random thoughts – Day 1,444 – (Thursday) – wind and cake

The morning began with a thumping, thwacking sound. While the coffee brewed, I ran to the windows and looked out the door to see if maybe the gate to the deck or the front fencing was unlatched and blowing in the wind. Mine were okay, but the next-door neighbor’s fence and gate were not so good. The fence is tall, maybe eight feet, with no lattice feature on the top for wind to pass through, so it takes a beating on the windy days.

Wind warning.

Last night’s and today’s wind was hammering the tall gate in the neighbor’s tall fence. The gate was blowing back and slamming into the fence panel. The fencepost the gate latches onto looked shredded and the endcap was gone.

A high wind warning had been issued on Wednesday in effect until 7:00 am today. The wind failed to heed the stop time of the warning and blew continuously all day, slamming the neighbor's gate back and forth into their fence. My own house creaked and groaned and made noises not heard before. 

The wind warning included a note that "People should avoid being outside in forested areas and around trees and branches." It was a good day to be working remotely and not leave the house. At all. You know, better safe than sorry.

While the wind raged outside, work ticked along inside. There was much progress. Projects were approved. Lists were updated.

Then, the post-work domestic front saw progress. Being Leap Day, it felt like something special should happen. And being windy, it was not going to be a gym day. Lately, I'll do anything to avoid going to the gym, and especially when there are million mile an hour winds gusting outside. So I baked a cake. 

Let me eat cake!

It was from a boxed carrot cake mix my sister gave me, with canned frosting bought a couple months ago for the mix. I couldn’t remember the last time I baked a cake from a box mix, but there I was, blending and mixing and adding fresh grated carrots, raisins, and chopped walnuts to the batter because I could. 

It baked. It cooled. It was frosted. One-fourth of the double layer masterpiece was consumed. Because that’s how I roll. 

Meanwhile, the new roomie, Queen Kiki, relaxed behind the couch and on the chair. She resisted my efforts to coax her out so I could stroke her little face. I’m trying to work up to brushing her pretty kitty coat, but the one time I was able to grab the brush and get it near her, she bolted back behind the couch. Someday, maybe. But not today.

random thoughts – Day 1,443 – (Wednesday) – gray with pizza

The temperature was in the 50s again today, for the third, maybe the fourth day. And I was freezing for the fourth day that I’ve recently been paying attention to it. My favorite place lately is in bed, under the optimal combination of four bed coverings over the top sheet – a puff, then a quilt, then the duvet cover that is too annoying to get the puff or the quilt into, topped by a sherpa-backed blanket. It’s amazing.

Gray day, gray day.

The skies were cloudy and gray. The streets were wet with rain, and the driveway had the rainy day massive puddle. While drinking the daily pre-work coffee, I tried to determine if the sounds I was hearing were rain hitting the house, or the heating system which is either getting louder or my hearing is becoming more acute from listening for kitty cat noises.

 Downtown at the parking garage, the basement level was closed again while water was being pumped out. I ended up on the fourth level of the water park, where it rained freely from the fifth level in several areas. Some things don't change.

Fourth level water park.

Work featured a team meeting with pizza, one of my favorite food groups (another thing that doesn't seem to change). A colleague spoke to us about the Bank’s community relations and philanthropy function, which was really interesting.

The lunch meeting started a solid hour after I usually eat lunch, and I was hungry enough to eat off my own arm by the time it was pizza time. So of course, I overate. A couple hours later, a nap would have been great. For the record, when I rule the world, there will be naps for all adults who want them. They will be built into all work schedules.

I was home for an hour before I found Kiki. I checked all the recent usual spots – on the stairs, behind the living room chair, behind the couch – and the less frequented – in the hidey house bed, in the carrier. She changed up her relaxation spot, and was finally spotted tucked away behind the far end of the couch, hidden by the drapes. Two hours later, she was still there. It seems she has found her replacement for the box spring. For today, anyway.

random thoughts – Day 1,442 – (Tuesday) – noisy blooms

Today was a walk through the valley of what the effs. At 1:30 a.m., one of the detectors woke me up with the annoying chirping sounds. Of course it did. That stuff never happens during daylight awake hours. Not at The BungaLowell, anyway. 

Hello, 1:30 a.m.

There are six units in the house from multiple manufacturers (of course), with two for smoke, three for carbon monoxide, and one for smoke and carbon monoxide. There are two units in the basement, two on the main level, and two upstairs. 

I almost buried my head under an extra pillow, but then I worried that Kiki might be scared by the noise. I hauled myself out of bed, and started checking units. A carbon monoxide detector in the basement was replaced in December and ruled out. It was finally determined to be the living room Kidde smoke and carbon monoxide detector and the step stool was pulled from its space near the fridge to open it up and replace the three batteries in the chamber.

It turned out it didn’t need batteries. The label inside the unit declared it to have reached the end of its ten years of useful life in January and it was emitting the death chirps. If it wasn't already dead, I might have stomped the heck out of it or smashed it to bits with a hammer. 

The rude awakening, detector search, battery search, and step stool dragging had me extra alert and wide awake. I ended up looking online at smoke and carbon monoxide detectors at 2:00 a.m. Of course, since the unit was installed, it has changed product numbers a couple times. The KN-COSM-B was replaced with the KN-COSM-BA which then became the 900-CUDR. In case you are wondering. This is knowledge I could have lived the rest of my life not knowing. 

Hopefully, the unit delivering tomorrow will fit into the existing harness on the ceiling, or there will be some colorful language happening as I swear my way through trying install a different one. OR screaming at a rep from Kidde customer service about the product info and FAQs on their website.

The garden of WTFs continued to bloom throughout the day. I saw that Kiki had clawed the edge of the  living room chair. It took 11 frustrating minutes to log into the work computer. It’s a steady 68 degrees in the house, and for at least the past four days I have been extra cold, despite being swaddled in fleece and wearing a hat. I finally got curious enough to take my temperature and it was a surprising new low of  96.4 degrees – practically that of a corpse. 

Kiki and her royal seat.

During the afternoon, a neighbor and a couple other people were in the shared driveway right outside my office window. They dragged a kayak from the yard onto the asphalt. They blasted some crappy country music and then yelled to each other over it. In turn, I blasted middle eastern belly dance music on my computer as loud as I could make it, in an effort to drown the country out of my office. It was the same tracks in YouTube Music that I use at the office-office when it gets noisy.

After work, the search for pet insurance resumed. It turns out there are abut 726 companies offering pet insurance with about 726 variations in coverage, and since the search began a few days ago, they have all been bombarding my inbox and social media feed. And the ads for “coverage as low as $9 a months?” Ha! Good luck with that treasure hunt.

At least my supper didn’t land on the floor like Monday night. Kiki was a little angel lounging and napping on the living room chair all afternoon. She let me pet her again, but when I retired to the living room for some Netflix and laptop time, she left the chair and sat on the floor behind the chair and peeked at me for two hours. It was the sweetest two hours of the day, and I was so busy cooing, “Kiki is such a good girl” from across the room that I didn’t mutter “what in the actual f*ck” even once, in a refreshing change from the afternoon. 

random thoughts – Day 1,441 – (Monday) – banned and benefits

Peeking out from
the hidey bed.

Banning Kiki from the bedroom continues to deliver results. Today, she finally noticed her little hidey-hole bed that has sat under the buffet for a week with the tag still on it. It was almost an accident that I saw her peering out at me with one eye. Once I saw her, and she saw that  I had seen her, she vacated the little hut and I felt like I’d stolen her joy. At least I finally removed the tag. 

Later, she was curled up on the living room chair, where she remained for several hours. Being banned from the bedroom is becoming the gift that keeps in giving. To me, anyway. Kiki (sometimes also now called "Keeks") let me pop into the room a couple times to say “Hi, Kiki,” and didn’t move until I came into the living room with my supper and she ran behind the couch. 

About that supper … It was an adventure in two attempts. The planned meal was leftover rice, veggies, and chicken which had been baked with cream of mushroom soup and cheese. I heated a plate of it, and as I lowered it from the lofty, NBA player height microwave mounted over the stove, the plate flipped and the whole thing landed on the floor. Somehow, the plate didn’t break, but there was rice and sauce dripping from the stove, down the front of the oven door, and in a mess on the floor.

Supper down.

Perhaps the biggest surprise is that this hadn’t happened before. The blessing was that it wasn’t a bowl of scalding hot soup. It may be an economical use of kitchen space mounting the microwave up high, but huge chunks of the adult population can’t even reach it. And then there is the potential hot lava flow for everyone. 

The most surprising element of the entire mess was that I didn't swear. I just got busy cleaning it up. Perhaps Kiki is turning me into a more civilized human. 

After the mess was cleaned up, the last bit of the stuff in the baking dish, intended for Tuesday’s lunch, was heated up for take two of Monday’s supper. By then, I had already decided against attending salsa class. There was no real reason to blow it off beyond aggravation. If there had been anyone around to bounce the idea off, I would have attended class as intended when I signed up four weeks ago. Instead, it was slacker-ville and watching Emily in Paris on Netflix. Again.

After hauling in the recently delivered cat food and treats from the front steps, I checked for Kiki, who hadn’t been seen or heard from for at least an hour. She was reclining on the stairs, and let me stroke her cheeks and head and massage her shoulders. She is such a little sweetheart and I am smitten. And a bit less sweary.

random thoughts – Day 1,440 – (Sunday) –tough love

The week of feeling tired and less than 100% continued and I stayed home from dance. There were no technique class and performance group sessions for me this morning. Our March performance date has been delayed to September, so there was less urgency for me to push things.

It was a morning of coffee, the puzzle, and Kiki’s gentle meows.

Last night, worried about the eventual need to visit the vet with Kiki and worried I wouldn’t be able to coax her out of the box spring when that time comes, slightly dramatic action was taken. I waited for Kiki to exit the bedroom, and when she did, I sprinted upstairs and closed the door, cutting her off from the box spring fortress.

It felt bold, mean, and necessary. I was afraid she would get too comfortable in the box spring and the longer it goes on, the more difficult it would be to get her out.

When she returned to the top of the stairs expecting to return to the corner of the cozy box spring, there was some meowing at the closed door. When I climbed the stairs, talking in gentle, quiet tones, she sprinted downstairs and huddled in a corner near a cabinet in the dining room. During the afternoon, I was eventually able to get close enough to her to stroke her face, which hadn’t happened since last Saturday. A couple times, she went back upstairs and meowed at the door.

When I went to bed Saturday night, the door was left open with the expectation that Kiki would return to the bedroom, but it seemed she stayed downstairs all night. Maybe she was punishing me for the earlier closed door.

At 5:45 this morning, her plaintive meows carried up the stairs. When I finally arose and closed the bedroom door behind me, she was reclining next to her litter box which held the daily deposit. I told her what a good girl she is. I tell her this a lot.

Banned from the bedroom.

The bedroom door remained shut all day and Kiki hung around in the living room. She stayed behind the couch most of the day, silent as a statue. Later, she came out from the couch and camped out on the steps. 

Several times, she let me get close enough to touch her.  There were no attempts to flee. No signs of aggression or hostility. She closed her eyes and pressed the side of her head into my fingers as I stroked her cheek. She lifted her butt against my hand as I patted her from head to tail. It was exhilarating. For me, anyway. And Kiki didn’t seem to object.

It felt like some horrible feline tough love to blockade her from the bedroom, but it also felt like progress.

random thoughts – Day 1,439 – (Saturday) – slightly sideways

The day skidded sideways before it even began. The itinerary included the Finnish breakfast at Saima Park in Fitchburg, followed by a visit to the booth at the antiques co-op with Mom, then a 12:00 appointment back in Lowell. After that, the afternoon was free.

The schedule would require leaving The BungaLowell around 7:30, which is a half hour earlier than a work day. At 6:00, the alarm went off and was promptly snoozed. I was tired. I had felt tired all week and this morning was no different. I rolled over and went back to sleep. At 7:30, I woke up long enough to call Mom to let her know that, due to the late hour and the whole time and distance thing, she didn’t need to look for me or save me a seat at breakfast. And I went back to sleep.

Formally adopted.

When I woke up again, it was 9:15. Most of the morning was gone, but I felt a lot less tired and a little more human.

As I was stepping into the shower, I remembered that I still belong to a gym and the freed schedule left an opening to go there. I proceeded with the shower instead.

The noon appointment was at the Humane Society to do Kiki’s adoption paperwork. For some reason, the paperwork last week was for a Foster Volunteer. Today was the actual formal adoption paperwork and payment of the adoption fee. 

After the Human Society, I went to St. Vincent de Paul, located down the street. I saw a colleague there, and we had a chance to chat about a variety of topics. I found two blouses, one new with tags, and two "Portion Perfection" bowls, both new with tags. The total was a very wallet-friendly $6. 

Portion Perfection bowls.

I did an online search of the bowls at home and learned they are part of a program developed for diabetics, weight control, and post-bariatric surgery. I got them because they were only sixty cents each and seemed cool with the measurements marked inside. I bet the five giant iced oatmeal cookies I ate today are not part of the food plan that works with the bowls.

The rest of the afternoon was spent with the oddly difficult puzzle and starting a pot of vegetable soup. Kiki was upstairs in her box spring feline fortress and command post, except for one brief moment when she came to the stairs and meowed. When I peeked up at her, she ran back into the bedroom and I didn’t see or hear from her again for hours. 

I need to somehow make physical contact with her and get her new purple collar with the golden name tag onto her neck. And the Humane Society rep said they recommend a vet visit within ten days of adoption, but I have no idea how I’ll be able to corral her into a carrier to get her to the vet at this stage of the game. Maybe I can haul in the box spring fortress?

random thoughts – Day 1,438 – (Friday) – working it

Today there was another volunteer opportunity for a chunk of the day. Several of us convened at Anton’s Cleaners to finish unpacking the rest of the shoes for the Bell of the Ball event in April. Five of us spent 3.5 hours unpacking all manner of sparkly thong sandals, ballet flats, and sky-high heels of all manner of strappy-ness and colors.

A small section the shoe project.

It was going great at my little work station which consisted of a couple cartons stacked for a work surface for additional cartons set on top to be unpacked. I was a model of efficiency, tearing through the process of unpacking, zip-tying, and shoe placements like I was Mummu when she worked at the yarn factory and being paid piece-work. At least that is what I imagined. 

It was going swimmingly until the last few minutes of the shift. I was opening a carton with a pair of scissors and I am not even sure how it happened, but my finger and the scissor blade had an intimate encounter. My finger was sliced. Right (dominant) hand, middle finger, at an angle into the fleshy part of the finger pad above the joint. 

It bled. It gushed. It dripped in surprising and glorious abundance. It overflowed a bandage, then a second one. A colleague helped me with a doubled over gauze pad covered with a larger bandage and I kept it elevated for a couple minutes and that took care of it enough so I could finish the carton I was working on.

After Anton’s there was a quick stop across the street to Market Basket because I had forgotten to grab some lunch before I left the house and MB was in the prime location to offer the best solution. The prepared meals section yielded a two-pack of egg salad rolls. Best fast food ever. I also got some iced oatmeal cookies and a box of bandages for home.

The afternoon was spent in the office, running through the to-do list and checking on statuses. Next week’s list was set up, and then it was time to leave. The best part about leaving was having plans for a drink at Warp & Weft with a colleague. We had a nice chat and shared some sweet potato fries and a flatbread before heading to our respective homes.

Back at home, Kiki had eaten some of her food and was back in the box spring. I peeked in, said hello, and left her a treat offering before stopping at the puzzle for a few minutes.

For a short week it’s been very tiring, and I'm glad it's over and I can’t wait to go to bed. Sometime after I am in bed, Kiki will have a wander about the house and do whatever it is she quietly does. She’s not a mischief maker, and nothing is out of order in the morning when I get up. She doesn’t seem to have discovered her toys, which are always on the rug, exactly where I tossed them days ago.

random thoughts – Day 1,437 – (Thursday) – puzzlements

At 6:00 this morning, there was meowing. Not super loud, but audible from downstairs as I was in bed thinking about getting up. I went downstairs, partly because it was nearly time for the alarm to ring anyway, and partly to investigate the melodic tones emitted by the cat. In an open room! Where I could see her! Not tucked away inside the box spring!

I stood at the bottom of the stairs, looking at her sweet little face. She sat next to her litter box, peering at me from between the legs of a chair. She turned to her left and started walking as if to the next room, or potentially towards me. I moved to my right, potentially towards her, hoping for the chance to give her a little face rub, which she seemed to enjoy on Saturday. That’s when she cut hard to her right and bolted for the stairs I was no longer blocking. Totally faked me out. Points to the crafty cat.

There was a pile of deposited material in the litter box, and I puzzled over whether she was calling attention to her work or demanding I clean the box. Maybe she was testing the waters to see how much control she will have in this relationship. (I think we all know the answer to that one, and it's Kiki for the win.)

The only times I saw her majesty after the musical wakeup call were the couple times I went upstairs to peek into the box spring palace. I wonder if she would like me to put some little pillows in there.

After work I finished filing my taxes. I’d rather scoop poop out of the litter box. It’s not a complicated return, but it still gave me a headache every time I did any work on it. Every time I have a donation picked up by Big Brothers Big Sisters or Epilepsy Foundation, I make a list of the items. I found four email receipts from Epilepsy Foundation pickups, but only two lists. Unfortunately, Big Brothers Big Sisters leaves paper receipts and it’s anyone’s guess where those currently are, and no lists were found for BBBS. Not that it would matter. There couldn’t possibly be enough to boost the total deductions over the standard deduction in a way that would make much of a difference. Now it’s all done except for waiting for the refunds. Thank goodness.

Stupid puzzle.

After the tax filing, it was over to the hardest puzzle ever attempted. There was some actual progress, which is difficult with the overhead lighting that causes glare on the pieces and which causes my head to casts shadows. 

Overall, it was quite a day of puzzlements. Cat, taxes, puzzle. Oy.

random thoughts – Day 1,436 – (Wednesday) – light day

It was Wednesday, and the commute was easier than usual thanks to February school vacation week. The office was also unusually quiet and our “all hands on deck” day was a little light on hands for most of the day. The light attendance wasn’t due to school vacation, though. A couple colleagues were on location at a video shoot and a couple more were out of the office.

Despite the smaller crew, things were still accomplished. Logjams that hindered project progress for months were finally broken. Things were approved. Ads were delivered. Overall, it was much better than the average tolerable day.

To cap it off, the ride home was civilized with light traffic. It was magic. No, really.

She isn't really tempted yet.

Back at home, there was the search for the cat with no official name, but it’s really leaning towards “Kiki.” This is what keeps coming out of my mouth when I peer into her fortress of solitude and comfort in the box spring, hoping to lure her out with a trail of Temptations Mix Ups treats. These are her favorites according to the foster care person she stayed with, but she does not appear to be tempted. The previous offerings were still where I left them. That feels mixed up.

Once again, she thudded down the stairs as I sat on the couch after supper. Tonight, I was chuckling to one of Taylor Tomlinson’s standup shows on Netflix (Have it All in case you want to check it out) and it was my first sighting of her outside the confines of the box spring today. She paused in the dining room to look at me, before turning around and going back upstairs.

Somewhere along the journey back up the staircase, she meowed a couple times. I have no clue what she's trying to tell me, but I went upstairs, clutching the bag of treats and found her back in the box spring castle. At least I know where to look for her, until she finds another spot.

random thoughts – Day 1,435 – (Tuesday) – retreating

Thursdays are usually my preferred weeknight to be out socializing. This used to be satisfied at least once each month with book club, but several months ago, our meetings were switched to Tuesdays. A different Tuesday each month has long been occupied with a board meeting and ever since the book club change, the weeks are a little confused.

FUN-Raiser.

This week had another Tuesday night event, making three consecutive busy Tuesday nights this month. Tonight’s event was  a social “FUN-raiser” organized by the studio artists of The Brush Art Gallery and Studios. I "plucked a duck" and won a 15 minute portrait sketch session donated by one of the artists. 

Being out felt more like a Thursday night than a Tuesday due to several factors. The place was packed at 5:30, for one thing, far more than the usual Tuesday 6:00 book club night crowd and vibe at the same establishment. I hated sounding a retreat so early (7:00), but I know myself and having too many activities early in the week is a recipe for me to feel burned out by Thursday. 

Once upon a time, being out every night was the norm, but since I turned into a homebody who loves a long night’s sleep, being out at evening social functions requires more work and preparation. Like vitamins, which are commonly available, naps which are not available during the workday, and a pep talk to rally myself out of the house. .

Kitty has continued her search for the ultimate hiding place. Today, I couldn’t find her under the bed, behind the couch, or in the corner behind the chair. After several hours, I remembered how my friends had to saw my box spring in half to get it up the stairs when I moved in. Note: box spring is a misnomer as there isn’t a single spring inside the box, just lots of wood framing.

The slices on each side of the so-called box spring had been taped with an inferior imposter of Duck Tape, but that fell off ages ago and it wasn’t a big deal with the dogs and not like I had a ferret or a snake to worry about. I wondered if it was possible that the slinky cat had gotten into the box spring through the sliced fabric on the side. It required the cell phone to see into the space, but sure enough, there was the cat, who had backed herself into the furthest corner.

Kitty puts herself in the corner.

When I returned from the evening event, cat food had been withdrawn from the bowl and the litter box had a deposit. And the cat was nowhere in sight. A couple hours later, she ventured downstairs while I watched TV. For a cat that can disappear as silently as a shadow, she makes a rather noisy entrance thumping down the stairs.

When she went into the kitchen, I stood to get to the bag of treats to use to try and capture her attention. She heard me stand and peeled out of the kitchen in a very ungraceful and hasty retreat, skidding sideways on the wood floor before gaining traction on the area rug and then the carpeting on the stairs. And she was gone.

I tiptoed up the stairs, which is pointless because they creak and groan. I had a peace offering in the form of the bag of Temptations treats, alleged to be her favorites. I peeked in at her, tucked in the corner of her box spring fort. I inserted my hand with the treats before realizing I could be there like that all night.  A treat was planted on the edge of the wood frame of the box spring, and a couple on the floor,  and for the second time tonight, I retreated.

random thoughts – Day 1,434 – (Monday) – kitty watch

The Monday holiday was a delightful blend of relaxation, household chores, and intrigue.

Puzzle!

Despite intending to sleep late, I was up at the usual hour, so that part was technically a fail, but it’s okay. Coffee consumption was accompanied by building a hard puzzle started on Sunday. The morning passed quietly and at a civilized pace. 

While laundry was underway, eggs were whisked and combined with various veggies and baked in muffin cups for quick and portable breakfasts. 

After putting away some groceries, I saw a text from 30 minutes earlier from my travel friends with dates and information so we could all book a fall vacation trip. There was a great price on it a few days ago, but it had suddenly increased by a lot while we were all still checking dates. We agreed that if the price came back down, we would pounce and book. The price drop happened today and as soon as I saw the text message, I was on the website and my flight and the all-inclusive hotel were booked. It is nice to have something to look forward to.

In tonight’s salsa class, we worked on partnered turns again. I remembered to use hand cream so I was less self-conscious about having dry hands, but they were still freezing cold. I forgot about my plan to bring back gloves as a fashion item.

Kitty watch.

In Day Three of the Kitty Chronicles, the cat with no name hid under the bed all morning. During the afternoon, she emerged and camped out on the top step, just like Winston used to do. A couple times she meowed, but when I came to the staircase, she bolted back into the bedroom. 

After salsa class, she came down a couple steps and peered at me from through the railings. As long as I remained at the table with the puzzle, we were good, but if I got up, she would disappear. 

When I moved to the living room, she ventured all the way down the stairs to the dining room, stood in the living room doorway and meowed, then ran back upstairs. A few minutes later, she came back downstairs, ran into the kitchen, meowed, and ran back upstairs, back under the bed. I'm not sure what she was telling me. Maybe I was supposed to go back to the table so she could monitor me from the stairs. In any event, it feels like progress.

random thoughts – Day 1,433 – (Sunday) – hide and seek

 Kitty, reputed to be shy and reclusive, is living up to the description. Last night, she was under the dining table until she slipped off like a ninja and disappeared. Later, I found her under the bed, nestled against the wall.

When I came downstairs to make coffee this morning, she was stretched across a step halfway down the staircase. She bolted when she saw me. She’s quick and crafty, and for the next couple hours, the kitty who has not yet been renamed was nowhere to be found.

After dance class and lunch with my sister and Dad, I checked all the spots she had found yesterday. Little Miss Elusive was nowhere to be found. Of course, the search was hindered by her black coat, which makes it impossible to find her shadowy spaces. 

Several hours later another search was conducted. This time, I moved the storage bags that are under the bed and found her nestled between a couple bags stuffed with summer shirts and shorts. She looked at me and blinked. I’m glad she found a place where she feels comfortable and she’ll probably have a roster of different ones tomorrow, but that’s okay.

The advance preparations for the arrival of the cat included near daily Amazon drops. There were deliveries of a litter box, pellet litter, a raised food bowl set, cat toys, a mat for under the food bowls, and the piece de resistance, a cabinet to house the litter box and provide privacy. That one was a tricky to assemble alone but it was Friday night's accomplishment.

Cat cabinet.
Assembly was required.

The shopping and deliberation over that cabinet was exhausting. It stemmed from the narrow space between the toilet and vanity being about an inch shy of accommodating a litter box of any size. If the box was going to have to be located  elsewhere, there needed to be another solution. 

It turns out there are solutions, and an entire industry devoted to furniture designed for cats and small pets. It also turned out that Wayfair and Amazon carry a lot of the same items, but with different shipping schedules and pricing. Amazon won on both fronts and the cabinet with some assembly required was delivered in two days.

The cabinet that was chosen was initially intended for the living room, but it made the room feel too full of furniture. Now it’s in the never used dining room. Just like the overall kitty integration, it’s going to take a few stages to move the litter box and introduce the cabinet. Meanwhile, I’ll likely continue to amuse myself by shopping for additional cat accoutrements.

random thoughts – Day 1,432 – (Saturday) – inside and out

The highlight of the day was several weeks in the making. It involved visits to a website that increased in frequency to reach what might be considered stalker level. The usual mental hoops and gymnastics before engaging in pretty much anything included questions like “Do I really want this?” and “Am I ready for this?”

The location of the stalking was the Lowell Humane Society website and the subject of my attention was a female Domestic shorthair Tuxedo kitty called Stanley. And today was the day I got to take her home. The schedule was shuffled and some plans were cancelled to accommodate picking up Stanley and spending time acclimating her to the house.

The bio for Stanley (soon to be renamed, but I don’t know to what) noted she is a shy gal, and during the Zoom meeting earlier in the week, the foster volunteer said she doesn’t like to be held, and is either really quiet or super talkative. I didn’t really know what to expect.

During the ride home, little girl meowed when the car was in motion, making her quite the vocal back seat driver. She was quiet during red lights. When the door to the carrier was opened, she bolted for the living room, where she promptly hid behind a chair. She stayed hidden most of the afternoon. Behind the couch. Behind the chair. In the corner of the dining room. Under the table.

Sometimes she was staring in my direction, other times she seemed to be doing anything she could do to not look at me. Knowing what I heard about her shyness and hermit tendencies, it wasn't a surprise. It will just take some time.

Fire and ice on Palmer St.

I had to leave for a couple hours to attend the WinterFest Sponsor event that I thought was last night. The festival had some great stuff. Palmer street had fire sculptures on one side of the street and ice sculptures on the other. 

Middle Street had circular swings that lit up in different colors after dark. Bands performed in the tents, crowded with festival attendees. In a parking lot near a music tent, brightly colored Adirondack chairs circled ground level fire heaters, and elsewhere, standing heaters warmed chilly attendees. 

At the sponsor event
at Cobblestone’s, a jazz band performed on the third floor. On the second and third levels, wait staff passed trays with chicken sliders, beet bruschetta, and shrimp something or other. Buffet tables held pasta dishes, Caesar salad, fajitas, and a charcuterie spread.

Somebody's watching me.

When I arrived home, the place was as quiet as a tomb and kitty was nowhere to be seen. I checked all the known spots from earlier and finally found her behind the living room chair, curled up next to the doumbek drum in its case, untouched since the pandemic slammed into life after I took one class.

Ninety minutes after arriving home, kitty was still behind the chair, peering at me. I can’t find any evidence that she has eaten, had any water, or used the litter box. She’s probably still trying to figure out what the heck is going on and where she is. She just needs some time.

random thoughts – Day 1,431 – (Friday) – bright and brisk

The drive to the office was lighter than usual and the streets were nearly deserted. There was a stop at the Post Office to mail a package and I still arrived at the office on time.

The streets were wet from the snow that fell overnight and the bright morning sun reflected off the surface in a retina burning manner. Unfortunately, I had forgotten the sunglass clips for my glasses, and when I pulled into the dark garage, I couldn’t see.

There were available parking spots on the second level, which is a rarity. By the time my eyes adjusted to the shade of the garage, I was back outside being blinded by the bright sunshine and whipped by the blustery wind. 

Closer to the Bank, the preparations had already been made for WinterFest, which began tonight at 6:00. A tent occupied the lawn at St. Anne’s episcopal Church for the chocolate fest and a large tent had been planted in the bank’s parking lot for the musical performances.

Colorful barriers.

All day long, while running through projects, the thoughts percolating in the back of my mind were about the Sponsor’s Party across the street at Cobblestone’s Restaurant at 5:00. I imagined sampling the array of appetizers that are usually laid out on a buffet table. By 4:30, music wafted up to our office suite from the performance tent in the bank’s parking lot below and my mind was drifting to the party. It was during a conversation with a colleague at that time that I was made aware that the event was not Friday night, it's on Saturday night. Oops. It seems I might need to slow down and digest the information in emails before I rush to add entries to my calendar and get excited about them.

Sesame sprinkled.

I was thrilled to at least know this information before I showed up at the restaurant a day in advance like a total goofball. Dodging a bit of embarrassment was a relief, but it kind of ruined my Friday supper meal plan that would require no cooking. The walk to the garage after work featured colorfully painted concrete barriers closing off Palmer Street that had been set during the day. 

Once at home, the cast iron skillet was set on the stove and the refrigerator was ravaged. Cabbage, broccoli, carrot, mushroom, green pepper, and onion all met the blade of my favorite knife and were tossed into the pan for a brisk sizzle. Szechuan sauce and rice were added, and once spooned into the bowl, a toss of toasted sesame seeds finished it off. Fast and tasty, just how I like it. 

random thoughts – Day 1,430 – (Thursday) – still not CSB

January dragged like it was a year long and February is flying. These past two weeks have disappeared in a blink. The Lowell Winter Festival is already this weekend and Presidents Day is Monday. Cripes! I hope the long weekend drags at the glacial pace that January inflicted on us. In general, a pace between pond scum slow and lightning fast would also be appreciated. Is that too much to ask? Just wondering.

At 4:54, there was a phone call from a number that flashed as “Illinois.” I expected it to be a telemarketer using a ZoomInfo list and looking for “Nancy” but answered it anyway out of curiosity. Nope. Not for Nancy this time.

Oh, CSB.

It was a DoorDash driver, calling to inform “CSB,” who seems to still have my phone number listed on their account, that McDonald’s was out of something in their order. This hasn’t happened since January and I thought maybe the problem had been resolved. Nope. 

For about the 10^th time in six months, it isn’t my order, partly because I have never ordered anything using DoorDash. The number had shown as “Illinois,” so I mentioned I was in Massachusetts. The driver said he was in Massachusetts too, in Billerica. There's a clue. Anybody know "CSB" in Billerica?

I explained the phone number situation, just like I have done with a couple other drivers who have called with order issues in the past. That's when I noticed there had also been an earlier text update.

At 4:58, there was another call from another number and another person with DoorDash about the same order. This seems to be protocol. The second caller said the order would be cancelled. This was followed by a text message about the cancellation. None of which CSB, the actual customer, received.

Better than McDonald's.

My own supper was not a McDonald’s menu offering. At least not here in America. Maybe in Greece, but I'm guessing. It was half of a spanikopita twirl with stuffed grape leaves and Kalamata olives, from Market Basket via my refrigerator. 

I can’t stop wondering if CSB ever got any supper and just how mad they are at McDonald's and DoorDash. I also wonder if they aren’t at least a little curious about why, since August, they haven’t received text updates about their orders. 

Maybe it will prompt them to check their account and discover my phone number. We’ll see. Possibly to be continued. If CSB falls back into the original pacing of August, it will be in about two weeks. The way February is sprinting through time, it will fee like five minutes from now.

random thoughts – Day 1,429 – (Wednesday) – vee day

This may have been the best Valentine’s Day in ages. It was peaceful. Low stress. Delightful, even.

It was an in-office day, and it was just like any other Wednesday with a weekly team meeting and project work.

Despite being the day of cupid, candy, flowers, and romantic dinners, there was not a whisper of conversation about such. There were no altar-sized fragrant bouquets sitting on desks and making my sinuses throb. Nobody asked if I had any plans, and I returned the favor by not asking anyone else the question.

The conversational highlight of the day had nothing to do with "the day." It was about capitalization of hyphenated words, use of compound words, deviations between the various style guides (Chicago Manual, Associated Press, MLA, etc.), compliance edits from recent reviews, and our desire for consistency. It was fascinating, and perhaps tragically, the most intellectual conversation I’ve been part of in longer than I care to remember. Too much solitude is a real drain on my brain.

A print shop loves us.

We did, as a team, receive a Valentine from one of our print vendors. It was a small box with a card and six boxes of candy conversation hearts. The hearts had words related to their business services including print, mail, and ink. It was a hit and a cute marketing set.

Then, the day was over. The sun was still shining. As I neared home, where the remainder of Tuesday night's bag of cheddar and sour cream chips awaited, the sky was taking on the delicate sky blue pink color. Due to poor pacing, the box of beautiful chocolates I received last week was long gone. But the memory lives on.

random thoughts – Day 1,428 – (Tuesday) – feeling fat tuesday

The nights have slipped into a lightly destructive pattern. For years, there was a great deal of discipline in going to bed at 10:00 and waking up at 6:00 the next morning and feeling human. Lately, the bedtime has become later, the morning alarm has been shifted 15 minutes later, and the snooze button is hit once, sometimes twice.

For the past several months, it’s 10:20 before I have begun to clean my face and teeth and change for bed, which is usually followed by Duolingo lessons, and scrolling through social media. Suddenly, it’s 11:30 and time for the late-night calculations of how much sleep I could potentially enjoy if I fell asleep right that minute.

Monday night followed the new pattern and today, despite the regular levels of lots of coffee, I dragged myself through the day. My eyelids felt heavy and baggy, like they were carrying a full load of coordinated luggage. My eyeballs felt like the cartoon characters that have the spinning pinwheels for eyes. There was a debate about maybe being hungry instead of tired, which was followed by eating everything in sight to test the theory.

Rice and salsa and stuff.

Lunch was a hearty and tasty concoction of brown rice, chicken, cheese, green peppers, and hot salsa. There were chocolates. Ritz crackers. Hot herbal tea. Several hours later, there was more of the rice and chicken stuff for supper. Most of a family sized bag of cheddar and sour cream chips. More Ritz crackers. 

Nope, I was even more tired, but I was feeling nice and bloated for Fat Tuesday. Maybe tonight I can get to bed and turn off the phone and shut down my brain at a more reasonable hour. Fingers crossed. Wish me luck. 

random thoughts – Day 1,427 – (Monday) – dance party

The drive from The BungaLowell to Pawtucket Congregational Church is 1.1 miles with an estimated drive time of four minutes. Tonight, at the intersection of Mammoth Road and Riverside Street, right near the church,  there was some excitement. At least two police cruisers, a firetruck, and an ambulance were parked across the road on the river side of Riverside Street. Lights from the safety vehicles flashed and illuminated the intersection like a carnival. Traffic was snarling around the parked emergency vehicles. 

Ladder truck blocking the bridge.

The steps near the entrance to the church offered a not-too-distant view of the action, which quickly included another fire truck. Drivers in the traffic coming down Mammoth Road began sounding their horns, as if whatever was happening was carefully constructed and timed specifically to annoy them. Three point turns were executed and tires squealed as drivers extricated themselves from the traffic and retreated.

A cluster of emergency workers in reflective safety jackets rolled a gurney to the sidewalk. The ladder truck backed up and blocked the bridge and the ladder was extended over the sidewalk and towards the river while the gurney sat nearby at the ready.

A small group of us waiting to enter the building wondered what had happened. It seemed apparent that something had happened down by the river, but that was as far as we got with our speculations. I even checked the Lowell Facebook discussion group, but found nothing.

Dance party lights!

Inside the church's Fellowship Hall, the emergency lights from outside blinked red, blue, and white through the privacy film covering the windows, creating a dance club effect, which was perfect, as we were there for salsa class. Several of those in the class arrived late due to the event happening outside. 

Tonight, we started dancing with each other as leaders and followers and worked on partnered right turns. We rotated partners every minute or so. If I had known I would be touching hands with people, I would have at least applied some hand cream on my winter dry and roughened hands. It was kind of embarrassing that the hands of the guys I had to dance with were warm and soft and mine were dry and cold. Maybe I’ll bust out some proper 1940s gloves for the next class to spare the dancing partners.

By the time I left class, all the emergency vehicles had cleared and the traffic was moving smoothly. It was if nothing had happened and the intersection hadn't been a hub of emergency activity an hour earlier. Whatever that was.

random thoughts – Day 1,426 – (Sunday) – another Sunday

Sunday again, which means Monday is right around the corner. Again. It's horrifying how they keep coming back week after week. The NFL declared this as the big super duper Sunday for the guys in the tight pants, but in my tiny world, it was just another Sunday with the usual activities.

Dance class and performance group were sandwiched between a lovely drive along a country road. On the ride back from dance, options were weighed. Peel off immediately at Route 13 and head to Fitchburg? Take the left at the turn to Nashua and visit the retail wonderland of  Daniel Webster Highway? Stop at the Market Basket on the Tyngsboro line? Just go straight home?

In general, options are sometimes dismissed consciously by driving past the turn off point. Some options are forgotten almost as quickly as the thought was conceived, and not remembered until much later. Other options are missed by being in the wrong lane for a turn while considering the reasons for making the side trip at all. 

Deliberations today came up empty on reasons for going to Fitchburg or Nashua. On the approach to Market Basket the car auto-piloted into the packed parking lot. It was crowded as I zipped the through the store, dodging carts and shoppers, wondering why I was even there. I got the weekly package of mushrooms, some rolls from the bakery discount rack, and some stuffed grape leaves and spanakopita twirls. I couldn’t get out of there fast enough, especially with no real reason to have been there in the first place.

Fan dancers!

Later, the big famous super duper football game was on with two teams I never paid attention to, but I was watching Netflix. I popped over to the game with 23 seconds left in the first half, and hung around for the half-time show. That show had it all. Singing and dancing. Usher surrounded by fan dancers. Roller skating. A marching band. Pole dancers. And a fleeting moment with a guy in shorts with white lace trimmed ankle socks. Did I really see that? And I want to learn fan dancing. And maybe pole dancing. Why not?

After the half-time show, it was yet another debate. Keep the game on and enjoy the Taylor Swift moments? Go back to the binge of Royal Pains on Netflix? Turn off the TV and read a book? Do something that doesn’t involve sitting on the couch?  All these decisions are exhausting. I need a life manager.

random thoughts – Day 1,425 – (Saturday) – browsing

The weather was warmer today, in the high 50s, but that didn’t stop me from feeling chilly. While driving out to meet Mom, the heater was on, as well as the heated seat, which I swear is the best automotive feature of the modern age. It almost makes up for the absence of a built-in CD player and cargo space.

Mom and I visited the booth at the antiques co-op and were glad to see several items had sold in our first few days there. Mom and Sis had been there on Thursday to add some things, and today, a few more things were added. Then we walked around and shopped, admiring the items in the other booths.

After the shopkeeping bit, we had lunch at Slattery’s. Our shared Margherita flatbread pizza was tasty and satisfying. After lunch, we headed our separate ways.

Girl dancing near a bridge.

My travels took me to Ocean State Job Lot because I remembered I had a gift card from last week’s special sale event and figured I’d poke around. On the way, I saw a dark-haired woman in a white and blue outfit dancing near the bridge on Bemis Road. 

There had been several recent mentions in a Fitchburg Facebook group about a girl who often dances on a bridge, and I was a little excited to see the infamous dancing girl. It had to be the one of Internet renown. How many girls dancing on bridges could one city have?

Traffic was piled up at a red light when I noticed the figure on the bridge, and these are the moments when I really appreciate red lights. Her back was to me, and the brilliant white skirt was what caught my eye. The skirt was topped with a dark blue and black jacket and white kerchief. Her hair was pulled neatly into a bun at the nape of her neck.

She moved gracefully to music that couldn’t be heard with the traffic, or maybe it played just for her via ear buds, unlike the annoying drivers with the sound systems that blare music and punish the general public as they cruise around the city. The traffic heading into Fitchburg had a view of the front of her dress and performance, and I was a bit envious of the vantage point.

When the traffic moved forward on the green light, I was able to turn for a moment and see the front of her outfit. It featured two dark blue panels that hung down the front of the skirt and looked like a folkloric costume of some sort.

The next mile or two of travel were occupied with musings about the beautiful girl dancing on the bridge. Is she the same one mentioned in the Facebook group? Is she dancing on a bridge during busy Saturday afternoon traffic to become accustomed to chaotic situations? Is she waiting for a ride to a performance? Is she a beautifully attired exhibitionist? So many questions.

The browsing at Ocean State was fruitful and the gift card was exhausted. Back in Lowell, there was a stop at St. Vincent de Paul, now a weekly routine. Shopping was limited to the two discount tag colors, and yielded two small art canvasses still in the original packaging, and a heavy glass candle holder that exactly matches the one I bought around Christmas when I got the glass tree. What a day.

random thoughts – Day 1,424 – (Friday) – total ten

Despite having a desk job, sometimes there are workdays that happen totally out of the office and are fun. Today was one of those.

Behind the scene.

The day started with the usual projects and activities before it was time to dash out for a photo shoot for an ad campaign. The photo subjects were really personable and a lot of fun. 

After the photos, there was another quick stop at the computer to take care of a couple things, a quick lunch of a bowl of soup, and then it was back out the door again. 

The day’s second block of fun was a four-hour volunteer activity at Anton’s Cleaners for some behind the scenes preparations for the upcoming Belle of the Ball event. A colleague and I tackled a mountain of cartons, each holding 12 pairs of shoes. The boxes were removed from the cartons. The shoes were removed from the boxes and liberated of the tissue, stuffing, foam, cardboard, and plastic wrappings protecting them during shipping. Each pair was connected with zip ties, and placed into tubs which were organized by color and size. The stuffing and bags were repacked in the cartons.

It is amazing how much packaging is involved in the cartons of shoes. Little foam disks, wads of tissue, pieces of cardboard in the shoes and between the shoes in the box, tissue over the buckles, tissue over the sparkly parts. Some shoes were in nonwoven fabric bags, others were in plastic bags.

Behind the scene with shoes.

There were shoes in silver, gold, rose gold, nude, black, red, and blue, many encrusted with dazzling embellishments. Flat sandals and strappy heels. Shoes with a platform and without. Criss cross straps, straight straps, curvy straps. Peep toes, closed toes. Name a style, it was probably there, in every size and multiple colors.

We plowed through the cartons and filled the totes, adding to the work done by a few other colleagues in the morning, and other previous volunteer efforts. By the end of the day, the towering cartons of empty shoe boxes nearly reached the ceiling.

Eventually, the shoes, along with purses, jewelry, and of course, a gazillion prom gowns, will be transported to the event center. Stations will be set up for each element of the ensembles. On a designated Saturday, the invited girls will file in for Boutique Day where volunteers will assist in the roles of personal shoppers and help with accessories.

This workday was a full blown 10, and that wasn't just the bins of shoes in that size. It was a great way to offset the earlier ups and downs and shake off the frustrations of the week. 

random thoughts – Day 1,423 – (Thursday) – artichoke slivers

A year ago, I was counting the days to a March trip to Rome. There were musings about what to pack, which resulted in several purchase. Jeans. Footwear. Rain coat. Rain hat. Small umbrella. It’s always fun to figure out which me I want to be on vacation. Casual? Sporty? Dressy? Practical? Escaped lumberjack clad in flannel? Completely coordinated in head-to-toe black? There are always so many options.

Nearly a year later, I barely recall what I packed and of that, what I wore. But I remember some of the things I ate. Today, the memory of a dish I had in a restaurant in Tivoli near Villa Adriana parked itself in my brain. It was the one day of that week that I didn’t have pizza. Even though pizza was noted on the sign outside Villa Esedra Ristorante, wood fired pizza was only available on the dinner menu, still a few hours off.

Pasta with toasted artichoke slices.

In lieu of pizza, the dish I ordered was big tube pasta with thinly sliced, crisply toasted artichoke. And it was delicious. I have been thinking about those crispy artichoke slices ever since. How are they sliced? How are they toasted? How were they seasoned? 

This weekend will likely involve research on artichokes and menus of local Italian restaurants in search of a similar dish. Or, I could probably book a flight to Rome. 

It’s making me sad that there is no travel on my calendar yet. Nothing to look forward to. No spreadsheets with wardrobe items cross referenced for compatibility with other items. Nothing to dream about. 

It’s time to get busy and start planning. And interrogate my Italian friends about pasta with toasted artichoke. 

random thoughts – Day 1,422 – (Wednesday) – frost and salty tears

February frost.

This morning the car was painted with frost. It was pretty. The car had been warming up for a few minutes before I went out so the windshield was cleared, but the side windows were magical. A couple minutes were spent in the driveway taking pictures of the window and I was calm and ready to take on the day.

Unlike previous drives, the trip downtown was quite civilized. The intersections were mostly unclogged by the usual idiocy and I didn’t even have to swear. Ok, I probably did swear, but it's because I have a terrible case of potty mouth, but today it wasn’t inspired by traffic issues.

Unfortunately, the calm and tranquility evaporated once in the office and seated at the desk. February is asserting itself like an annoying chihuahua, and I need it to calm the heck down.

The first two workdays of the month were quiet and leisurely, but that was because I was on vacation time. These were followed by a weekend of more of the same. Four days of R&R are probably my favorite kind of days. 

Monday, however, exacted it’s revenge with a 150 email greeting and a to-do list that was half of an old-school sheet of lined paper long. By end of the day Tuesday, the sheet was ¾ full thanks to new additions, and only two items had been crossed off as completed. Many of the list items have deadlines in two weeks. Some are sooner. One is overdue, but not my fault.

Today, while checking project statuses with our designer, the old familiar shortness of breath started to kick in. Dang, I had almost forgotten what that was like. Not happy to be reintroduced. The projects and tasks and problems continued to flood in like an avalanche which is super not fun.

By 5:00 today, every single line on the 8.5 x 11 inch sheet was filled with tasks and only the same two from the morning were crossed off. I was resisting a very strong urge to run away. Like, for real. And forever. 

The garage is crying. I feel you.

The 5:20 downtown light was a welcome sight. The bakery and restaurants glowed warmly, but around the corner, the parking garage was another story. What seemed to be salt was caked in  streaks down the outer walls and windows. The structure looked like it was crying, which was kind of how I felt a couple hours earlier. I feel you, salty tear-stained garage. I feel you.

And yes, for the record, as much as I love a spreadsheet, I still track my projects on good old-fashioned notepads. It can take 15 minutes (sometimes longer) to log into the system in the morning, during which time a spreadsheet worklist would be inaccessible. Between all the manual codes and keystrokes for login, I am usually already reviewing the task list and getting into the headspace for the day. See, it’s old-fashioned, but also efficient.

random thoughts – Day 1,421 – (Tuesday) – steam cleaned

It started as a regular work from home day, all innocent and fresh. Before long, the guy who lives in the house behind mine was hanging out the window smoking and adding his special brand of ambiance to the ‘hood. On the bright side, he wasn’t coughing today, which was a good sign. It had been really bad for months and I wondered about his health.

Today, instead of coughing, he bellowed into a cell phone in a spectacular display of vocal projection. This was not even a passionate, argumentative situation, just a normal conversation about not much of anything. Maybe he feels sheltered and protected at the back of his house, which might make sense if there weren’t houses directly behind the one in which he lives. It destroyed my focus and I made a cup of herbal tea.

Steamy soup.

The day got busier and more frustrating with a massive influx of entries for the week’s to-do list, most unrelated to any of the others. One minute I was a production manager. The next, a copywriter. Then, a photo scheduler. Logistics analyst. Back to production management. Inventory management. Invoice processing. Troubleshooting. 

Some of the too many “things” were so annoying I snapped. There are days it’s a blessing to work from home, alone, free of witnesses. The guy in the house behind mine probably heard the ranting and wondered what the heck was going on and who was infringing on his territory. At least I wasn’t hanging out the window.

What constantly kills me is the word “specialist” in my job title. Marketing specialist. Ha! I long to specialize in something besides frustration. I dream of the day where I can wear one hat all day long. Maybe specialize in copywriting for one entire day. That would be a treat. The constant shifting is exhausting.

The edges were smoothed a bit with a lunch of cabbage vegetable soup. Sunlight from the window accentuated the steam from the soup bowl, which was captured in pixels in a moment of triumph. The number of unsuccessful steaming soup bowl photos is in the triple digits. 

Lunch was teamed with a quick mental break and internet search. The query was to determine how many days until Medicare enrollment and I can potentially, maybe, hopefully retire from being a Jill of all trades and specialist of none. The tally to freedom is still deep in triple digits and closer to 1,000 than 100, but hey, it's fewer than 1,000 days, so there is that. At least there is a pinprick of light at the end of the dark tunnel. 

Steam in the alley.

Downtown, after work, it was Boozy Book Club night and a fun conversation about the book No Land to Light On. As I was heading home, the alley in Palmer Street was especially resplendent in steamy glory. 

I've often seen the steam in the alley, but rarely has it looked so cool. And like the bowl of soup earlier in the day, it was captured in pixels and lightened the mood. Remarkable how the little things in a day, like steam, can clear the cranial cobwebs.