random thoughts – Day 1,475 – (Sunday) – Easter

Easter kind of snuck up on me. I mean, I knew on some level that it was coming, but I still wasn't ready. Many weeks ago I had bought cards to send to my nieces and in a spurt of tidying up, the cards were relocated from the kitchen counter where I would see them daily, to the small drawer with the other cards, where they sat, forgotten. A month later, they are still in the drawer.

Creepy bunny!

Mom made dinner and I drove west for the occasion. We played Scrabble. She gave me the bunny with the creepy expression that I’ve been fascinated with for years. At the old family house, around Easter time, creepy bunny would be set on a floral tablecloth atop the small table in the small entryway between the storm door and the front door. The inspiration for creepy bunny was apparently not some soft and fuzzy cute children's book illustration, which might be part of my attraction to it.

And now the long-eared bunny with the cute flowers painted on its sides and the slightly mean eyes and mouth set in a line is at my house. I hope it doesn’t scare Kiki, although she seems generally unaware of much that is above floor level. 

We dined like Easter royalty, and then, dessert was Markie’s Milky Way Pound Cake recipe. Markie was originally from Oklahoma, and married my Grandpa Ray when I was a kid. They lived in Texas, and my family went to their home several times to visit throughout the years. Markie was an amazing hostess and cook and she took good care of Grandpa Ray and we loved her.

Markie was a devotee of Southern Living magazine and when we visited, her kitchen was in high gear. There were breakfast casseroles and many times supper was a feast equivalent to Thanksgiving dinner at our house. There was a guarantee of weight gain when visiting Grandpa Ray and Markie. There were roasts, potatoes, side dishes, and every night, a freshly baked dessert. This wasn’t just for show for company, either, it was pretty close to normal life for her, but with slightly more desserts for us. 

Milky Way pound cake.

Many of the recipes Markie made during our visits were adopted into our Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner menus at home – lime Jello salad with nuts and mini-marshmallows, strawberry Jello salad with sour cream, and sweet potato casserole with a brown sugar and Rice Krispie topping were regular items. And today, we had the special treat of Milky Way pound cake, made with a bunch of full sized Milky Way candy bars.

Back at home, with a bag of leftovers in hand including a slab of cake, there was time to get ready for trash day and the coming week. Kiki lounged at the top of the stairs while I cleaned her litter box, bagged the trash, and gathered the recycling.

Not much later, the mini blinds ordered last week landed in the front porch. One box was opened and the mounting directions read. An existing fabric pleated shade was removed from one window to check the mounting hardware. It was different than the hardware with the new blinds, but the new seemed to fit, so I rolled with it. In less than a half-hour, all three new shades were hung using the existing hardware.

The best part about the new min blinds is that now I can control the light. The old pleated shades were either up or down, at least until all the strings started breaking and it was risky touching them at all. Maybe I’ll open the slats on the blinds, maybe I won’t, but at least it is an option now, and I like that. 

random thoughts – Day 1,474 – (Saturday) – treasures

The weather edged a bit closer to spring today with temperatures in the mid-50s and the sun was out all day. Sunglasses were required, and I left the house wearing a jacket, but boldly went into a store without it and then was cold, so that didn’t work quite like I imagined. At least the coat was in the car for the later stops.

Adding up the various receipts at home revealed that I had basically saved a fortune in the course of a couple hours. Of course, the stores were all low-budget to begin with – St Vincent de Paul Thrift Store, Kohl’s, and Market Basket.

St. Vincent had some surprises found, and I love the newly self-imposed challenge of only shopping the half-off and 99-cent tickets. The treasures found included a small rectangular mirror for about 60 cents, a tiny purple colander for $1.50, and some glassware items, a chambray summer shirt ($2.50), a pullover hoodie ($3), a summer dress (99 cents), and my favorite item, a tee shirt reading “Love Kills” with a picture of Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen on it (99 cents). The cashier had to undress a mannequin for the tee shirt and seemed surprised I wanted it. I was kind of surprised that I suddenly wanted it so much, too, and it may have been the low, low price that activated the desire. 

Some of the day's treasures.

The trip to Kohl’s was specifically for the Amazon return of the not quite correct color curtains and the cat self-groomer brushes that didn’t sit right on the wall corners or table legs. Because I was there and the store was tidy and not crowded, I had to look at the clearance stuff, and extra bonus, I had a 30% off coupon. This is why I choose Kohl’s for the returns instead of any of the other options.

The top winners at Kohl’s were Madden Girl penny loafers ($30) to round out the loafer collection that includes brown, navy, and pink, and a black sequin long-ish jacket ($25) to expand the sequin clothing collection because I’m pretty sure there is no such thing as too many sequins in the closet. The shoes and jacket looked great with the jeans I was wearing, and will probably be killer with the Sid and Nancy tee if I can ever find someplace to wear the getup.

Market Basket was relatively calm, and there were lots of things prepared food items on crazy markdowns. I grabbed a pre-made Greek salad for $1.75, a large meatball sub for $1.99, and a pound of unfamiliar orange cheese ends for $2, a low investment for a cheesy experiment.

All in all, it was a great day of sunshine and treasure shopping. Even though I say I hate shopping, now that I’m of the age and life stage where I’m mostly invisible, random strangers don’t start pouring their hearts out to me as often as they used to, and it was quite pleasant in all three stores.

random thoughts – Day 1,473 – (Friday) – still marching

March is nearly over and there is no sign of it going “out like a lamb.” Instead of docile weather, the wind continues to roar like an unrelenting pride of lions. The calendar might say spring, but the weather is still saying, “Hold your danged horses.”

It was another raw, gray day with drizzle and rain. Despite the gloom and drear, after parking in the garage, I took a right out of the stairwell for the longer route to the office. Steady drizzle be damned. I wanted to check the hours of the optical shop so I could go there later in the afternoon.

After several hours of frustration and annoyances involving new projects, old projects, and projects yet to come, I went outside for what I call “angry walking” where I stomp around downtown in a huff. The pace on Merrimack Street was improved by the wind, which was strong enough to blow the heavy tote bag off my shoulder and flip the hood of my coat onto my head. 

The bad news at the optical shop was that no, they can’t replace the broken arm on the beloved eyeglasses I stepped on months ago. I had alredy tried to buy the frames again, but they are no longer sold in the light blue color I had.

How soon is soon?

The person I spoke to in the shop said they don’t get arms or can’t get arms or something. Bottom line, they can’t help. My best bet now is to dismember a pair of old glasses and do some Dr. Frankenstein action. Or give up on the glasses that I really like. 

The cold and wind made me walk more quickly during my brief time outside, so there was definitely a fitness benefit in addition to some quick  sightseeing. 

A sign declaring “Tijuana Grill Coming Soon” occupied the window of a space which has been filled with restaurant furniture and looking on the verge of something happening for about two years now. Hopefully, "soon" will actually be soon, but without the benchmarking promise of a date, it's anyone's guess. Another previously empty space nearby featured a fun mix of vintage and upcycled clothing, jewelry, and accessories. A designer sat at a sewing machine stitching new creations.

Wind rippling the water.

Closer to the office, the fountain outside the bank, which is still shut off for winter, held rain water which the wind blasted in tiny ripples.  It was a relief to be back inside the office where it was warmer, dryer, and wind-free. 

The sun came out late in the day, and the sky got blue-pink and the clouds were tinged with color. It was pretty. I saw some of the muted color but based on photos friends posted on Facebook, I missed the best of it. Maybe another evening. And maybe winter will loosen it's chilly grip and let spring have a turn. Fingers crossed.

random thoughts – Day 1,472 – (Thursday) – less feathery

The home décor and refreshing momentum of the re-feathering of the living room, in which I have most of my suppers, very nearly flowed into the dining room, in which I never eat. The living room curtains were pleasing enough that a different color from the same brand was ordered for the dining room sliders and window.

I like it, but it's time for a change.

There was a moment spent imagining a fresh new look in the dining room as the gray panels that have been in service since I moved in were replaced with a lighter color that played off the pale, barely seafoam green paint on two walls and matching color in the print of the rug. I like the gray panels, but after so much time together, I'm kind of tired of seeing them.

The Aegean colored dining room curtains from the same line as the teal ones, for some strange reason, cost twice as much as the teal. At least they arrived on time, and were waiting on the front step when I arrived home from work on Wednesday. In the words of the character John “Hannibal” Smith of The A Team (played by George Peppard), “I love it when a plan comes together.”

They're even bluer in person.

Except it didn’t. The new curtains are not quite the right color, being more blue than the slightly more green color that I swore I saw in the photos. So close. And just enough off in the color to be so wrong. Sigh. Time to prepare the return request.

But I still want new curtains now that it's in my head, so the search will continue. The affordable curtains I like come in navy, a major color in the current rug, so I could take the opposite approach and go darker. 

This darker scheme might be helpful in blocking the summer sun that beats full force on the deck and sliders (except last summer when it rained all summer). The usual sun situation has caused me to imagine an awning of some sort on the deck, but never in a way that actually happens. Because, well, I imagine a lot of things, and some of them even make it onto the list of home improvements but most of them never happen for a couple reasons.

There is a very rich world inside my head and it includes fascinating things. Wonderous things. Like new rain gutters, awnings over doors, a new shed, new sump pump, new bedroom paint, maybe a pergola, a wildflower garden out front, a small deck at the front door, and so on, and so on. As in, I’d need to be very rich to make it happen, and I wonder how I can make that money happen. Until the rich part settles in, it’s small changes like super affordable curtains.

random thoughts – Day 1,471 – (Wednesday) – re-feathering the nest

The TV riser that I eyed on Amazon for a couple years but never got around to buying because the style was good but the color wasn’t quite what I wanted was finally bought. The desired lighter wood color was available, and even better, it was less than previously priced by about $20. I do love a bargain. 

The riser arrived Monday night, a day earlier than was promised by the delivery gods of Amazon. Maybe they are working on average numbers. Maybe it was a feeble attempt to make up for the rash of recent delayed deliveries. The assembly was completed in just under 30 minutes, a personal best, but it was pretty straightforward – six pieces and a bunch of connecting hardware.

After - teal curtains
and pillows..

The tardy teal curtains and coordinating patterned pillow covers that appeared in the suggestive “other people also bought” strip of photos also arrived, just a day late. They were at some crazy sale prices and I was concerned about what might actually arrive. The items were ironed and the pillow covers stuffed and the curtains hung. Now the blues and greens in the art on the walls seem to pop a bit more. The new curtain color was inspired by the living room rug and the pattern of tans, orange, dark reds, green, and teal. 

The red and white tab top panels that hung in the living room for years have been temporarily retired. They will be cleaned and folded and stored and will likely reappear next winter when the heavier weight and longer length can serve as a barrier to the drafts.

The rug was rotated 180 degrees to reposition the colors in the uneven pattern. A few small changes and a few dollars (about $60 total) and the room is refreshed. It’s surprising how dark the room is with the teal curtains drawn, but the current blinds are yucky and once new mini-blinds arrive, the curtains can be opened. The TV sits eight inches higher on the new stand and I can finally deal with the big wall behind it.

Before - red and
white curtains.

I don’t know what is behind the sudden desire to update the nest. Maybe it’s a seven-year itch kind of thing. Whatever it is, it’s kind of fun. Maybe my friends who constantly rearrange and revise and redecorate are on to something. I hope the energy lasts and carries me to finally setting up the guest room. 

Kiki hid during the entire living room revamp, but that is nothing unusual for her. She’s certainly aware things are different, because she’s not brushing against the longer drapes in her extended stays behind the couch. She has provided no commentary, but she’s usually quiet, so it’s not a surprise. She’ll be screaming next Wednesday when it’s time for the second dose of the de-wormer, so for now, I’ll enjoy her quiet and my slightly re-feathered nest.

random thoughts – Day 1,470 – (Tuesday) – derby daze

On March 26, 2011, a fledgling roller derby team called Red River Sirens took to the rink at Magic Wheels Skate Center and presented the first roller derby event in Clarksville, Tennessee. It was a demonstration of roller derby to introduce it to the community in advance of our first competitive season, which started in May. Our team name was inspired by the Red River, one of two rivers that runs through Clarksville (the other is the Cumberland River). 

Red River Sirens, March 2011. Photo by JHR Photography.

A core group of us had been training as a team for about 10 months by the time of the demo.  Before we had a rink we did military PT style workouts at a local park after work, under the blazing Tennessee sun. After a month or so, we had secured a rink for twice weekly practices and our home bouts. We each learned the Women’s Fast Track Derby Association governing body rules (all 100 or so pages) and formed our league's own governing body with officers, committee directors, dues, and rules. We took our individual skills tests to be allowed to compete and earn our skater names, which were submitted to the international roller derby name register after we checked they weren't already taken by another skater.

We got press coverage which helped us to recruit more team members, referees, and non-skating officials. We held car washes and special events to raise money for our team because league dues go only so far. 

After our first roller derby event, March 26, 2011.

To create awareness that we existed, we attended festivals with an info booth and skate demo, and participated in cardboard boat races, Christmas parades, motorcycle poker runs and toy drives. A local photographer did team photos and individual head shots for team rosters and event programs. We entered chili contests at the local Harley-Davidson dealer, rang the bell for the Salvation Army, appeared at a sports bar ribbon cutting, and every other community event we could be part of. It was a lot of hard work, but it was also exhilarating and fun. It was a time of peak performance and conditioning. 

Immediately following the first event, a local bar hosted an after-party for the team and fans. It was crazy, especially when the bar manager called the team up to the bar. Not just to the bar, but actually on top of the bar. 

Dang, those were good times. All of them. The blood, the sweat, the blisters, and even the tears. And I really miss my derby legs.

random thoughts – Day 1,469 – (Monday) – expectations

The day was scheduled as a vacation day, for no particular reason other than time is available for such. Once scheduled, a loose plan to revamp the living room was formulated. New curtains and coordinating pillow covers were ordered from Amazon. The promised delivery date of Sunday meant the task could certainly be completed on Monday. Like two out of every three recent orders, the items did not arrive on Sunday as promised. I waited up until the far edge of the delivery window (10:00), periodically checking the porch, deck, and steps. 

On Monday the vacation day, with no alarm set, I woke up two hours later than usual. The sore throat felt better, but depending on head position,  the throbbing of blood pulses in my ears. It’s familiar  thanks to a childhood riddled with earaches and also annoying.

The day began slowly. Coffee with a slab of banana bread. The last episode of The Cook of Castamar. An unsatisfying online search to try and find out what the heck is “sugar dough,” a recipe mentioned several times in the series. 

There were periodic checks for delivery updates on the stupid curtains until finally a new time was provided of 6:30 to 9:30 Monday night. The only good news is that I didn’t start ripping the current curtains down on Sunday. I don’t know what is going on over at Amazon lately, but they are really failing on most of the delivery promises. Verizon, on the other hand, promised a new Home Internet router for Monday, which arrived on Saturday.

Soup and TV.

While considering an excursion to Aldi, a container of vegetable soup was pulled from the freezer. The last of the mushrooms were sauteed in butter. Inspired by high school memories of Mom calling from work asking whoever answered the phone to start the Hamburger Helper or the Rice-a-Roni for supper, a handful of rice was tossed into the buttery saucepan and the jingle lyrics “saute and simmer, the flavor can’t be beat” carried me through that step. 

The soup turned out really good, and was enjoyed while watching the John Travolta, Gene Hackman, Danny DeVito, Dennis Farina movie Get Shorty because it happened to be on. The afternoon saw an attempt at more energetic activities. 

The Aldi flyer was consulted and the grocery list drafted. One the way to Aldi, a stop was made at the Grey Nuns Thrift Shop in Nashua. It was another case of the social media presence delivery being more impressive than the products in the shop. At least Aldi delivered most of the things I needed. Butter, whipped cream cheese, salmon, baking chips, and slivered almonds were all on sale (score!). No onions were found. I successfully talked myself out of potato chips.

Groceries were put away. The human was ignored by the cat. The chocolate chip cookies were breached. More soup was had for supper. Head movements were minimized due to the ear throbbing thing. The book club selection (All That is Mine I Carry with Me) was read.

The story is good (mystery) but there are no chapter breaks. At page 79 it shifts to “Book 2,” which runs for nearly 100 pages. It’s hard to budget reading time without discrete chapters. It’s not like I’m ten years old with nothing to do all day but stay out of the way. There is work and adult responsibilities and I appreciate the ability to check the chapter page count and decide if there is time to read a bit before I need to leave for work or go to sleep or whatever. 

Maybe I expect too much -- deliveries when promised, shops to look like they are presented online, novels to have chapters so it's easier to take a break.

random thoughts – Day 1,468 – (Sunday) – couch bound

The sore throat that kicked in on Saturday lingered today. Luckily, there was no dance class to miss, but it caused me to stay away from a class reunion planning committee meeting this afternoon.The day’s attire was the official “not leaving the house fleece pants” with a quarter-zip fleece and slippers. Cozy. Comfortable. While not anything I would be caught dead wearing out in public, it is not unlike the clothing often seen on many of the other shoppers in Market Basket. 

The Cook of Castamar.

Most of the day was spent on the couch, binge-watching The Cook of Castamar, a costume drama set in early-18^th century Madrid. I love the costumes and the furnishings. Then, of course, there is all the well-dressed intrigue and deception. And the square footage and decor of the palaces. Wow.

Despite being cleared of all plans, the day still sped by. There was a late-afternoon nap, which probably affected the perception of the passage of time. Suddenly, the 7:00 Sunday evening text arrived with the reminder about Monday pickup. This week is trash and yard waste pickup. I haven't even thought about yard work yet, and it's already the second or third week of the regular pickups.

By 7:30, the litter box was cleaned, the small waste baskets emptied into the larger one, and the bin was at the curb with the usual half a trash bag of remnants of the week. Then, it was back to the couch and the Spanish drama, soon to be followed by bed and the book I thought I might read all day, but never touched.

random thoughts – Day 1,467 – (Saturday) – cooking and canvases

I had heard a weather report that there could be some snow, and when I woke up there was a coating on the cars and lawns and steps, but not much on the street. It changed to rain and the best part of that was that shoveling wasn’t required.

After a cheese and mushroom omelet made with fresh eggs from a friend's chickens, the idea struck to make a banana bread with the three remaining bananas from the bunch of four bought last week and ignored after eating one. Recipes were searched online and compared to the known pantry items on hand. The winner was a recipe that used brown sugar, which was taking up space in the freezer.  

Unnecessary security.

The new bag of flour had to be opened which became an ordeal. Normally, a small amount of light adhesive seals the bag and it’s easy enough to unroll the top and have a clean edge for pouring. Not this bag of Gold Medal flour. The glue was some industrial strength stuff that was not budging on its adhesive duties. The bag ended up tearing where the glue was, and flour dusted the counter and my sweater. There was swearing. Even after putting some of the flour into a jar, it was hard rolling the bag down with the big rip.

The bread took an hour to bake and then needed ten minutes to cool in the pan before being removed to the cooling rack. While the timer ticked down the ten minutes in-pan rest, the car warmed up outside because I had to hotfoot it out to make it to an event. With all the recipe reading and comparing and hunting for mixing bowls that don’t get chewed up by hand mixer beaters, I had really cut the baking project timeline to the wire.

The event, 4X4 for Education, was good. My initial task was greeting people and directing them to the check-in table. After that, I got to control the pace of people choosing their pieces. 

After buying a ticket, the person’s name goes into a jar. The lottery part of the event is the drawing of names to determine the lineup. When it’s your turn, there is about 30 to 60 seconds to make a selection from the 4-inch by 4-inch works in the event. 

This year's 4x4 prizes.

I was drawn as number 15, so lots of my favorites were still available. Too many, actually, so I was in a semi-sweat choosing between a couple that I really liked. I chose a duck done in pointillism style, created by our graphic designer at work, but it was a tough decision because I also liked the image of pears done by a friend, plus several others.

There were still tickets left, and I was able to get another canvas in a second round, done in blues and cool tones and very textural. The size of the works means they are easy to tuck into smaller spaces.

Back at home, Kiki napped on the chair and barely acknowledged my presence. Later, she slipped behind the couch, out of my reach. It was okay. Weeks of my feeling a bit “off” continue, and seem to be worsening. A couple hours after arriving home, the familiar discomfort known from years of sore throats and earaches quietly slipped into awareness.

Comfort food was required, and luckily there was a stock of ramen, mixed frozen vegetables, queso, and Korean hot pepper paste. Nothing else held any appeal. After that, it was time to recline on the couch like a sickly character in a Victorian novel while counting the minutes until darkness fell and I could retire to bed with a book. A headache is trying to settle in around the edges, so the idea of reading may be abandoned.

random thoughts – Day 1,466 – (Friday) – assembly line

It’s approaching the home stretch for the Belle of the Ball preparations and today, several of us convened at Anton’s to pack goody bags that will be given to the girls who attend Boutique Day at Hynes Auditorium. Today, there were two shifts of volunteer bankers in three-hour blocks. Four of us spent the morning moving down an assembly line of items. Henry Ford would have been proud of us.

Goody bags in a bin.

Purple organza bags were filled with an assortment of 11 personal care products and loaded into storage tubs. About an hour into it, we wondered how many fit into a tub and counted as we filled one. The tub we counted held 35 bags. At the end of each hour we paused the stuffing to restock the items in the bins we drew from.

It was a great to have a break from the usual routine and chat with colleagues about things not work related. Instead of projects and deadlines, we talked about weddings on farms, Las Vegas, the frustration of being a walker in cities that are hostile to pedestrians. We talked about donuts and the various hot food items at different Market Basket locations. Footwear. Traveling with people who have no interest in exploring the vacation destination. The extra and seemingly unnecessary security of the glue sealing boxes of deodorant and the seemingly wasteful interior plastic wrap that secured the items in groups of three. 

We enjoyed stomping boxes to flatten them for the trash and pretending to be Godzilla while doing so. (Okay, that one was all me. Fight me on it.) And so on. It was fun.

Part of the assembly line, ready for the next shift.

After three hours we had filled 13, 14, maybe 15 tubs with goody bags. The counting was not precise, as our role was manual assembly, not accounting, but we were curious and it was satisfying to see measurable results, even if the measure wasn't accurate. The full goal for the day was based on the number of organza bags, and there were a couple hundred remaining. We refilled the bins holding each item for the afternoon team. We paused for a photo before dispersing for the day. 

The rest of my day was booked as vacation time. There was no solid plan. I made a quick visit to St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Shop but found nothing of interest to me. At home, it was another lunch of the last of the delicious and fortifying rice, beans, veggie, queso, and salsa dish. Kiki napped on the chair and mostly ignored me. There was a little lie down on the couch for a nap because I was tired. I’m almost always tired lately, and there are plans to see a show tonight. Of course, I don’t need many reasons to have a nap, and sometimes having the time available is the only reason needed. 

random thoughts – Day 1,465 – (Thursday) – all good

In a last-minute decision, I went into the office today instead of working remotely. We have a minimum number of days to be in-office, but we can go in extra days anytime. Kiki didn’t care. After the daily adoration of Kiki ceremony, she disappeared behind the couch.

I tossed some of Wednesday’s delicious supper leftovers into a container. Rice, black beans, veggies, and pretend meat with queso and salsa is this week’s preferred meal. There were two batches of it made and three hearty meals of it this week, and I just can’t seem to get enough of it. The lunch container was set into my bag, and off I went. All good.

It turned out that I was the only person on my floor and luckily I remembered my alarm code. My spidey senses must have been working, because the seldom-used code popped into my head while in the elevator, about five seconds before I needed it. Being alone in the suite used to freak me out, but now, I am unbothered. First thing in the day, there was a message about some issues with remote access that I might have been dealing with from home and I felt like maybe I’d dodged a bullet. All good.

The wind, which has been howling for what feels like months, was rattling the roof. I kept waiting for a skylight to blow out or the roof to open like a ragtop convertible, but luckily, my overblown fears were not realized. Overall, it was a pleasant day. There were Teams chat messages, a Zoom meeting, many emails, and ad approvals and deliveries. Overall, progress and mild satisfaction. The day far exceeded the usual benchmark of tolerable. Many of them have, and I’m declaring the revised benchmark a success. All very good.

The behind the chair hideout.

At home, Kiki lounged on the chair. Until I approached her in slow motion to greet her with head and cheek rubs, anyway. After a few seconds of that, I stepped away and she silently glided off the chair and curled up between the chair and the drum bag that lives behind the chair. 

I wonder to what extent the roundworm situation and now the medicine from yesterday are affecting how she feels. I also wonder how long she had the roundworm before it was diagnosed. It’s possible I’ve never yet seen her feeling her best. She can say the same for me. Someday, hopefully soon, we'll both be feeling our best. 

random thoughts – Day 1,464 – (Wednesday) – action packed

This day, like many in the past month, has focused on Kiki. It's nice. This morning began with the usual displays of affection – the head rubs, the cheek rubs, Keeks relaxing under the dining room table. By the time I was dressed for work, Kiki was behind the couch and I still needed to give her the first dose of the roundworm medicine picked up Monday night.

The delays in medicating included my not wanting to disturb her evening peace and be the bad guy (Monday and Tuesday) and missing the window of time where she isn’t hidden away (Tuesday morning). It doesn’t help that even when she isn't behind the couch, she is always at least an arm’s length away, never closer. She is an excellent judge of distance.

Site of the standoff.

This morning it was time to get the medication done, whatever it took. Past the time, really. The couch was pulled out from the wall and Kiki ran. There was a chase through the dining room, the kitchen, up the stairs, down the stairs. There was a standoff with each of us at opposing ends of the dining room table. She ran back into the living room and cleverly hid inside her tunnel. I tried catching her in a blanket but I wasn’t able to get close enough to her. 

There was much loud meowing that sounded like a very dramatic opera. She sat under the kitchen table yowling her song of torment and woe, and I wondered when the neighbors might come knocking on the door to see if someone was being ax-murdered.

I finally got my chance when Kiki climbed into her litter box cabinet and I was able to grab her and hold her down. I don’t think she knew there are doors. During the meowing, I caught another break and was able to slip the tube into her mouth and quickly press the plunger. And then it was over. Sort of. 

The meowing stopped, but she wouldn’t come out of the litter box. I was able to pick her up (first time!) and lift her out of the box. As soon as I set her down on the rug, she ran right back into the cabinet by the entry hole on the side and plunked herself back into the box like a bird on a nest. I conceded defeat and left for work, knowing we would need to repeat the ordeal again in two weeks for the final dose.

When I returned from work, Kiki was on her favorite chair and let me close enough to pet her with my outstretched arm. Perhaps I’ve been forgiven for the morning's ordeal. I wonder how long she stayed in her litter box cabinet. As I dined on the couch, she slipped off the chair and quietly stepped behind it, where she stayed for the next several hours.

Two Amazon deliveries arrived around 8:00. One was a set of two self-grooming brushes that can be attached to a wall corner or table or chair leg. That is the delivery that was delayed by a day. I might have weird woodwork and corners because they don’t set on the doorframes or corner edges at all. The table legs are too thick and round, and the chair legs too narrow.

The other package was the scratching post which required the light assembly I’m becoming quite adept at. The collection of allen wrenches from a decade of assemble it yourself furniture continues to grow.

Today's light assembly project.

The scratch post features a plush beige base, sisal rope post with plush accents, and two plush balls for smacking around. There were several color options available, and the beige was chosen to coordinate with the household décor but I probably should have tried to coordinate with the color of the cat hair and gotten the navy blue base instead. 

The scratch post included a self-grooming brush that wasn’t mentioned in the description or shown in the product photo (bonus!). It seems I didn’t need the second item ordered after all.

The scratch post now sits in the living room, awaiting Kiki’s attention. Kiki still sits behind the chair. I’m on the couch, watching yet another foreign crime drama (The Snow Girl) and waiting for Keeks to venture out. She really isn’t the adventurous type. Not right now anyway. Not yet. Maybe someday. As long as she stops clawing the furniture, I'll be happy.

random thoughts – Day 1,463 – (Tuesday) – buying and waiting

I joined Amazon Prime because of a woman. After seeing an episode of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel at a friend’s house, I joined Prime so I could binge watch the series at home. Once signed up, it made sense to take advantage of the free shipping and next day deliveries that other people seemed to to join for.

First Amazon order.

The first purchases in my order history are a poster frame and a plantar fasciitis kit with gel heel caps, arch supports and other items. Definitely not glamorous, but those foot items were hugely helpful during a time of terrible foot pain in the summer of 2019. 

Later orders were more fun – a pink and gold shiny tuxedo, paillette embellished top, jewelry, and bright 25-yard skirt for dance troupe costuming, a bag for the Middle Eastern drum I bought from an actual music store.

During the shutdown times, Amazon deliveries kept me fed with coffee, spices, cookies, and salty snacks from Amazon Pantry (until they disappeared) and regular full grocery orders from Whole Foods back when the deliveries were free. Pandemic entertainment arrived via deliveries of puzzles, books, art supplies. And shoes. 

Nesting activities were enhanced with housewares and items for organizing. Pet supplies arrived. Gifts were sent to the nieces. Most orders were next day delivery. It was predictable and reliable. It was amazing.

In the post-shutdown times, there are still deliveries, but lately they arrive with less joy and excitement. Some items were purely practical (new floor vents). Some were returned – the curtains that looked nothing like the pictures, clothing that didn’t fit, incorrect items.

In recent years the membership fee increased and so has the delivery window. Many items are shown as two-day delivery, which is completely acceptable (when it happens as promised). What bugs me is when placing an order because the items are advertised as next-day delivery, and then on delivery day, as the clock ticks closer to the projected delivery window, a message arrives saying that the delivery is delayed. There have been enough broken delivery promises lately that it feels like just another dysfunctional relationship. Kind of like marriage number two.

The counterpoint to the delayed deliveries is the stuff that delivers same day or overnight. It feels like I’m getting my revenge. My sneakers are delayed? Ok, fine. I’ll take those vitamins with same-day delivery that I don’t actually need today. Another late order? Yes, I do want the delivery window between 4 am and 8 am on the cat treats and toys. It’s the principle.

Coming soon.

Today’s tardy item is a grooming tool for Kiki. Now I might need to order some more toys for her to ignore just for a retaliatory pre-dawn delivery. Tomorrow’s expected delivery is an upright scratching post because the architecturally interesting angled sisal board that delivered a couple weeks ago and the flat cardboard scratch pads bought before Kiki even arrived have not been used for the purposes intended. They currently serve as charcuterie boards holding Kiki’s treats. The treats disappear nightly but the boards are never scratched, while the edge of the chair and two edges of the ottoman have suffered the attention of Kik’s lethal talons.  

If shopping in stores wasn’t so time consuming and disappointing and I wasn’t mostly antisocial, I would sever the cord and be free of Amazon. Maybe. I think. Hard to say. Sure, it's feeling dysfunctional, but it's mighty grand to be shopping from the couch and not having to dodge other shoppers or talk to anyone.

For now, I’ll be anxiously awaiting the grooming tool and the scratching post.

random thoughts – Day 1,462 – (Monday) – forks and food

Surprise, two forks left.

The morning light in the back yard revealed green shoots coming up by the lilac. Nearby, the light also glimmered off the protective devices optimistically (foolishly?) planted around the Columbine last year in a likely misguided and futile attempt to prevent the groundhogs or bunnies or whatever backyard connoisseur from eating the blossoms. 

These remaining specialty devices peeking out from the dead leaves never raked up last fall are more commonly known as plastic forks, and I was surprised to see that I still had two forks left in my garden. Surprise! I really thought I had zero forks left. None. Not a one. But whaddaya know, I somehow still have two.

There were results reported from the pee and poo samples delivered to the vet on Saturday. I hope she won’t be embarrassed or horrified or permanently scarred by the caretaker betrayal and public outing, but sweet Kiki has roundworm. There was a trip to the vet after work to pick up the prescription. That was the easy part.

Doses. Ugh.

The hard part still looms. Next, I need to wrangle the cat who barely lets me touch her, somehow get her mouth open, and plunge the contents of a prefilled syringe of some yellowish creamy paste substance down her throat. On the bright side, if she’s meowing like she did at the vet, I might stand a chance. 

And then, we get to do it again in two weeks for the second treatment. Hopefully by then, Keeks will have forgotten about it.

The other option was wrangling her into the carrier to go to the vet, paying for an office visit, and having a tech administer the dosage. The only available time slot would require leaving work early on Tuesday and the stress of the carrier wrangling and arriving there on time. I chose the home-dose trauma.

I wish Kiki was as easy to appease with food as Moose and Winston were because I would buy her affection with all the treats and delicacies, and tonight they would be doused in the medical goop. Alas, she gives zero forks about being hand-fed treats or food. Despite noting the continued reduction of the food volume in the bowl and the disappearance of treats planted in strategic locations including the carrier and the scratch boards she still won't use instead of the chair and ottoman, I’ve still not seen her eat.

Food fortification.

At least I’m fortified by some good food. Today’s inspired pre-battle meal was plant-based meat crumbles sauteed with onion, broccoli, mushroom, and celery then tossed with brown rice, queso, and a dollop of salsa. So yummy. There is some left for tomorrow. And I have nearly psyched myself up to move in for the dosing of Kiki.

random thoughts – Day 1,461 – (Sunday) – three days

March 17, 2023.

One year ago today, I was in Rome with friends. It was another sunny, blue-sky day in a week filled with such. That afternoon, we visited Vatican City with thousands of other tourists. We were shepherded through hallways with paintings on every surface. We saw chapels and more paintings, and sculptures everywhere. We were crammed into the Sistine Chapel and could barely move. It was all pretty amazing.

It was another day after a string of days with delicious coffee, amazing pizza and pasta, Aperol spritzes, and great wine. It is hard to believe it’s been a year already, and at the same time, it feels like it’s been forever. And I miss the food. 

March 17, 2024.

This afternoon, I stood in a Family Dollar store holding some greeting cards, a four-pack of toilet paper, and a roll of paper towels, while staring at boxes of store brand pasta. It’s convenient and affordable, but I really wished I was looking at a restaurant menu in Rome. Some leftover pizza from Thirsty First on Market Street is jammed in the freezer, and while it’s really good Lowell pizza, it’s not quite Rome pizza. A stop at Market Basket on the way home from dance class yielded a Market Kitchen corned beef dinner. It was the red salty corned beef that I love, and it was delicious. 

Work in process - March 17, 2024.

The canvases arrived from Amazon and the paints came out. The sides of seven canvases were painted in colors to work with the photos that would be affixed to the front. One photo is of Kiki (shocker!). The rest of the photos were from the two trips of 2023 -- Rome and Las Vegas. Two of the Rome photos were taken in Saint Peter’s Basilica exactly one year ago, but I didn’t make that exact connection until a Google photo memory popped up on my phone to illuminate it for me. 

March 17, 2020.

Four years ago, it was a totally different adventure. It was my first day as a remote worker from my dining room table. That led to the first night starting the blog to chronicle the remote adventure. It was the time when toilet paper and sanitizing wipes were making headlines for becoming scarce. 

Holding that pack of toilet paper today, taken from a shelf filled with different brands and various roll counts was a huge improvement over 2020 when the shelves were emptying and the stuff was getting scarce. It was worlds away from looking at pants and blouses and purses in the shops of Rome and sculptures, mosaic floors, and paintings everywhere we went. But it’s all okay. It was still a great day on its own. 

random thoughts – Day 1,460 – (Saturday) – art of procrastination

Last Friday, the vet office sent me off with kits for collecting Kiki's urine and fecal matter. The instructions were to empty and clean the litter box, then add special pellet things that don’t absorb liquid. After Keeks did her business, I was supposed to use a suction thing to gather the urine and transfer it into a vial. The poop part of it involved a little scooper on a stick and another vial. The samples were to be refrigerated after collection and brought to the vet office ASAP.

There was no way I was prepared to play kitty scientist last Friday, although dropping off the samples on Saturday morning and being done with it would have been nice and I wouldn't have been thinking about it all through the week. I wasn’t around last Saturday night and by Sunday night, it was bumping into weekday logistics with work and little desire to add pre-work vet excursions to the mix.

Suddenly, it was a full week past the vet visit. Friday night I got busy. The special black non-absorbent crystals that looked like aquarium rocks barely covered the bottom of the litter box, but the vet tech said there just needed to be some for scratching/burying.

At 2:00 am, I had awoken for the second time since going to bed around 11:00.  Kiki was meowing softly downstairs and I popped down to check on her and the litter box excretion collection project. Kiki was feeling affectionate and cozied up for head skritches. The litter box appeared unused and I returned to bed.

When I got up for the day (7:00 am), Kiki was again seeking attention in the form of head rubs. Her fur is soft, silky, and luxurious. The litter box held what seemed like a lot of pee and plenty of poop for the sample. While the materials were collected and the litter box cleaned and set up with the usual pellet litter, Kiki hid behind the couch.

"Honk if you like crab rangoon."

The specimen delivery was followed by a trip to the thrift store. On the way, the day's amusement was found while sitting at a red light. A hand-lettered sign in the window of Dracut Appliance Center read, "Honk if you like crab rangoon." I like crab rangoon, but I did not honk. I might take cookies from church ladies outside the parking garage, but I don't follow every single random instruction that comes my way. I would like to know the backstory to the crab rangoon sign, though.

The mission for the thrift store trip was items with the 99-cent tag color (green). The day’s score included a sleeveless tee shirt knit summer dress (with pockets!), a blue floral Hawaiian shirt, cotton knit lounge pants, and a bath wrap thing. There was also a full-price ($5) Irish wool knit sweater with a tag declaring it was from Ireland. I am a fan of handknits and especially the Irish patterns.

There was a plan to attend an art show opening in the afternoon, but in the several hours between the vet and thrift store and the art reception, things happened. The super-hard puzzle was finished after a month of labor. The thrift store items were laundered. And chills and fatigue, my two beastly new friends made a call. They visit a little too often lately. Not nice, beasties. Maybe all the morning veterinary science stuff wore me out.

Briefly, I snuggled on the couch under a blanket for a nap, but about five seconds into the snuggle the dryer buzzed to signal the end of the 30-minute Dryel in-home sweater dry cleaning cycle. Another 30-minutes later, the rest of the regular laundry load was dry and folded.

Then I spaced out staring at the TV and thinking about the artists I know with work in the show and how the receptions are always crowded in the long, narrow gallery. The fine art of procrastination kicked in with deliberations about whether I should change from what I was wearing to something else because I was cold, and then concern it would make me too warm in the gallery. There were calculations about drive time and where to park and then it was too late to get to the gallery before the reception ended. This is not the first time this has happened, it wasn’t a surprise, and the worst part was that there was also no nap.

After a quick supper of leftover pizza, the sheets were washed and then drying, which was the only thing that kept me from going to bed at 7:00 pm. And another day is done. They pass so quickly, even when there isn’t much going on.

random thoughts – Day 1,459 – (Friday) – brights spots on a dreary day

A light drizzly rain was falling from the gray sky and the morning traffic was heavier than the usual Friday volume. I worried that word has gotten out that the Friday commute is easier and everyone jumped on it. Or maybe I’m just paranoid and it was just that I left the house five minutes earlier and that made the difference. The traffic cluster in the intersection outside the parking garage as I entered was cleared to the normal Friday ghost-town levels by the time I had parked and walked out.

For months, two people have been stationed outside the garage with a literature rack of Jehovah’s Witness materials. They are there nearly every Wednesday and Friday, and probably other days that I'm not downtown. We always exchange pleasantries and quick observations about the weather as I walk past and it’s quite nice. Today’s weather note was that it was a bit chilly.

The gray drear outside the office window.

This morning, out of nowhere, the woman asked if I had any food allergies (I don’t) then if I like molasses (I probably do). She then offered me a homemade molasses cookie, wrapped in plastic wrap that magically appeared in her hand from who knows where. She said it was something they were giving to the “regulars” they see all the time. She said it would go great with coffee, and I sort-of joked that “there is coffee at my office and it’s why I keep going back.” 

When I was a kid, my brother and I were in the park and a teenager offered us candy. My brother, always the rebel and rule breaker, refused it. The candy was free and I took it and I ate it. My brother was horrified. Mom said don’t take candy from strangers. What if it was drugged? He was going to tell our parents and I would be in a lot of trouble. I was stunned that the kid who skipped Sunday School and hung around in the park near our church waiting for me to get out so we could walk home together was following a parental rule.

Apparently, I can still be bought with treats and like to live on the edge, because this morning I took the cookie from the sort-of stranger. While eating it, I hoped that accepting it hadn’t activated some sort of unspoken agreement or opened a portal to a cult. Just to cover bases, I told a colleague that if I keeled over, it was probably the cookie from the church lady. I wonder how many cookies it will take before I discover I'ved joined the church, and also I wonder if there are cookies at the services.

It was gray and dreary all day. The bright spot from the free cookie did not cause hallucinations or death, but it couldn’t stop the grayness. The view outside the office window was gray all day. Cocktails and snacks after work with colleagues was another bright spot. Delicious pizza bright, which is even better than cookie bright, because pizza slices were larger than the cookie, and there is now half a pizza in the fridge.

random thoughts – Day 1,458 – (Thursday) – quirks and such

Ugh. Engine light.

It’s been a week with several quirky things swirling around. It started last week with the car’s “Service Engine” light coming on. A call to the Jeep dealership in an attempt to schedule a service appointment resulted in a headache of automated menu option nonsense. I bailed in annoyance.

Tuesday, after delivering my 4x4 piece for the upcoming fundraiser event, I was all hot to make more of them. Before going to bed, I ordered a pack of nine four-inch square canvases and a pair of slip-on sneakers. The items were all due to deliver today.

More prints in the small size were ordered before work and ready for pickup after work on Wednesday. After grabbing the prints and not checking them in the store, there was a stop at Market Basket for raspberry tea. An Irish Soda Bread was also bought, because every year at this time I buy one. 

The other thing that happens every year at this time, is I wonder why I keep buying Irish Soda Bread, because it turns out I don’t really like it. It’s dry. It falls apart while being sliced and I end up trying to glue it back together with butter. It doesn’t even taste that good to me. I could have bought a lovely pie for Pi Day today instead, but no, I chose the dumb bread. It's highly likely the same thing will play out next year at this time.

At home, the 4” by 4” photos were checked and discovered to be printed on 4” by 6” paper with a two-inch white space on one end, which sucked because the smaller, nonstandard sized prints actually cost quite a bit more than the standard size. It was annoying enough that I called the store. The clerk was really nice and said I could stop in and they would trim them to the right size, which sounded better than me hacking at them with scissors or my abused and crappy utility knife.

Today, there was a quick away from keyboard (AFK!) midday trip to an auto parts store for their free Check Engine Light diagnosis. The check engine issue was diagnosed and the problem resolved with advice to keep an eye on it, and if it comes back on, to bring the printout to the Jeep service department. 

The auto parts purveyor is across the street from the photo place. The photos were trimmed and I was headed back to the desk. I saw three vintage convertibles on the roads in 20 minutes on a sunny, 60-degree late winter day. It was thrilling to spend a half hour away from the desk, away from the home office, and out in the world, solving my tiny life problems.

Cute, but  not quite as described or depicted.

Amazon delivered on time as promised. The sneakers fit great, but aren’t quite as glorious as described. The “superior canvas material” in the product description is closer to a mediocre decorative tapestry fabric and the print is busier than was pictured. Not horrible, still cute, just not quite as described. 

The real surprise was in the box allegedly holding the small canvases. Instead of nine 4” by 4” canvases, the box held three 4” by 12” canvases. Same total surface area of 144”, but no, no, not the same at all. 

A return and a replacement with the correct item were requested. The original and incorrect order placed at 10:00 at night delivered in less than two full days, but the replacement order made at 5:00 will take three days. What the heck, Amazon?

After a quick supper of leftover pizza foraged from the freezer, instead of working on canvases as planned, a trip was made to Kohl’s to deliver the canvases for the return trip to Amazon. While at the store, there was some shopping done, because, duh. It’s been ages since I last browsed, and the store wasn’t very busy and the displays were neat, so it was quite pleasant.

There were fashion surprises on the racks, including the apparent return of pleat-front pants. Ugh. They looked awful on most body types that weren’t shaped like breadsticks in the 80s and I bet they’ll look awful on most body shapes again. Pass. There were cute shoes at great clearance prices but not my size. Slight sadness.

The victorious score was a pair of flare leg, trouser style jeans that remind me of some I had and loved in high school, and a pair of light brown pants that will work with the new brown loafers for office-office days. There was a gift card from Christmas in my wallet, so the cash outlay was less than the cost of a fancy coffee shop drink.

Despite not being able to play with a bunch of small canvases as planned, the night was still a good one. I hope my interest in the small canvas project lasts beyond the Sunday delivery, which was the original projected completion date. We’ll see.

random thoughts – Day 1,457 – (Wednesday) – almost affection

The sun was out today, and that wasn’t even the best part of the day. The day’s highlight came early, before the sun was up.

Since the terrible betrayal of Friday night when Kiki was tricked into the carrier and spirited off to the vet, where according to said animal professionals, she SCREAMED the entire time of the blood draw, she has been even more aloof. She spends her time behind the couch, seated between the wall and the plastic deflector on the heat vent that guides the warm air under the couch and into the room.

This morning, after arising in the dark, I headed downstairs to make the coffee and do the things. Kiki was under the dining room table. She let out a little meow and let me reach for her to pat her head. There was a minute of the morning ritual where I reach for her, she backs away a bit, then leans her head towards me, and I do whatever gymnastics are needed to pat her head.

Pet me. But from afar.

My next stop was the kitchen to start the coffee. When I turned around, Kiki had come into the kitchen and was standing just a few feet away. She didn’t turn and flee, instead, she slowly approached. And she let me pat her head. It was a miracle. Best morning ever.

Then she returned to her fortress among the chair legs under the dining room table. By the time I left for the office-office, she was back behind the couch, safe from view. When I returned for the day, she was on the living room chair, but fled for behind the couch when I entered the room. She stayed there for the next several hours, while I cherished the memory of the morning’s progress and almost-affection.

random thoughts – Day 1,456 – (Tuesday) – crazy and time

Work had a ridiculous situation that might be hilarious if taking place in a movie and being watched while chomping on a tub of hot buttered popcorn with Junior Mints tossed in. Unfortunately, it was real life and involving a real vendor, but a different one than the source of last week’s of headaches.

The problem involves a software update which has sent us into crazy times. Project reviewers aren't being notified of review tasks until after the project due date which now seems to be treated in the system as the start date instead of completion date. What in the actual hell?

Apparently, the issue is the result of the request of another customer. In a call today with the vendor, in which the company rep was ten minutes late, a workaround was presented that felt like total gaslighting. 

Now we need to set all the individual task dates as “same day” instead of in the once linear and logical progression based on the length of time needed. It was also suggested we recommend the other teams go into the program to revise the display of their Task Tables and dates. For real? It seems that we may need to manually monitor timelines that used to be automated, because, sure, why not. Let’s just go back to 1970 while we’re at it and we can send hardcopies to each other via interoffice mail to review.

Over in the camp of projects and timelines that are not screwed up, my piece for the 4x4 art auction was delivered, one day before the deadline, and timed to coincide with our board meeting tonight. If the meeting had been last week, it would have been ready last week, but as I learned in a college business management class, "Work expands to fill the time allotted." At the auction, people buy a $25 ticket. The names of ticketholders are drawn lottery style to determine the order for choosing a piece of work from the collection. I love this event.

St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City.

The 4x4 piece is a photo from Rome, taken a year ago while on vacation.  It is mounted on the face of the canvas which has edges  painted in blue white, and gold. The whole thing was sealed with many coats of Mod Podge which carry brush strokes with which I had a love-hate relationship. 

Now I want to do more small photos mounted onto small canvases. I could create an entire travelogue of the trip rendered in four-inch square blocks. Not that I would know what to do with them after that, but it could be fun. Or, I could do like I usually do and think about it until I'm tired of the topic and lose interest. We'll see.

random thoughts – Day 1,455 – (Monday) – wind, soup, and art

The wind is back and seems really, really miffed about something. After the trash truck came and collected the weekly pickups, the emptied bins were blowing in the street. I went out and collected mine before it went astray and rescued the neighbor’s bin which had relocated to the middle of the street.

The BungaLowell sounded like it was under attack much of the day, but once again, and like a week or so back during that previous windy spell, it was the neighbor’s fence under assault. An earlier round of abuse by wind shredded an end piece and wrecked the latch to the neighbor’s two-door wide enough for a truck to pass through gate. Once liberated, one gate panel was continually blown open and slammed against the adjoining fence panel.

Today, the other gate panel suffered the wrath of the wind. The edge piece that held the latch was ripped off and the interior slats to the panel were strewn across the back yard like giant popsicle sticks. There were slamming sounds throughout the day as parts of the gate that remained attached were flung back and forth with the gusts.

There has been wind since the previous neighbor homeowner installed the fence during the height of the pandemic that temporarily shuttered the gym where he worked, but it took the mighty wind blasts of 2024 to ruin the gates. So far, the fence still stands and sways in the wind. Crazy.

Veggie and ravioli soup.

There was a reserve of vegetables that had been turned into a soup, so as the day wound down and the wind kept gusting mighty gusts, the soup pot warmed on the stove. Spinach cheese ravioli provided some bulk, and it was a welcome hot supper while the chilly day raged outside, rattling the storm windows on the porch. 

Kiki seemed unaware of the activity both outside and in. She started the day under the dining room table and allowed me to deliver the morning adoration. Once I headed to the desk, she headed for the area behind the couch where she stayed all day and into the evening.

Even when there was hammering in the bathroom while Cat Lady mode entered its next phase, Kiki was not the slightest bit curious. Cat Lady mode has been percolating for weeks, while deliberations whether to advance to the next phase were underway. This evening, the moment of “just do it” arrived and the action was completed.

Nails had been chosen and set on a counter with the hammer two weeks previously. A triptych of framed “art” pieces bought on a whim from the fine art and housewares aisle of Family Dollar sat nearby. They had been liberated of their retail packaging weeks earlier, but with the sales receipt nearby and at the ready with the empty box in case a return was decided. 

Kiki's personal dining space.

Tonight, nails were tapped into the wall and three framed squares installed. They are not perfectly aligned, which will haunt me forever, but the more I fussed with it, the worse it got.

Kiki now has her own personal decorative art above her personal dining station. She has not seen it yet, and hopefully, it won’t startle her and/or inspire her to claw it off the wall, because I spent ten solid minutes once I finally completed the deliberations and executed the installation. 

The next Cat Lady art acquisition may be one of the pet portraits in royal garb that can be procured online. It will be fabulous.

random thoughts – Day 1,454 – (Sunday) –fatigue and warfare

Feeling cold and tired continues, kind of like the gray and cloudy weather. Just like the weather, there are glimmers of sunshine that cut through occasionally in the form of feeling better. The tired part of the current curse seems to have been aggravated by the time change of Saturday night. 

The bed called unto to me all day.

Feeling tired has inspired a headache. Or maybe the headache came first, there is no way to tell for sure. It feels like a chicken and egg debate or a question for web-md-dot-com. Or maybe for my actual doctor at this point. 

Whatever the cause, the effect had been me nodding off on the couch all afternoon while patiently waiting for it to be dark enough to go to bed. And the bed continued to beckon unto me. 

Philosophical questions and debates aside, there is a new afterlife goal. After observing the behavior of American domestic pets of the pampered variety, I’d like to submit my request to come back as the cat or dog pampered pet of a middle-ish class American family. Eat, sleep, play, look cute, create chaos. All day. Yes, please.

Kiki is either also tired, or still mad about the whole vet visit thing on Friday. She’s been camped out behind the couch for several hours, quiet as a dust bunny. Nary a peep, Easter or otherwise. Maybe she is freezing me out with the cold shoulder for the massive betrayal of taking her to the vet. Keeks is highly skilled in emotional and psychological warfare. Expert level, actually. Kudos to Kiki.