted to go.

Pupu platter, lo mein, crab rangoon.

We arrived around noon, and once inside, started taking inventory of what felt the same with the new ownership and what seemed different. The vestibule felt familiar but different. The lounge looked similar with the heavy decorative columns at the bar, but with a fresh, new yellow vinyl tufted high back banquette running along a wall. The main dining room still has the carved wood ornamentation and felt familiar but slightly fresher. 

We ordered a pupu platter for two, pork lo mein, and crab rangoons, because crab rangoons weren’t mentioned on the list of items in the pupu platter description. When the platter arrived, instead of the old Singapore sectioned serving dish with a sterno flame in the middle, it was delivered on a boring, institutional metal tray. There were several crab rangoons included along with the shrimp, chicken fingers, chicken wings, boneless spare ribs, and teriyaki skewers. We sat there with a table full of memories and it tasted just like home. Between the platter and the side order, we had plenty of crab rangoons. Boxes of leftovers came away with us.

Low budget repair.

Before leaving Singapore, I visited the rest room, which felt very different. The walls were covered in gleaming tile. The first stall I tried to enter had a door that slammed into the wall. I headed for the larger accessible stall. That one had a latch that was attached with duct tape. It was definitely a low-budget, DIY solution. 

After lunch, we went to Ocean State Job Lot because I thought I had seen pajamas with microfleece bottoms and tee shirt knit tops advertised recently. If there had been any once, there were none left today, but the amazing abundance of socks offered up cashmere blend and merino blend which I love. I ended up with socks, nail polish, and the only box of Celestial Seasonings Raspberry Zinger tea we found in the aisle of teas. Neice found some Steve Madden sunglasses. For an unplanned side quest, we did pretty well. 

It was a great afternoon all around. We had conversation and dining in a room full of memories and flavors, followed by shopping with no stress and no particular objective. It was perfect.

random thoughts – Day 1,733 – (Saturday) – service and decor

Christmas decorating
is nearly done.

After failing to schedule my oil change and 60,000 mile service for several consecutive weeks, I finally remembered to call the Jeep dealership last week. Yes, it probably costs more going there, but they frequently send postcards with specials and discounts and the waiting room is always well stocked with granola bars and other snacks plus the coffee machine and fridge of cold drinks. 

The appointment was at 8:30 this morning. Thanks to light traffic and an absence of annoyances on the drive, I was outside the service area at 8:15 and checked in and seated in the waiting area by 8:20. The tech doing the check-in seemed unconcerned about my complaint about the tires losing pressure every two weeks (the warning came on again this morning, just two weeks after the last go-round). He said it's because of the cold, which would be plausible if not for the fact this is my fourth winter with this vehicle and I'm pretty sure it got cold during the other three and I definitely didn't need to get air every two or three weeks. 

In the waiting room, just like at the dentist’s office, the TV was playing a real estate show. Today is was the one where a decorator and contractor update the people’s existing home while a realtor tries to move them into a new place and then they have to choose to sell the renovated home and buy a new one, or stay put. Like most allegedly unscripted “reality” shows, it felt fake, but was still mildly entertaining.

The table is comically
far from the seats.

I enjoyed two relaxing hours in the waiting lounge. I had a cup of mochachino from the fancy coffee machine and a granola bar with peanut butter. The drink had to be set on the floor because the large coffee table is too far from the seats placed around it to be useful. Luckily, I didn't knock it over.

I read a couple chapters in a novel (How to Not Die Alone) and played Words with Friends and Woodoku on my phone. There were six or seven of us in the room and it was mostly quiet. Exceptions were when my lug sole boots squeaked on the floor at an embarrassing volume when I got coffee and then went to the trash with the empty cup, and when the much older couple who would be wise to invest in hearing aids tried talking to each other. It was painful. Holy Crap. 

Back at home, some signs of Christmas were hung – wreaths on each side of the front door and one on the bathroom closet door. A snowflake tree topper is set out like a piece of décor. Tinsel trees on the table in the enclosed porch. It might be done for this year. 

There were art exhibit receptions, open studios, and holiday markets happening today but I didn’t make it to any of them. The auto service took a ding out of the wallet and the newly derailed career prospects have taken a lot of wind out of my sails. The choice to lay low at home felt comfortable at the time, but was regretted later when I saw photos of friends and by friends at the reception for an exhibit.

random thoughts – Day 1,732 – (Friday) – cold out

It was colder today than I expected. Yes, I know it’s December. Yes, I know there are weather apps and other means for checking the current and forecasted conditions. For some reason, today I neglected to check the technological wonders available to me before leaving for the office. I rejected my warm coat with a hood and put on my leather coat. At least it was the longer one that goes to mid-thigh and not the short one. I grabbed the green leather gloves, and as an afterthought, a lightweight hat that I wore indoors last year when I was cold.

When I got outside, it was cold, but the car is barely 15 steps from the back door. I had remote started the car but not very early and had turned the heat off yesterday when I parked the car. The engine, steering wheel, and seat were warmed up, but not the air in the cabin. I figured the day would warm up by the time I wanted to go for an afternoon walk. 

It didn’t get warmer. Colleagues went out and when they came back in, the report was “Brrrr, it’s cold.” The top temperature of the day was 30 degrees. Ugh. I never went out until it was time to leave for the day. I'm a weenie like that.

The tree in the office.

As cold as it was outside, there was some warmth inside. One or more colleagues decorated the office Christmas Tree recently and it looks great. As I punched the button to the first floor, as the elevator doors closed, the tree was the last thing I saw as I mentally braced for the cold. It stood between two lamps that glowed soft and warm and pretty. 

Maybe I’ll put one (or more) of my trees up. Maybe not. I can’t decide. I love the warm glow of the lights, but I’m dreading the idea of digging all the stuff out and clearing a space and setting it up and so on and so on. Until then, I’ll enjoy the tree at work.

random thoughts – Day 1,731 – (Thursday) – knish nosh

The past week has seen several random visits to grocery stores while en route to other destinations. Last Friday morning, a text message came in at 7:30 that my Christmas photo cards were ready at Walgreen’s. They had been ordered the previous night at 10:30 and it was surprising they were ready so quickly. The timing was perfect and there was time to collect them before work.

The traffic between my house and the shopping plaza on Bridge Street was nearly nonexistent on that particular morning at that particular hour and I was in front of Walgreen’s at 7:45. Too bad the store doesn’t open until 8:00. No big deal. I went next door to Market Basket because it was there and I had a few minutes.

Two loaves of bakery discount rack bread, a pack of cheese ends heavy on provolone, and a package of knishes from the deli later, and I was out the door. I didn’t even know MB sold knishes, so it was an exciting discovery. I haven’t had a knish in years. By 8:30, I was at my desk and logging onto the system, already feeling like I had conquered the day.

On Sunday, on the way home from the performance in Cambridge, the parking lot at Market Basket on Fletcher Street wasn’t packed and so, pursuant to my personal policy, I had to go inside. A container of salmon bits from the deli and a few other items were gathered. Unfortunately, I forgot the mustard I wanted to dress the knishes.

Olive oil a
smidge too tall.

Today, I had an appointment not far from a Hannaford location, where I had a coupon for $10 off a $25 order. My list was short – olive oil, mustard, and whatever helped meet the $25 target. 

On the way into the store, a baking supplies display inspired the grabbing of three bags of baking chips. Mustard was found and collected. The entire wall of olive oil was studied at length. After being low and rationing olive oil for a month, I went for the big one. In a panic, a large can of coffee was added. I don’t need it right now, but lately when I’ve been looking for it, the options have been limited.

Now the challenge is putting away the olive oil and coffee. The olive oil bottle is about one inch too tall to fit on the most easily accessible bottom shelf of the cabinet. The coffee cannister is too large to fit almost anywhere.

Knish and mustard.

Suppertime meant time for a couple knishes. There were two cooking options noted on the package. A 350-degree regular oven for about 15 minutes or microwave for two minutes. The toaster oven was called to service and two knishes were heated. They were delicious, but ten minutes later, I was still hungry. 

The remaining two knishes were heated in the microwave and were good, but soggy compared to the oven heated ones. That depleted the reserve of knishes and ended the evening’s science experiments. Now I want to go to a Jewish deli for knishes, latkes, and other delicious deli dishes. Maybe it's time for a trip to New York.

random thoughts – Day 1,730 – (Wednesday) – cold and balmy

Rain was promised. Rain came. It was accompanied by the gray cloud cover that carries the rain (obviously) and fog that provided a mysterious quality to the air. Because of the rain, the parking garage had the indoor water feature activated and the usual massive puddles in place.

The volume of rainfall varied throughout the day from barely a mist floating in the air to heavy like a fire hose on full blast. The forecast also called for potential thunderstorms and hazardous wind gusts up to 60 miles per hour later in the day and into the night and National Grid sent out a message on Tuesday about preparing for storms. 

At the office, when it was around 36 degrees outside earlier in the day, for reasons beyond all comprehension of any of the occupants of the fourth-floor suite, the air cooling system was on. Again. In anticipation, I had dressed in what I thought might be overkill with a base layer, merino wool pullover sweater, and a cardigan. It wasn't excessive and I was cold. Removing the cardigan layer was never a consideration.

Condensation
on John Street.

Even the facilities team is puzzled by this recurring air cooling situation. We are unable to change the setting from cool to heat, so my solution was to boost the temperature setting to 78 degrees to at least stop the chilled air from blowing down on us from the overhead ductwork. Some colleagues had their heaters going under their desks, just like all summer.

By the time we left work, the temperature had risen to 60 balmy degrees outside (also forecasted). That's normal for New England in December, right? A light rain fell in the warm air and downtown windows were covered in foggy condensation.

Outside the parking garage, it was possible to enjoy the balmy outside air and also the feel of refrigerated air that emanated from the entrance/exit of the garage. It was interesting and odd and reminded me of standing at the mouth of Dunbar Cave in Clarksville Tennessee in the hot and humid summer weather. Inside the garage, the temperature was significantly cooler than out on the street.

One of many conversations at the office today was about feeling dehydrated in the winter and how hard it is to hydrate. I prefer drinking chilled water, but I’m already too cold in the winter to drink chilled water. I usually end up nuking mugs of tea all night long. Or just not. 

Tonight, as I reached into the cabinet for the usual eight or ten ounce coffee cup for my evening Raspberry Zinger tea, I spotted a solution, right there in front of my face. A glass beer mug. Duh!

Raspberry Zinger
in a big mug.

A couple big beer mugs have resided in the same cabinet as the smaller coffee mugs for the entire time I’ve lived here. There are a few more that permanently live in the refrigerator due to space and the idea of pouring beer into a chilled mug (which I never think to do). Once or twice, I used a big mug for a slightly elaborate hot cocoa with whipped cream and some whiskey. 

Until tonight, it never occurred to me use a big beer mug for a larger pour of tea. There have been some ripple effects. On one hand, I need fewer trips to the kitchen to refill and heat smaller mugs of tea. On the other hand, I just cut my nighttime activity level in half. Life is all about tradeoffs.

random thoughts – Day 1,729 – (Tuesday) – slightly less stressed

The jarring news of Monday was alleviated today. There was an information session tonight with the leaders of the acquiring bank and team members of my bank. The drive out of Lowell wasn’t too bad, and then it felt like a parade of vehicles turning into the Westford Regency Inn and Conference Center. I felt a bit like I was attending a funeral while crossing the parking lot to the hotel. It was weird. 

There were three festive Christmas trees glowing warmly in a nearby corner of the meeting room. As lovely as the trees were, the prevailing mood in the room was leaning a bit towards somber.

The bank leadership team with executives from retail, commercial, wealth, operations and technology, HR, and the CEO told us about themselves and their areas of the bank, and how they landed with the organization. They shared the many ways our two banks are similar. This isn’t their first acquisition (one leader is on their 12^th) and they clearly have a system in place. I trust they know what they are doing.

We were able to submit questions in advance and many of these were addressed by the various leaders. The answers provided were direct and reassuring. It helped. A lot. What a difference good communication makes. The general mood was a lot lighter after the presentation. Most of the colleagues I chatted with felt relieved after the meeting.

Warming trays all in a row.

There was a buffet outside the meeting room. I neglected to check out the food before the meeting and was starving by the end, so I pounced and grazed. I explored the meatballs, spring rolls, crab rangoons, and meat on a stick. There were also cookies and brownies. 

My socializing took place near the buffet with a plate in hand instead of in the ballroom with most of the attendees. It was less crowded out there, so I didn't get all weird and awkward. 

It's a relief to have heard about the process for this next chapter from the folks in charge. We'll all be mostly okay.

random thoughts – Day 1,728 – (Monday) – surprise!

Some days are full of surprises and today was certainly one of them. There was a highly unusual early morning text message from work referencing a message we needed to read and an all-team online meeting at 8:45. This never happens. This did not feel good.

It was a remote day for me, and I considered changing things up and heading in to the office. It would have required changing out of jeans and into dress pants and the shoes that go with them and grabbing some lunch to take with me. That might have worked in the wedge of time available, but suddenly my colleagues and I were involved in a flurry of text messages with each other and I was simultaneously logging into the system to see the referenced message and there were more texts and then it was too late to change clothes, get to the office on time, and be logged in for the meeting. I stayed put and sat tight.

The news, which is now public, is that the independent, community bank I work for is being acquired by a larger, regional community bank. They are a lot like us, just operating in a different but adjacent geography.

It’s shocking. Stressful. Depressing. Exciting, but maybe not for me. I'm trying to keep an open mind. I can't decide if it's a blessing or a curse that I’ve already been through this once before. Some will come out of it with jobs and mostly unscathed and others won’t be so lucky. 

There have been assurances provided about some areas of the bank. The assumption from some of us on my team is that every back-office role already has a currently staffed counterpart in the acquiring organization. This is what happened the last time I rode this crazy ride and ended up leaving the field for years.

So that was the shadow that hung over the entire day. It will be interesting. Which is not always a fun thing, but most likely won’t be dull.

Salmon, broccoli, onions.

To cheer myself up and exert some control over something, I cooked. A delicious and reasonably healthy supper of salmon, broccoli, and onions was prepared. It worked, and I felt in control of the few minutes it took to cook and eat.

Soon, I found myself stress eating creamy peanut butter on Ritz crackers, followed by more peanut butter straight from the jar. The fleeting sense of control from earlier was gone. The false comfort of the peanut butter didn't last for very long, either. It rarely does. 

random thoughts – Day 1,727 – (Sunday) – lotsa ladies dancing

Middle East,
Cambridge.

Today, Troupe Salaamati, the group I dance with, along with another 40 or so dancers from around New England and New York, performed in a show to benefit The Home for Little Wanderers. It was originally scheduled at a hotel in Woburn, but there was a double-booking situation and our event was bumped. The Middle East in Cambridge opened their doors to us. I’d never been there but I’ve heard of the place forever. Today was the day, and now I regret my tardy introduction to the place. 

The morning was spent drinking coffee and then putting on costume parts and makeup. There was eye shadow in three colors (green, pink, and pale gold) and poorly applied eye liner and false eyelashes and blush and lipstick which I wiped off after choosing the color and putting it in my bag to apply later. Then I neglected to apply it again, so that was dumb.

The show was divided into three acts and opened with soloists dancing to a live band (oud, keyboard, and drum). The dancers, costumes, and dance styles were beautiful. The second act was in a larger room and featured troupes and soloists dancing to recorded music while the band had a break. That’s where my dance sisters and I came onto the program. The third act was back in the room where it began and had more performances with the band.

Salaamati!

We were the second performance slot in the second act, and people who saw the eight of us lined up to enter wondered how we’d fit in the space. No worries. We had scoped the room out earlier and with one table relocated by the venue team, we were able to fit on a diagonal and reconfigure our entrance. We are used to checking space and making on-the-fly adjustments. It’s a handy skill.

After we finished our dancing and exited the performance space, there wasn’t an easy, immediate way back in without disturbing the group dancing after us. We dashed back through the maze of venue spaces back to the dressing room and changed out of our costumes and into street clothes. Then we grabbed our bags and slipped back in to see the rest of the troupe performances. 

There was a group dancing with swords (I always love seeing that) and another with glowing orbs in red and green. After the second act concluded, the dancers for the set were asked to gather for a group photo. Those of us still on site from my troupe formed the back row to hide our jeans and sweaters. We didn’t know there would be a photo when we changed. Oops.

I hate driving in a costume, because what if I get into an accident? This is fallout from that time I broke my leg in a roller derby event and went to the hospital by ambulance in tiny shorts, tights, and a tee shirt, plus a face full of camo makeup, and had to sit in a room dressed like that and freezing for hours. It lives in the back of my brain.

My friends and I left after the second act due to the distance and travel time from Cambridge to Lowell (me), Townsend, and other points (carpools). The traffic was not terrible, but still not enjoyable and now I remember why I don’t drive into Boston. Overall, the fun of the day far outweighed the "fun" of driving. 

Now it’s all over except for the unpacking and putting away of the makeup, costume parts, etc., and the Sunday chore of all chores – cleaning the litter box for Monday trash day. The glamour is fun, but always short-lived before reality rudely shoves it aside.

random thoughts – Day 1,726 – (Saturday) – relaxed and rich

There was a plan today. It was to kick off with sleeping late, then be followed by relaxing, lounging about, and avoiding outside life and people.

The view out the
window, 7:03 a.m.

The sleeping late didn’t go well. I forgot to cancel the usual Saturday alarm and a reasonably entertaining dream was rudely disrupted by it at 7:00. Fail. By 7:03 I was fully awake, out of bed, and readying the coffee. The view out the kitchen window was pretty with what I could see of the sky turning gold and pink.

The relaxing part went much better. Three hours were spent in pajamas drinking Family Dollar store brand coffee, which for the record, is the worst coffee I've ever tasted. The can says “100% Coffee” without venturing to specify a type of bean and the stuff seems more like ground walnut shells than coffee. I can’t wait for it to be gone. This is the penalty for buying the budget store brand. With cinnamon and caramel coffee creamer added, it’s almost tolerable.

When the coffee pot was emptied, the day really kicked into gear with a shower, dressing for the day, and gathering the laundry. After an internal debate about whether to put up Christmas decorations or not and two loads of laundry, suddenly it was suppertime. My, how the time flies by. So far, there have been exactly zero trips made to the basement to fetch any of the seasonal festive crap.

Netflix ran all day, in an effort to chip away at the what seems to be a massive dump of Hallmark movies from 2023. There was A Biltmore Christmas, with time travel and a movie set at Biltmore, followed by Christmas Island with a stranded plane in Canada, then Christmas on Cherry Lane, with stories of different families over time and their holidays at the same address.

Financially set.

The mail included an unexpected check, and I almost reached out to a financial advisor for guidance. My financial future is probably now secure with the whopping 85 cents and a memo on the mailer that reads “retirement interest calculation correction.” Wow. I have 90 days to cash or deposit this wondrous bounty from the heavens. I wonder what effect this will have on my taxes. This might just boost me into the top 1% echelon of earners and now I can hobnob with the billionaires. 

random thoughts – Day 1,725 – (Friday) – snaps

Work was a long and slow day that lasted nearly forever. At 5:00, it was a quick change from jeans and a fleece into black dress pants and the green top with the Taipei tag in it. Lessons were learned. Continuing to eat like I’m still on vacation for the past two months meant that my favorite black pants didn’t fit tonight. They zipped, but only just barely. The legs felt like overstuffed sausage skins and if I sat, there was a high likelihood there would be worsted wool fiber shrapnel everywhere and people could be hurt. I had to wear the second favorite pair which are a bit more forgiving. 

Green top with snaps.

The top, which I really love, fastens entirely by small snaps diagonally from the center neck to the right armpit and down the side. That presented a challenge. 

Every time I moved my right arm the snap in the arm pit and one or two of those below it unfastened. I spent a crazy amount of time with my left hand in my right armpit as I fumbled to refasten the small snaps. I was glad I was wearing a base layer underneath the top. This design quirk may be why the top was in the thrift store where I found it. I will devise a more secure fastening system.

I arrived at Whistler House a few minutes before the start time mostly to increase my odds of scoring a parking spot. I got a glass of wine and tried to juggle it with a plate of cheese and veggies while not moving and causing my top to unsnap. 

Two colleagues arrived and there were many familiar faces in the place. There were artists, collectors, and supporters of the arts, many of whom I recognized from other events and only a few of whom I had a chance to chat with. 

The most famous of all in attendance was Whistler’s mother, who presided over the table of cheese, crackers, veggies, and fruit. She is depicted in a life-size recreation on canvas done by Edith Fairfax Davenport, James McNeill Whistler’s cousin. The original painting by Whistler painting lives in the D’Orsay Museum in Paris, but it’s great there is a version in his birthplace. And yes, I looked all that up.

Wannalancit smokestack tree seen from Merrimack Street.

Across a small courtyard from the 200 year-old main house, the Parker Gallery was filled with dining tables and a room filled with silent auction items. I took a few pictures, and now regret not taking more (common occurrence). From the parking lot on Worthen Street, and again on Merrimack Street, and even from part of my own street, the Wannalancit smokestack tree was visible. It's Lowell's winter equivalent of the Eiffel Tower, visible from many parts of town. 

On the way home, a paramedic SUV and three police cruisers blew by me. At the intersection of University and Pawtucket Street, a firetruck came from another direction and a few more cruisers. I was glad to arrive home where it is quiet.

random thoughts – Day 1,724 – (Thursday) – manufacturing stress

Morning snow against  the neighbor's house.

The forecast called for snow overnight Wednesday and into Thursday, but it was not snowy and the street was barely wet I woke up and looked outside. Other places weren’t as lucky and I was glad I wasn't at any of them. It began to snow around 9:00 and kept going for an hour or so, but I wasn’t really paying attention. It was barely a dusting on the lawn and then it was gone. I’m not sad about this.

The workday was reasonable and mostly stress-free, so that meant I had to shake things up with some self-inflicted aggravation. It’s the night before an event with a green and gold color theme. I found a green top a couple weeks ago, barely two hours after describing to a friend what I wanted. The default bottoms could be a basic black pant, and the only issue (for me) is that there isn’t much gold in the ensemble. 

There was a two-week cruise through Amazon and a couple not-quite-exactly-the-right color skirts and pants were found. Because they weren't exactly right, I delayed pushing the big old buy button hoping to find "exactly right" and by the time I decide "not-quite" would be okay, the delivery date had shifted from two days before the event to the day after it. Literally. In the course of five minutes. 

Tonight, at 5:00, I logged off the work computer, put on my coat, and launched myself into the traffic for a trek to St. Vincent de Paul. Marshall’s had already failed me earlier this week, and everyplace else was all the way across town or in another town. There was an itch for pants, a skirt, or a dress I could wear under the top, but it wasn’t a full blown desire/need.

At St. Vincent tonight, there was a peachy-gold sequin wrap dress at half off, making it a whopping $5. There are no fitting rooms so it is always a gamble buying clothes there, and I had on jeans and a fleece top that were too bulky to put the dress over to check fit, but $5 isn’t much of a gamble, so I bought it.

At home, the not-exactly gold-gold dress was tried on and it’s a smidge too small. It's not wearable as is, but if I had another week I could easily alter it. Conceivably, I could alter it tonight if I rearranged a bunch of stuff to make room and hauled out the sewing machine and stayed up late (likely swearing a lot), and once upon a time that would have happened, but I don’t feel that passionate (obsessive) about such things any more. So black pants it is. Unless the location of the winter white pants comes to me in a dream. They are either still packed away or were recently donated because I never wore them but hung on to them for years “just in case.” 

So, yeah, self-inflicted stress and aggravation was a rousing success tonight. And there is a dress I’ll be donating back to the thrift world real soon. But hey, I was out in society after work. Ok, it was the Society of St. Vincent de Paul thrift shop, but you get the idea. Tomorrow night will be the real social thing.

random thoughts – Day 1,723 – (Wednesday) – party mode commenced

The first festivity of the Christmas season is done and party mode has officially commenced. We had our Sales & Marketing gathering with a Yankee Swap at Cobblestone’s in Lowell. The restaurant is conveniently located across the street from our office, so we can wrap up work at 5:00 and be at our event by 5:05 – or 5:08 depending upon which floor the elevator is on. No driving or parking is required to get to the event and Cobblestone’s is in a lovely and historic building. Win, win, win.

The small function room is perfectly sized for our group. There was a steady stream of appetizers – cheese board, buffalo chicken eggrolls, burger sliders, rib eye grilled cheese, scallops, fried cauliflower, arancini – all of it delicious. We stood around and chatted about all manner of non-work things and ate the delicious appetizers.

For the Yankee Swap, we sat at small tables as the numbers were called and the gifts were opened. I had a lovely craft beer selection ever so briefly, but it was snatched from my grip by the same colleague from whom I stole the craft beer assortment last year. I guess I deserved it. And maybe next year, there needs to be more craft beer assortments (mental note made).

Gift received.

In the end, after my beer assortment was taken from me, I left with a lovely gift bag with a soft micromink/sherpa throw, Godiva travel mug with chocolates and tin of butter cookies. I love chocolates and butter cookies, but I have nearly enough blankets and throws at this point to open my own shop, the result of always complaining about being cold. Clearly it is time to cycle out the older throws and let the new ones come out to play. The hard part is the current throws were all gifted items and I have a hard time parting with gifts.

Our event is always fun and I know that well in advance, but it doesn’t stop me from getting all torqued up about shopping for the swap gift. I tend to overthink it (shocker to absolutely nobody). For example, alcohol is always popular and frequently stolen in the swap (this year a Tito's gift set was hot and stolen), but we almost always have a co-op who is not of legal drinking age on our team and some who don’t drink or keep alcohol in their homes, so I try to be mindful and bring something that isn’t alcohol. My grandmother always said a good gift is "one that you would like to receive," so I try to follow that guideline just in case I somehow end with the gift I brought.

The colleague who chose my gift of pasta, sauce, lemon wafers, and biscotti imported from Italy seemed happy with it, as in, they didn’t try to trade it away. I could have stolen it on my turn in the game because under Mummu’s gift guide I liked it, but I opted not to. Besides, I had lucked out with the craft beer (temporarily).

The festive season continues on Friday when a colleague and I attend a party on Friday at Whistler House Museum. Yes, Whistler, as in James McNeil Whistler. You may have heard of his mother. She’s kind of famous. His birthplace is an art museum in downtown Lowell and at Christmas, the place is decorated to the hilt like a magazine spread, and the auction selections are amazing.

random thoughts – Day 1,722 – (Tuesday) – yankee search

Past gifts for myself.

There was some running around today in preparation for the most stressful gift event of the season – tomorrow’s office party and $25 Yankee Swap immediately after work. Usually, I have great luck finding a great piece of local art and get to feel good about supporting a local artist. Past art gifts have included a fused glass piece, a wine bottle heated/melted into a cheese cutting board, and a small mandala painting. I loved the glass piece and the mandala so much that I bought versions for myself. Everybody wins!

This year our office party is a week or two earlier than in the past, putting it before some of the holiday art events. Last weekend I visited the Yuletide Market at City of Lights, a local art gallery/gift shop, and the National Park Service gift shop, and left empty-handed. 

Today, I worked downtown which gave me the chance to power shop on my lunch break. I went to two art gallery/gift shops that turned out to be closed on Tuesdays. Then I shifted the thinking to a gift card at a downtown restaurant. The first two places I checked weren’t open yet because they now only serve dinner. A third was open but doesn’t have gift certificates. The fourth wasn't open and the fifth had six people waiting to order food and it was clearly not the ideal time to be trying to buy a gift certificate. There were at least three other places I forgot about in my fast-paced Yankee search for the Yankee swap. I returned to my desk feeling mentally deflated but also physically energized from the cold air and speed walking. 

The gift thinking shifted again. A TJ Maxx gift card (yes, it has to be for there) is needed for a fundraiser event on Sunday, so after work a trip was made to a store in the TJX group to get the gift card and have a look around. The shoe department was visited because it was there, calling unto me as I entered the store. There was nothing I liked that was also in my size. Next, there was an unsuccessful dash through the pants, skirts, and dresses. The target was a component for an outfit for an event Friday night because the items in my Amazon cart weren’t bought last week when I first saw them and as of Monday when I was ready to open the wallet the delivery time had shifted from two days to five or six and wouldn’t deliver until after the event. Oops. I rarely find anything in this store, so it wasn't a surprise. Then I directed my energy and attention to the gift section of the store and the gift acquisition.

The office gift card and gift acquisition mission was accomplished. The Yankee Swap felt a bit more difficult this year and didn’t fulfill my desire to support a local artist or business, but at least it’s done. Now I just have to remember to take it with me in tomorrow. 

random thoughts – Day 1,721 – (Monday) – back and forth

The mostly unscientific study of long weekends has returned to a former and unsurprising conclusion. A four-day holiday weekend is not long enough. There was one day of the four (Friday) that was completely devoted to leisure (read: I neglected to make plans). Two days involved family dinners with massive quantities of food. On Saturday I forced myself out of the house, partly out of self-induced guilt, partly so I could honestly tell people I did something. 

That takes us to today. Yet another Monday and the reality of back to work. Accepting the reality that I won't be retiring any time soon feels like a life sentence. The workday held meetings and work and it wasn't terrible, but still. The end of it all is barely in sight. 

In other exciting events, there was trash and yard waste pickup today. My usual trash volume is half a trash bag, so if I didn't bother, the consequences would be few. Today there was no yard waste to be collected from my house. The leaves from the neighbor’s tree out back left the tree without landing in my yard, so I got lucky and dodged the autumnal bullet again. Plus, I haven’t done any yard clean up since last week’s pickup. Or maybe, it was two weeks ago.

Despite a half-hearted declaration of “maybe fasting” (ha ha) after the weekend of heavy eating, food was consumed today. Breakfast was skipped, and lunch was a sensible vegetable soup taken from the freezer, heated, and inhaled before a project meeting at 12:15. It’s the block time from after work until bedtime when I completely fall apart. 

Healthy supper.

There was a reasonably healthy supper, heavy on veggies. There was chopped broccoli, carrot, onion, and green beans sautéed with some leftover turkey and a scoop of fresh cranberry relish on the side. Yummy. I could feel the vitamins pulsing through my system.

After the healthy food, it was back to ingrained habits. Like a magician, I made a fistful of vanilla wafers and half a brick of sugar wafers disappear. They were dragged through my sister’s fluffy pumpkin dessert dip. Oops. So much for better eating habits. Maybe tomorrow (read: the delusions will likely continue).

random thoughts – Day 1,720 – (Sunday) – feast mode

Captain's platters.

The Thanksgiving family feasting continued today. Nine of us gathered S. S. Lobster in Fitchburg for lunch. At our tables, there were three massive Captain’s Platters with fried scallops, clams, shrimp, lobster, haddock and French fries, with each platter being shared by two people. There was a scallop plate, a baked haddock with rice pilaf dinner, a chicken tender dinner with fries, and an enormous basket of onion rings. There was also melted butter, tartar sauce, cole slaw, and cocktail sauce. Leftovers (not much, really) were packed into boxes. 

After lunch, we went to my sister’s house for dessert of Tres Leches cake made by my eldest niece. On Tuesday, her husband returns home to Vegas and work, but she will be with us for another few weeks.

Tres leches cake.

The huge midday feeding made it a one-meal day. There was no way I wanted to (or could) eat anything else afterward. It’s possible I won’t need to eat tomorrow, either. I’m hoping that I’m done with massive meals until Christmas, but it could be tricky. My event calendar has filled up a bit, and this week has Christmas gatherings two nights after work with menus of heavy hors d’oeuvres. One of those days also includes a team meeting with pizza lunch brought in, so it will be a challenge and take some pacing this week. 

It’s probably a good idea to rejoin the gym. Like, immediately. Maybe I should start walking to work, too. And fast on the non-event days this week. 

random thoughts – Day 1,719 – (Saturday) – yuletide market and parade

Kiki contemplating sunshine.

While I drank coffee and let the entire morning slip away, in between asking for head rubs, Kiki sat in a shaft of sunlight. Perhaps she was contemplating life. Or sunshine. Then, she did something I’ve never seen her do until today. She batted her stuffed fish toy around the dining room. It was a feline miracle at The BungaLowell. When she saw me watching her she stopped. Little Kiki seems to still be a little self-conscious. I get it. Happens to me too, Little Boo.

Besides rejoicing in Kiki playing with her toy, there were other things to be done today. The Saturday after Thanksgiving is the City of Lights event in Lowell so I spent the morning psyching myself up to leave the house. Before heading downtown, the tires needed air. The low-pressure sensor went off again earlier in the week. I am so over the temperature changes and the tire pressure. It took two stops to get the air because the air machine was out of service at the station where I got gas and I had to find another.

This year’s City of Lights event featured a Yuletide Market at JFK Plaza. Several heated tents housed art vendors, which were easier to browse than other events where the artists were all in one tent and it got really crowded. Several warming stations featured chairs and small campfire heaters. The Rotary Club had a toasted marshmallow station, there was a stage for bands, and there were likely more things I didn’t see. It was cold out, but not wicked cold.

Witches dance at the Yuletide Market.

After watching the New England Witches Guild perform three dances at 3:30, I walked over to The Brush Art Gallery and Studios to check out the member show I neglected to enter, this year’s edition of the Wreath Festival, and browse the artist studio shops. From there, it was back out to the cold. 

Walking the two blocks to Merrimack Street allowed time to decide if I would be staying for the parade at 4:30. The sidewalk had filled with people who had staked out their concrete real estate for the parade. I walked in the direction of the garage I parked in, which was also in the direction the parade would be coming from. 

UML Marching Band.

I ended up staying downtown. The parade began with the Lowell Police motorcycle squad and LPD vehicles, followed by the Fire Department. There were marching bands from Lowell High and UMASS Lowell and the musicians seemed to float down the street with the smooth marching band steps. 

The LHS ROTC cadets floated by in their tidy and crisp uniforms and twirled their blue rifles. There were Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. A dance troupe of the tiniest kids with metallic shakers executed precise footwork that was fancier than the marching band and military steps. There were floats scattered in.

After a half hour, I couldn't tell how much longer the parade would go, but my cell battery was definitely on the way out, and I was tired of standing there alone in the crowd of couples, friend groups, and families. It was time to head home.

Three hours after arriving home, I was sitting under a blanket and drinking Raspberry Zinger tea. I still hadn’t shaken the chill from outdoors, and can’t wait to go to bed. The current ideal combination of coverings is a top sheet, a puff, a handmade quilt, a duvet cover that is too difficult to put a blanket into but it is the covering where the bed and the room make sense, and a logo velour/sherpa blanket that was a work gift several years ago. I’m eager to test the comfort level again tonight.