random thoughts – Day 2,146 (Saturday) – another winter day

Bathroom skylight.

The day was cold and sunny with a blue sky. There was talk earlier in the week of a storm over the weekend, which is currently slamming the Carolinas and southern Virginia but now the absence of screaming headlines makes it seem it will miss central Massachusetts. Or not. Who knows.

The snow on the skylights is melting off. This morning there was a large chunk of blue sky and the tippety-top of a tree visible over the shower, but the kitchen skylight is still about 75% snow-covered. 

When the kitchen skylight is covered, the room has a gray tone to it, but the difference in light quality is less noticeable with the bathroom skylight over the shower area. Or maybe it’s just that I spend a lot less time in there.

There was dance practice in the afternoon with the duet partner. First, we move the area rug and sofa out of the way and then we run through the dance in the still small area available as many times as we feel are necessary. Our dance is looking and feeling great. 

Almost full Snow Moon.

Before and after practice, I worked on the final steps of adding brocade trim to the back neckline of the costume which was declared done a week ago and now might really be done done. Now I can shift my attention to a full obsession over hair, makeup, and earrings.

As darkness fell, the nearly full Snow Moon shone bright in the sky. It looked large, but in cell phone pictures from the living room it looked like a little fluff ball or a moth ball nestled in the trees. 

The sky was clear and that means cold, so hooray. It's a whopping six degrees that "feels like -4". Winter is really wintery this year. The forecast is for warmer temperatures with 24 degrees on Sunday and 30 on Monday it will feel like a tropical heat wave and I am all for it.

random thoughts – Day 2,145 (Friday) – amateur sleuth

Icicles like weapons.

The icicles out front grow more impressive each day and the morning sun shone upon them. They glistened and dripped, extending their length throughout the day. They now extend like sabers half the length of the window. Nearby houses have matching lethal-looking icicle protective devices.

This morning I called Mom’s house. Instead of the line ringing or the recording to leave a message because the line was in use, I was quickly met with a message from my cell carrier notifying that the “person being called is temporarily unavailable.” Unusual. Mysterious.

I called several times, then donned boots, coat, hat, and gloves and walked next door to see if Mom was aware her phone was weird. There were no cars in the driveway so I returned home. I checked the outages site for her provider and saw none noted.

While in the guest room to open the curtains that had been drawn against drafts the night before, I noticed Kiki’s toy was gone from where I had placed it and couldn’t find it anywhere. Mysterious. Also, the pale yellow pillow on the daybed had black hair on it that matches the hair often found on the blanket at the foot of my bed where Kiki naps all day and on the arm of the chair where she perches in the evening when I watch TV.

The pillow offered a clue to Kiki’s nighttime whereabouts after she leaves the bedroom when I go to bed. In the morning I find her sitting on the rug staring at me while I’m in bed, under the dining table, or on the arm of the chair and wondered where she spends the time in between and how long it would take for her to discover the day bed.

In the afternoon, the car was warmed up and I drove to the mail boxes. I hadn’t checked for mail all week and the day’s USPS alert indicated several pieces of mail including tax forms and a package which turned out to be the four-inch by four-inch canvas I will work on for a fundraiser.

On the way past Mom’s house I saw she was home and called her land line again. It was still the Verizon recording. On a whim, before going over in person, I called Mon’s cell phone, which is usually not even turned on when she’s home, but this time it was. I informed her of the phone issue, she called the provider, and it was fixed quickly. Situation solved, although the outage reason is still a mystery. 

Costume jewelry.

The recently ordered set of rhinestone bracelets for the dance costume arrived – five narrow bracelets and one double rowed large stone bracelet. There are still a couple details to be dealt with including earrings, but it is mostly complete with just over a week to go until the dance showcase.

random thoughts – Day 2,144 (Thursday) – snow clean

During Wednesday’s late afternoon shovel-the-front-stairs adventure, it was observed that the snow was the perfect dry and fluffy consistency for cleaning rugs the very old-fashioned way but the late hour made it less feasible. Today, dressed for the snow and bitterly cold weather (officially 16 degrees - feels like 5 degrees) in snow pants, layers, snow coat, heat reflective liners, and snow gloves, I went outside to check out the day’s snow situation.

Digging to the shed,
snow-cleaning rugs.

The shed doors were still blocked by two feet of snow, holding captive the snow shoes I neglected to retrieve the 1,000 times I thought about it since December. The sun had been shining in a blue sky all morning and by 11:30 the snow in the front yard was wetter than Thursday. Not wet and sticky enough for building snow sculptures but just wet enough to be not useful. At the side of the house near the carport, it was still shaded and the snow was dryer.

The three runners (laundry, kitchen, hallway) were retrieved from inside and set atop the snow. The larger rug that really needed the refresh lives closer to the front door/front yard and is just too large enough to be paraded through the house alone so it wasn’t dragged out back.

Dry snow was tossed on the runners, then I took a few minutes to start blazing a trail to the shed doors. One by one the rugs were swept free of the snow (and dirt), flipped, swept on the backside, then hung on the porch rail and swept again. Unlike the last time I did this on different rugs, the swept-off snow remained relatively clean around the rugs. Either I’m doing a better job with routine cleaning, rugs are cleaner without two dogs, or these new runners are magical. My money is on the absence of dogs, but I would take dirty rugs all day any day to have Moose and Winston back.

The snow shoes were successfully retrieved from the shed and set into the tiny cargo compartment of the Jeep. Most of the car’s length is under the hood, and the so-called “cargo” space is minimal in the Renegade if the back seats are upright. For now, it’s full of snow shoes and a set of ski poles, a large umbrella, and various household items intended for donation. I couldn’t fit a bag of groceries back there if my life depended on it.

It was much more pleasant outside today then yesterday. The sun was shining, a neighbor stopped by to chat, and tasks were accomplished. Remembering I own reflective glove liners was helpful and my fingers didn’t get cold during the shoveling and sweeping.

Once back inside, a modification was made to the dance costume. Brocade trim was hand basted along the back neckline and pressed using the tailor’s ham and it looked okay until I tried it on and saw that the neckline no longer lays flat. Did it ever? Suddenly I don’t know. But Houston, we definitely have a problem, but it’s now a Friday problem. Sometimes sleeping on it delivers the solution.

My necklace for the costume was located, ending a day long search. That is what happens when I “organize” things, like I did in December after our last performance – they end up being set someplace “logical” which I unfortunately can’t remember when I need to (lifelong affliction). After looking for the tenth time in various jewelry boxes and travel cosmetic bags used for transport to performance, the necklace was found today in a clear plastic bag on a closet shelf with many other dance accessories. Perfectly logical, right next to the storage bag of troupe performance coin belts and veils, except for the part where I might wear the necklace for non-dance purposes, making it also “everyday jewelry” which lives elsewhere. Clearly, a better system is needed.

random thoughts – Day 2,143 (Wednesday) – outdoor adventure

There are stairs
under there.

Today had an outdoor adventure. I bundled up in the tall snow boots, favorite outdoor coat, a hat, and ski gloves and grabbed the shovel. Dry, light snow had drifted against the back storm door and was cleared, along with the back steps. The snow that had drifted against the driver side of the car was cleared. Then it was over to the front of the house to clear the mound of fluffy snow that had buried the steps and hid the entryway.

It was quick work. There was a lot of snow, but it was feather light and easy to throw. Icicle daggers were knocked down from part of the front of the house with the shovel, but the snow out back is too deep to trudge through to reach the icicles on that side of the house.

Thank goodness for the quickness of the work, because it was cold. My body was warm enough in my coat, but my toes were chilly in my boots and my fingers were cold in the ski gloves. It’s been ages since I had a reliably warm pair of snow gloves, despite buying ski/snowboard brands. 

Winter sunset thought the trees.

From an energy standpoint, I could have kept going, clearing the access to the shed and the recycle and trash bins, but the cold hands cut that short and I returned to admiring winter from inside the house. As the sun was setting, I camped out at the window trying to get a glimpse of the pink sunset through the trees and the icicles on the back of the house. It's rarely successful, but I check it out most days anyway.

random thoughts – Day 2,142 (Tuesday) – clean up and look forward

Kiki watching
the proceedings.

Neighbors tackled the final round of snow blowing and clean up from the storm. Driveways and walkways received another pass and paths for oil deliveries were carved across lawns from the street to tank access. Kiki watched from the window while the Snow Angel neighbor cleared the walk of the fresh snow covering it since he cleared it one day ago. The management truck made the rounds spreading salt and sand. I haven't left the house since going to the grocery store Friday night. It's been a daily choice, made without guilt. 

The sun was shining in the morning, sharing the bright blue sky with a sliver of moon, but it retreated behind heavy cloud cover later in the day. Around 5:00, the gray sky began spitting snow again from its seemingly endless reserves. The forecast for the coming weekend is still iffy, but only to the extent of the fresh chapter of winter misery to be bestowed upon the east coast. 

This winter shall pass. There are 52 days until spring. Let the countdown commence. I'm looking forward to seeing what grows in the yard and where I can plant things. In the meantime, I need a plan for winter fun. There are 52 days of winter frolicking to be embraced. Or ignored. It really depends on the day.

random thoughts – Day 2,141 (Monday) – peace and snowfall

Snow drift against the shed.

It snowed all day again today, but with less fervor and intensity than Sunday. Snow is drifted against the side of the shed (seen from a window), and likely against the equivalent short length of the house (not able to confirm from within the house).

The plow was out. The snowblowers were out. The not-allowed-in-the-neighborhood tag team of door knockers pushing something or other was also out. I saw them approach the driveway, one holding a shovel. My guess was they would shovel their way up to doors blocked with snow drifts. I didn’t answer the doorbell rings (twice) or the standard shave-and-a-haircut knock that must be part of door-to-door basic training.

I went in the bedroom and chatted with Kiki on the bed. After the door knocking duo had left, Mom called to ask if the forbidden solicitors had been by. They were three houses up the street by then, talking with the homeowner who foolishly answered the door. That’s when the neighborhood manager arrived in the pickup plow truck with the salt/sander in the bed. There was a conversation. The two dudes with one shovel turned and headed back the way they had come.

Foil war.

There were no wildlife sightings, but none were expected. Trash was delayed, but lounging about was not. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel streamed on the TV. Brussels sprouts, green beans, broccoli, and carrots were oven roasted. While trying to line the baking sheet, there was a ferocious battle on the domestic front with a roll of Reynolds Wrap. It had a crimp in the foil at one end of the roll that caused the edge to tear, made more infuriating by it being the name brand, expensive foil and not the dollar store, crimp-free stuff I usually buy for a much lower price. 

Dances were practiced. Overall, it was a satisfactory and peaceful day spent avoiding life outside the house.  Peaceful, except for the foil battle.

random thoughts – Day 2,140 (Sunday) – snow, roses, rooster

We were promised snow by the days of weather forecasts leading up to the weekend and the actual weather delivered. It started around 9:40 a.m. Sunday in Gardner, and at 8:40 p.m., it was still steadily blowing and going. I looked online but couldn’t find snowfall totals specific to Gardner, but other cities and towns ranged from three inches near the Cape to nine inches in a neighboring town and 10 inches on the North Shore. At 7:30 as the snow continued to blow and fall, a neighbor was snow blowing their driveway.  It seemed a bit futile, but to each his own. Sometimes you just need to take control and do something.

Roses!

Dance group for this morning was cancelled yesterday, so dressing for the day was straight into the fuzzy fleece lounge pants that signal there is no intention of leaving the warm and dry confines of the house. While the weather raged outside, all was calm inside with Kiki hunkered down under the bed, me flitting around, and vases holding yellow roses in the bedroom, dining room, and kitchen. All was calm. All was bright.

There was coffee in the morning, more of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel streaming on the TV, and more of Friday night’s delicious pastrami on marble rye with cole slaw, and half sour pickles for lunch. It was delicious and now it is all gone. The memories will linger. New York pastrami from Hannaford is on the list for future deli visits, but probably just for special occasions.

There were plans for the snow day which included practicing dances. It’s crunch time and we perform in a showcase in two weeks. The practicing was delayed by looking at costume jewelry and weirdly shaped bookcases on Amazon, and reviewing the pendant lights added to the cart last night (but not buying).

My not favorite
light fixture.

The initial plan was to replace the weirdly located weird dining room hanging light featuring roosters and poor illumination with something more to my taste also on a chain that could be swagged to a hook to achieve centering in the space. That seemed easier than relocating the electrical mount to a centered spot and repairing the ceiling. My favorite thing about the current fixture are the cigar band star and heart made by an artist friend that I hung from it.

The new idea, developed while looking at pendant lights online, is to get two fixtures – one for the original electrical placement and another for a foot or two away to improve illumination and provide balance. It is expected this plan will change up to 100 times before any fixtures are bought and an electrician found. It’s all part of the usual process. 

random thoughts – Day 2,139 (Saturday) – wiley

Neighborhood coyote.

It was a mostly quiet Saturday before the big winter storm forecast to barrel through the area. While the grocery stores were packed with panic shopping (so I heard), I lounged on my couch playing chess on Duolingo and sort of looking out the window. That’s when I saw an unfamiliar large dog loose in the driveway with no human in sight. 

Most of the neighborhood dogs are small to medium sized and almost exclusively attached to a leash anchored by a human when they pass the house. When I looked closer today, this one wasn’t a big dog, it was a coyote. It was heftier than Wile E. Coyote of cartoon fame, pausing briefly in the shadow at the end of the driveway.

The animal stood at the foot of my driveway and I scrambled for the phone/camera. Stupidly, I took a couple photos from the bottom half of the window where the screen is so they weren’t clear. When the critter limped into my front yard and along the length of the front of the house, I fumbled with the camera. The best I managed to get was a photo of the wiley one from the shoulders back as it hobbled by the rhododendron.

Most of a coyote and some rhododendron.

From the window at the front of the house, I ran to the window in the craft room, then to the spare bathroom, and finally to the guest room in the back, hoping for another glimpse and a better photo, preferably clear and with an entire coyote. Meanwhile, the coyote had turned left around the corner of the house, then diagonally to the right into the woods out back and out of sight, leaving a trail of tracks in the snow. I finally spotted it out back, steadily limping its way through the trees, just far enough away to not get a good picture.

random thoughts – Day 2,138 (Friday) – eating like new york

The current TV entertainment for the past couple days has been The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel on Prime. I loved it the first time I saw it, and rewatching it is even better. I forgot how funny it is, and since my first viewing, I’ve seen more shows from Amy Sherman-Palladino and recognize the dialogue pacing and quick wit, along with some of the characters. I forgot so much of it that it's new all over again.

Yum.

There is a lot of eating (or the suggestion thereof) in the show, with scenes in diners, restaurants, function halls, and summer resorts. The food in Mrs. Maisel often has me remembering some of the food of my past in delis in Connecticut, New York City, Natick, and even Nashville, and this week it led to actively recreating a meal. Tonight, that meant seeking the ingredients for a pastrami sandwich supper.

After an episode of Mrs. Maisel, there was a trip to Hannaford for the acquisition of pastrami and fixings. The bonus content was the free entertainment in the form of the comedic stylings of the two guys working at the deli counter. There was funny banter with customers and between the two of them that included thickness of slices, the wild guessing of snowfall estimates, and the younger deli guy trying to set up a date for the older guy. I need to visit the deli counter more often just for the comedy show.

As for supper, it was a delicious hot pastrami sandwich on marble rye with brown mustard with horse radish, half-sour pickle, cole slaw, and potato chips. And vanilla cream soda. It was a taste of New York in Gardner and with Mrs. Maisel and company on the screen, it was like dining with old friends.

random thoughts – Day 2,137 (Thursday) – seeking balance

More snow fell overnight. Despite my best efforts, there is no denying it is winter in New England. There was a trip out to the world (Ocean State Job Lot and Aldi) and it was good. The roads were cleared and passage was smooth and the stores were busy but not too busy. Foods and snacks were gathered, mostly for immediate consumption, but with an eye towards the storm due to arrive over the weekend. Potato chips and trail mix are important comfort items. In Ocean State, a woman in a motorized wheel chair rolled through the place like the local town crier, advising everyone to stock up in preparation for the big storm.

Roasted veggies, waiting
for the carrots to finish.

Winter means it’s perfect vegetable roasting weather because running the oven is more appealing now than in the summer when the world feels like an oven. Today’s roasted offerings were brussels sprouts, green beans, carrots, onion, and broccoli. The char was good, the flavor delicious. With a side of roasted garlic risotto, supper was winter food yummy. 

I could practically taste the health benefits, which were likely negated by what immediately followed. Hopefully the large plate of roasted fresh vegetables offset eating most of a bag of Pepperidge Farms Double Dark Chocolate Milano cookies. Balance is important.

random thoughts – Day 2,136 (Wednesday) – be prepared

I recently had a dream that I remembered, mostly because it was right before I woke up, and also because it seemed like a clear message telling me to get my arse in gear.

In the dream, I was performing in a stage show and had invited a woman I knew in Tennessee to attend but I don’t think we were in Tennessee. I couldn’t find her in the crowded auditorium to play hostess and thank her for coming, show her to her seat, etc. Then, suddenly I was sitting at a dining table with a belly dancer/DJ I knew in Tennessee and we were chatting and I got food on my all white street clothes. 

Then, the curtains opened and the show started, and I realized I had about three dances to be dressed and ready to be on stage with my troupe. That’s when I realized I had forgotten to bring my costume with me. And I was racing though a massive and confusing hotel/conference facility (which has appeared in my dreams several before). The dream facility has staircases that dead end at bistro dining areas, and long tiled hallways like in my elementary and junior high schools. I was panicked, running up and down poorly lit stairwells where men in dark coats lingered in the shadows. I was thinking how our Massachusetts dance troupe leader was going to kill me and also that maybe I could wear my now soiled street clothes on stage and nobody would notice. That’s when I woke up. Whew.

Once awake and caffeinated, I took the hint. I finished sewing my costume for the February show. It still needs accessories, but the basic garment is completed. I listened to the music for the dance, running the steps in my head. I danced to the video we did last night when my duet partner and I finished the choreography, except it was hard to see on my phone screen and I haven’t yet figured out how to see it on my laptop. I do not need to be panicking about being prepared. I will be prepared.

random thoughts – Day 2,135 (Tuesday) – polyester pants

My favorite pants for the past few weeks have been my Vera Wang mini bootcut ponte pants. They are easy to pull on, coordinate with a lot of my sweaters, and are more comfortable than jeans. Plus, if I leave the house, I feel like I at least tried to create the illusion that I might have my sh*t together, instead of presenting to the world like a troll from under a bridge. 

“Ponte” has become the current fashionable fabric replacement for the polyester double knit popular when I was a kid. Polyester was attractive for being cheap and not needing ironing. It was also hot and scratchy. This was also around the time polyester took some heat for being a petroleum-based product during the oil scarcity of the 1970s. Ponte, on the other hand, is a blend with the features of polyester double knit  and is much more breathable. If you sweated in a polyester suit in the 1970s you know what I mean. Ponte isn't so bad, but I probably wouldn't wear it in the summer.

Current favorite
ponte pants.

It struck me the other day that my current favorite pants are pretty much the same as the pants I got for school in seventh or eighth grade. Back then I had maroon pull-on pants with a wide elastic waistband that I liked to wear with my official school shoes that year which were two-tone brown oxfords with a cork platform. Now I have charcoal gray, black, and dark brown ponte pants in basically the same style pant as junior high. My shoe collection is much larger (adult income!) so the various footwear options include casual booties, dressy boots, loafers, and combat style boots.

The polyester pants of my early adolescence had issues. For one thing, everything in our house went into the dryer and my beloved polyester pants shrank in length. It was very uncool at the time to have your socks showing. The dryer shrinkage, coupled with a growth spurt, meant that after a month or two of school my pants hovered above my ankles in what were called “floods” (because it looked like you were expecting a flood). I felt like a freak and couldn’t wait for the next gift receiving event and some new pants.

As the adult queen, sole occupant of my space, I can ensure that my polyester blend pants never see the inside of the dryer. The ponte blend might prevent shrinking but it’s not a risk I’m willing to take. Luckily, I don’t have to, and the chances of someone showing up and doing (shrinking) my laundry are slim-to-none.

random thoughts – Day 2,134 (Monday) – more snow and ice daggers

It was an early morning with my 5:00 extraction from bed to take Mom to an appointment for 6:00. Snow fell overnight (of course), and our street was coated. The back door light cast shadows from the wrought iron fence onto the snow that had blown under the carport.

Cottony snow puffs.

The main roads were mostly cleared, but side streets were pretty messy, including the ones to the our destination. I dropped Mom off and after she was checked in I returned home to drink more coffee and await the call to pick her up. Snow had piled up like cotton puffs on the bush near the driveway. 

By 9:00, we were both safely returned to our respective homes with only one hairy moment when the Jeep slid a bit down a side street on the way home. Luckily there were no other cars nearby. The neighborhood snow angel had just cleared Mom's driveway and was headed to mine when we arrived at her house. 

By 10:00, it felt like I had already lived an entire day, and by 10:30 I was trolling for lunch due to the ongoing failure to eat breakfast. Thank goodness for the quart of soup in the fridge. At noon, it felt like it should be 3:00. Schedule changes can be confusing.

Icicle daggers and snowy trees.

The weather alternated between full cloud cover with flurries and a brilliant blue sky with bright sunshine. The trees wore their now routine fresh and picturesque snow coats. Icicle daggers formed along the front and back roof edges. This seems to be the pattern of this winter.

random thoughts – Day 2,133 (Sunday) – snow and sew

It wasn’t an especially trying day, but it was tiring nonetheless. I have no theories for this, but I look forward to sleep.

Parking lot trees with snow, 1/18/2026.

It was cold but not brutally so, and the world was pretty with snow. The drive to dance was the perfect New England winter scene with winding roads lined with snow covered trees that made me wish I had a dashboard camera to get images. As I parked, snow fell from the trees bordering the parking area. 

We did our “walking zill warmup” where we move around the space in a line with walking hip lifts while playing our zills to different rhythms called out by our troupe leader. Large clots of snow quietly fell past the windows from the roof. It’s nice having a dance space on a country road with trees beyond the windows. Our former space was in a second floor studio with traffic noises and parking that could sometimes be a challenge due to a  popular breakfast restaurant across the street.

After practice, it was back home to perform a small amount of shoveling to facilitate moving the trash and recycle bins to the curb in the morning, and to clear the shed entrance in case I decide to pull out the snow shoes. I bought them one of my first winters back in the area when the snow seemed it would never end. Snowshoeing made it more tolerable. Fun, even. It was not enough shoveling to make me tired, or to even break a sweat.

Time was invested in the costume for the February show. The seam edges on the side slits were finished off with fewer sewing machine issues than yesterday. The hem border was cut, pinned, and hand-basted in place and it’s about 99% done. The length will get a final check tomorrow and the dress will be tested with the choreography before I do the final stitching on the hem. Soon, I can clear off the dining room table/sweatshop. And get in gear with setting up the sewing and stained glass room, which first and foremost needs better lighting. It’s currently like a cave.

random thoughts – Day 2,132 (Saturday) – snow globe

There is a road out there somewhere.

The past couple days of warmer temperatures made the snow disappear and hearts were light. Today, the snow returned. At 7:00 a.m., when I looked out the window in search of sunrise colors, the predominant color was white. The neighborhood looked like it was blanketed in a layer of quilt batting that hid the driveways and all signs of the street. Snow fell steadily from the sky and we were back in the snow globe again.

I went over the driveway and through the snow for a quick visit with Mom before returning home with the intention of finishing the dance costume dress. There was a minor side quest and first, buttermilk biscuits from a pop open can were baked, upon noticing the use by date was near. I don’t love buttermilk biscuits and I don’t know why I bought them, but it felt cozy to be baking while snow fell steadily.

Soup and a biscuit.

The sewing, so close to the finish line, got frustrating real fast. The thread tension was suddenly wrong, after having been fine for days and a long line of stitching had to be ripped out which was easy due to the loose stitching. That problem was remedied, and then the second issue reared it’s head. The fabric kept shifting to the left and I couldn’t hold a straight line of stitching on the very narrow edging. It was time to set the sewing aside, take a break, and relax. Soup was consumed, with a fresh buttermilk biscuit.

After approximately two minutes on the couch, I got the bright idea to start my tax return, because who doesn't like to relax with that. There was an hour of looking for documents housed in multiple web sites that failed to send notices that documents were available. There was a W2 over here, and something else over there and some that aren’t posted yet. It was aggravating, but a different flavor of aggravation than the sewing. When it seemed like more info was missing than present and no further progress could be made, the tax return was abandoned.

Snowy back yard trees.

It snowed all day and into the evening. The view outside was lovely. Inside, there were bursts of activity with stretchy band exercises from physical therapy, yoga stretches on the floor, random dance steps in the kitchen, visits with Kiki in her royal kingdom of the bedroom, washing up the dishes in the sink. And suddenly it was supper time. More soup was consumed. The neighborhood plow went up and down the street several times.

Much later, I finally looked in my date book and saw that a friend’s book launch event was today and I had forgotten and missed it by a solid eight hours. I hate when I do that. That would have been worth driving in the snow for and less aggravating than the choices made at home. Today’s lessons include remembering to check the date book because not everything is in a Facebook event that will pop up in a reminder. Live and learn.

random thoughts – Day 2,131 (Friday) – bloody brilliant

Bloody brilliant morning sun.

The morning sun was brilliant and when it blasted through the bay window it was blinding. The beauty of the living room blinds is that they can be raised and lowered from the top and bottom to control both privacy and light. When the sun hit my eyes and I thought they might bleed, the shade was adjusted until the position changed. Whoever invented this style of blinds deserves a medal.

Most of the day involved sewing the dance costume and it is mostly done. The sleeves were set. Side seams were stitched. Using French seams meant each seam was stitched twice, but there are no exposed fabric edges. Hemming is all that remains. Now I can start focusing on other things. I should probably make notes to leave in the pattern envelope in case I ever make the same modifications again and I won't have to devote so much brain power to the mechanics of it.

There was a surprise knock on the door at 10:00 this morning and I seriously considered not answering it. I knew it wasn’t Mom because we don’t surprise attack each other and check in to see if the other person is busy first instead of materializing on the doorstep and knocking on the door.

It was a neighbor. At least I wasn’t still sitting around in my pajamas, but my hair was uncombed, the kitchen was a mess, and I was not in a surprise company frame of mind. I know he probably means well, but it is becoming a weekly thing and it’s very tempting to invest in one of the door mats or a door sign that reads “Did you text first?” or maybe “Go Away.”

random thoughts – Day 2,130 (Thursday) – grayish

Grayish blue morning.

Based on the timing of Wednesday’s pinkish orange color schmear in the sky, I arose this morning to look for another’s morning’s color. The only sky colors available on the morning’s palette were gray (like my pajamas) and grayish-blue, which was pretty, just in a different way than pinkish orange. 

The regular amount of dark coffee was consumed. I talked with Mom on the phone and later went next door to visit. It was cloudy most of the day. 

The rest of the day was overtaken by sewing the dance costume, which had problems at the rate of one every five minutes. It took all day to get very little accomplished beyond frustration. The source of the frustration was the adaptation made to the neckline and a couple other challenges that resulted. The trim I pinned on Monday to see how it would look had to be unpinned to set the pieces for actual sewing. That was a huge time-suck.

There was a lot of hand basting and later, hand sewing, which take more time than machine sewing. After it all, the trim pieces didn't match up like they did before the great unpinning. Then, when I got to the next step, the shoulder seam didn’t line up on one side by a good half-inch. 

I did not swear. I walked away and put on a Netflix movie. “Amish Stud” (yes, a real movie) should shift the gears in my mind. Tomorrow I will resolve the latest set of issues, and then it will be easier. This is the lie I have told myself for decades. Maybe someday it will be true. 

random thoughts – Day 2,129 (Wednesday) – flippin' day

Morning light.

I was up early enough and also had raised the living room shade in time to see a schmear of pinkish orange across the sky, beyond the power lines and trees and above the roofline of the house across the street as the sun came up. Pretty!

It was a quiet morning in another one of those weeks with appointments. This afternoon it was the regular dental cleaning with the bonus check of the crown done in December and the tooth next to the crown that has been a little needy. It seems that needy tooth has a crack and will also need a crown. Instead of waiting for it to break first, an appointment has been scheduled for March (assuming it doesn’t shatter before then). It looks like the first contestant in the “2026 expenditures likely to wipe out yet another vacation” contest has entered the arena. So exciting. 

On the way to the dentist, there was time to visit a nearby consignment shop. There were many sequin dresses on a rack labeled “Formal Dresses” and another of “Holiday Dresses” and of course I touched most of them, like I have done forever, which used to prompt Mom to ask why I had to touch everything. Well, if things don’t feel nice, I don’t want them and if I don’t touch them, how will I know?

One time, when I was maybe 10 or 11, I was with Mummu shopping in Parke Snow’s in downtown Fitchburg. The magnetic pull of sequins drew me to a long rack of elegant beaded and sparkling gowns suitable for the Policemen’s Ball or a beauty pageant. Mummu came to guide me away and said, “It’s important to keep children away from sequins so they don’t grow up to be gaudy.” I wonder what she would think of my closet now with its collection of sequin jackets, pants, tops, and hats.

After fondling the sequins, I went to the dentist office. It’s up a medium-length driveway off a very busy street, with a mini-plaza on the right side of the driveway and the dental office to the left. The mini plaza has a cannabis dispensary, a hair salon, and a pediatric dentist. 

A car came zipping out of the mini plaza, not slowing before taking the left turn into the right of way and I very nearly t-boned it but luckily, I was driving an appropriate driveway speed and was quick with the brake. I gave the other driver the “two hands up, WTF dude” gesture and he responded with an angry faced two hands up gesture as if I had pulled out in front of him instead of the other way around. So, I flipped him the finger. Not classy, I know, but according to recent news reports, presidential.

Walk for Peace.

Tonight, I watched the live feed of the evening Peace Sharing Talk with the Buddhist monks on the 2,300 mile Walk for Peace from Fort Worth, TX to Washington DC. The intent of the monks is "to raise awareness of peace, loving kindness, and compassion across America and the world." 

The monks arrived in Charlotte, NC today, day 82 of their journey. Hopefully, tomorrow I will be ready to meet the day with the monks' wishes for mindfulness and peace, and not get all torqued up and flip off drivers who don't obey traffic rules and the right of way. We'll see. 

random thoughts – Day 2,128 (Tuesday) – fun, then less fun

The day’s calendar had several entries: meet with a friend, a follow-up doctor visit for the fall-season neck adventure, and dance class.

The morning catch-up was fun. It had been far too long since the last time we sat and talked. Hours flew by, and suddenly I was leaving to go to the doctor’s office. Unlike my previous visits, the parking lot was packed and the waiting room was full at the Spine and Pain Center. 

Several loud talkers were chatting. One mentioned having arrived 45 minutes before their appointment time due to the availability of a ride service, then pissed and moaned about having to wait when it wasn’t even time for their appointment yet. Chill, people. Maybe go to the cafeteria first if your ride delivered you so early. 

In the exam room.

The same person then surveyed many of the others in the room to ask what time their appointments were. Several said “1:50” and then all the self-proclaimed scheduling experts began complaining about how the scheduling is done. And how there weren’t enough seats for everyone waiting. And how it’s better to have a morning appointment than an afternoon because "the doctors don’t know how to stay on schedule." And about all the money the doctors make. One whined that her visit could have been a Zoom call. I wanted to tell them all to shut up, but instead, I played chess on Duolingo on my phone with the sound off because I forgot my book.

Around 2:20, I was called in for my 1:30 appointment and led to an exam room. The medical team on that side of the door apologized for the wait. The assistant asked the usual sliding scale questions about pain levels which make no sense. What is my average pain level? Since when? It was about a nine in September and today it was zero. Am I averaging since then? I don't know how long it's been better but it was since the physical therapy. What exactly are we looking for? I mentioned if I knew it would be this kind of exam I would have prepared notes. This was supposed to be a follow-up regarding the MRI that took two months to get.

The doctor came in and relayed the result of the MRI which I had seen a month ago when the lab posted it. There are two right-side issues. One is a disc bulge with something something arthritis. Elsewhere, there is a cyst. Apparently, there is no plan to do anything about it. I asked if there was anything I should watch out for or be aware of and the answers were posture and pillows. My bed pillow should be neither too flat nor too thick. And that’s when I had the realization that the neck problem really took off after I started using some very plump down pillows, which were later cast aside in the height of the neck/shoulder pain and arm tingling. Oy.

Oh joy. Another oil delivery.

A sinking feeling happened when I arrived home. As I drove under the carport, a familiar yellow envelope was tucked into the back door signaling another oil delivery, the third since October. This one means another $445 will be exiting my wallet. It’s been a month and four days since the last delivery of similar scope. Clearly, I was spoiled by gas heat in Lowell and definitely wasn’t prepared for this oil stuff. And it's only January.

random thoughts – Day 2,127 (Monday) – sew much fun

Hello, friend.

The planned costume production was started, but with a delay. The sewing machine, which has sat in it’s storage/carry bag, untouched for years, was hauled out to the light of day and the dining room table. It’s amazing how discolored the plastic body has become, even living in a dark bag away from the light. The once white unit is now the color of butterscotch. Over the years, together we have made work suits; party wear; formal wear; Halloween costumes; the Christening dress, coat and hat that all three nieces wore; Christmas dresses for wearing and stockings for hanging; quilts; fleece pullovers for the family; and belly dance costumes. 

The manual was consulted for the pages with maintenance guidance. Having been neglected for a decade, it seemed prudent to clean and oil the important bits of the trusty machine. That’s when I discovered the sewing machine oil I’m sure I have was nowhere to be found. Yesterday, interfacing fabric, today, machine oil. Second verse, same as the first.

The magical all-knowing internet was consulted and it was learned that Wal Mart, located two miles from the house, has the needed item and off I went. To get to the crafts stuff, I went through the grocery section with pauses at the produce department pizzas and the bakery discount rack. The clearance aisle was visited, partly for the entertainment value of the variety of stuff. Personal care items live next to hardware items next to toys. My eye was caught by several ceiling fans on discount, but I didn’t have a cart and don’t know room dimensions to know what size I needed.

The sewing machine oil was in an aisle with sewing notions which usually spells danger to my wallet. A lone spool of silver decorator ribbon with eight rows of rhinestones screamed to me, along with a package of seam bias tape (just in case) and a spool of black thread even though I have several but couldn’t recall if they are cotton, polyester, cotton wrapped polyester, or something else. On the way to the checkout, some nine-volt batteries were added to round out the home battery collection.

The machine maintenance was completed. The four ounce bottle now seems huge after needing approximately eight drops.  A bobbin was filled with black thread. The manual was consulted at every step because it’s been a while. During the threading process, I learned about a threading step I was unaware of for decades. There is a slot right before the thread goes into the needle and it may explain some of the frustrating stitch problems of the past.

Trim for the top.

The first step in construction is finishing the neckline, and the afternoon was spent pinning a brocade trim into place. Then it was pinned to the dress form to check things out. Before the final stitching, I need to trim and fold the brocade trim at the bottom of the vee neck. That can be a tomorrow task. Once the front is fully sewn, the rest will be quick long seams. It’s fun to have things to look forward to. I forgot how much I always loved to sew.

Later, the lead choreographer and I met to work on our duet. We practiced what we created last week, and added more to the dance. We talked about costuming and related details. Brilliant progress was achieved. We are in the home stretch. All is well.

random thoughts – Day 2,126 (Sunday) – blue sky and baggage

"Pack for everything."

It was less cold than recent days and it was refreshing. Comfortable, even. The floor at the hall where we dance was recently cleaned up and shined and looks really nice, but the aroma of whatever it was treated with lingered in the air. We practiced for the February performance and talked about what dances to work on for the spring. It was productive. Afterwards, the sun was shining, the sky was blue, and during a conversation in the parking lot before leaving, a bald eagle flew overhead.

Back at home, the lawns in the neighborhood have lost much of their snow thanks to the recent rain and very welcome temperatures above 32 degrees. The Weather Channel app provided the outlook for this week: “Some rain, some sunshine in the week to come. Pack for everything and you’ll be set.” That has been my philosophy for most of my life, so cool.

The afternoon was spent working on the dance costume. The pattern piece placements were finalized and cut out and construction markings and center lines were made with thread in a contrasting color. Preparing the neckline is the first step in construction and I’m going off-pattern and modifying it, so the work paused briefly, partly due to planning and partly due to cowardice. I am 100% sure I have a decent stock of lightweight interfacing to stabilize the neckline, which required a rummage through the sewing desk. It wasn’t where I thought it was, so the search radius was expanded and it became a full-blown treasure hunt side quest.

Before finally locating the tub labeled “sewing,” some camera and darkroom gear was consolidated and several tubs were peeked into before finding the correct one. This is how multiple tasks move along, but nothing is ever completed. It could be a genetic curse, mental defect, or lifestyle issue. 

Project underway.

The sewing tub was found, including my beloved Reader’s Digest Complete Guide to Sewing and another sewing book I forgot I had, but not the specialty fabric I was certain it contained. There was a quick romp down memory lane as I fondled fabrics bought for projects that were never even started. I don’t even remember Hancock Fabrics, but there are enough items from there that I must have loved the place. Or, it was the closest fabric store to wherever I was living.

I would generally spend so much time and energy in a fabric store choosing a pattern, the perfect fabric, and the thread, zipper, and other notions needed that, hours later when returned home, I would be too tired or it would be too late to start the project. There is a bag in the sewing tub with a pattern for a businessy pencil skirt in two lengths and some pretty brown fabric, thread, and a zipper that would have been killer for my old job at the marketing agency in Tennessee. I could make the skirt now, but there would be no point. I stopped wearing skirts and dresses to work when the bare legs trend showed no signs of going away. Back in Massachusetts and on the job hunt that ran from 2013-2016, someone advised me to not wear panty hose on job interviews because it would make me look too old / old school.

There is no fashion style I hate more (or for so long) than the bare legs all year long thing. There are many reasons for my hatred, including being cold in winter, freezing in A/C all summer, and having scars on pale legs that never tan below mid-knee due to some freakish pigmentation punishment. So, yeah, it’s mostly pants and capris for me, please. And the occasional really long skirt.

The thing I thought I had was never found in the form I swore I had it, but I found something else that will work. Assembly can begin tomorrow.

random thoughts – Day 2,125 (Saturday) – big steps

Kiki and her royal realm.

New routines developed after we moved and over time, Kiki began spending her days on top of the bed instead of under it. At first, if I entered the bedroom, she would slip off the bed and hide. Eventually, she would stay on the bed and I could pet her head before she fled. When I started bringing her treats, she would stay put longer.

Now, several times a day, as Kiki holds court in her royal realm (aka my bed), I approach her with snacks in my hand as she reclines. I can sit on the bed and she only jumps off if I deviate from the previously approved choreography by moving both hands instead of just one, or approaching too quickly.

On Tuesday, I delivered some Temptations Treats, (Kiki’s only acceptable snack) and stayed on the bed for a couple minutes as usual. She edged closer, and then she licked my forehead with three or four strokes of her little tongue before retreating a bit. I was freaking out with joy inside, but I remained calm on the outside and told her what a good kitty she is. 

Thursday night, instead of jumping off the bed when I put on my pajamas as she has always done, she stayed in place and watched. Then she let me feed her treats. When I slid under the blankets, instead of jumping off the bed like she has always done, she stayed in place and watched. I reached out (slowly) to pat her head and she let me. Then she rolled onto her back and let me stroke her belly. When she decided she’d had enough, she left the bed to begin her nighty rounds.

Friday, she licked my forehead and then touched her head to my forehead. Once again, I was freaking out with joy inside, but I remained calm on the outside and told her what a good kitty she is. At bedtime, she stayed on the bed when I got into it and again let me pet her briefly before she began her nightly rounds.

Little Miss Kiki is making some big strides lately and I couldn't be happier. 

random thoughts – Day 2,124 (Friday) – lost weekend

On this date in 2010, I discovered the video game BioShock. I know this only because Facebook memories showed that my posts for the day had one about there having been three days of snow and only a half inch accumulation, and a second with on word: “BIOSHOCK.” The Tennessee live-in boyfriend had set the game up on the TV in my Tennessee house and told me to check it out. Then he left for the day.

I sat on the couch, completely absorbed in the underwater world of Rapture all day, my brain on some sort of autopilot mode, hypnosis, suspended animation, or something. Maybe it was some form of brain shock. And by “all day,” it was all the daylight hours from morning into the evening, except for the briefest of bathroom breaks for myself and for Moose. I didn’t even eat. It was bizarre, because in real life, I don't like being underwater and underwater scenes in movies make me anxious, yet, for an entire day, I was absorbed and anxious in an underwater scenario and had no desire to turn off the game.

Boyfriend returned from work some eight or nine or ten hours later, saw me still on the couch and BioShock still on the TV and laughed that I had been in an underwater video world all day. I played that game all that weekend and then, thank goodness, it disappeared from the house. I never saw it again, but I still remember the weird, out-of-body sensation of being sucked into the graphics and losing an entire weekend.

Fast forward 14-ish years. I found a cool framed poster in a St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Shop and bought it because I liked the retro style of the artwork. It didn't hurt that it was also half-off a low price and practically free. The poster is for Electro Bolt, and states “Don't be a Dolt Use Electro Bolt – Evolve Today!”

It sat in a storage stack for 18 months, artwork without a wall, until I moved this past summer and found the perfect spot for it. Initially, I wanted to use it to decorate the panel to the electrical box, but the size is wrong. Instead, it hangs on a wall in my laundry room several feet away from the electrical panel box and holds the honor of being the first piece of decor hung in the house. I finally researched the poster and learned it is from BioShock, for which I still remember that very odd lost winter weekend spent on a retreat in a video game, but next to nothing about the specific game elements.

random thoughts – Day 2,123 (Thursday) – melting, shopping, learning

The trees had a light coating of ice this morning, which glistened as the sun rose over the rooftops. I saw the sparkling effect from the couch and moved to the window with the camera, but the angle was different and less dramatic from there. From the couch, it was too far to get a photo. 

Water drop gems on the tree.

Much of the morning involved me pinging between the couch and the angled panes of the bay window trying to get a photo of the sun through the icy trees in my yard, across the street, and behind the houses across the street. If anyone across the street was looking out their own windows, it’s entirely possible they thought I was taking pictures of their homes. 

By 10:00, the coffee pot was empty, I had hit a 2,000 day streak in Duolingo, and it had warmed up enough that the ice was melting. The tree in my front yard looked like it had jewels decorating the tips of the branches as the sun shone through. Just like earlier, it was gorgeous viewed from the couch and a bit disappointing closer to the window.

I drove Mom to an appointment in Athol in the shopping plaza with Market Basket, Dollar Tree, Marshall’s, a movie theater, and Hobby Lobby, among other retailers. We arrived early and went into the cleanest, neatest Dollar Tree I have ever visited. This location deserves a medal. There were 18-inch white trees for 75 cents and I couldn’t resist and bought four, with no real purpose in mind, just a vague feeling I might be mad next Christmas if I didn’t buy them today.

While Mom attended her appointment, I went to Hobby Lobby for a half-hour to get myself all worked up in the fabric department. There was larger selection of apparel fabric than I expected, which was good. There were catalogues listing patterns for McCalls and Simplicity and I flipped through them both, especially the costume sections. I thought patterns were pricey when they were $8.99, so it was an eye-opener to see they are now in the $20 range. One company had an entire vintage section with some reprints of original patterns from previous decades. My little vintage loving heart skipped a couple beats. No financial damage was done in the short time before returning to collect Mom.

We stopped for lunch on the way back to Gardner before going to the local appliance store. Mom’s washing machine died yesterday, and she was shopping for a replacement. She found something she liked and while she arranged the delivery I wandered the store. There were washer and dryer sets with sexy new colors and finishes like high end automobiles. There was a sea of glass top stoves and gas stoves that looked like they really meant business. Porcelain stovetops with heating coils still exist (I asked), but they apparently don’t deserve display space in the store. My favorite item was a pale pink vintage stove with a sign on it stating it isn’t for sale, just for show.

After the appliance shopping, we went to the grocery store. I haven’t been out on a four-hour shopping and lunch excursion in a while. Lunch was good and spending time with Mom was nice. The shopping was at least as much fun as getting the 2,000 Duolingo badge. Those can be added to LinkedIn profiles now, so I might just do so.

random thoughts – Day 2,122 (Wednesday) – ice and seams

Driveway looks like a trap.

The sky was releasing some sort of precipitation when I went to bed on Tuesday night. It was hard to tell exactly what was falling, but whatever it was made no noise on the skylights. This morning, the outside world looked cold, slick, and inhospitable. The asphalt of my cleared driveway looked shiny and like it was waiting for a victim. It might have been better off with the snow left on it but the neighbor came over yesterday with the snow blower. I called Mom and asked if she wanted to go ice skating. She declined my generous offer.

Impressionist ice painting.

By mid-morning, it was warm enough that the icicles along the roof were dripping and morphing into interesting glob-like formations. When I opened the front door to remove the wreath in the next phase of Operation Stripping Christmas, the lower part of the storm door had a coating of ice on it and it looked like the textured glass cutting board in the kitchen. Or an impressionist painting. Or like someone needs glasses.

Time was spent sketching (poorly, with a not sharp pencil)  and mentally redesigning the dance dress idea. Minimal cutting/sewing effort and maximum design impact are the current goals, but that could change 10 more times before anything actually happens. Another pattern was found in the drawer that has an interesting sleeve shape and now there are too many ideas to proceed. The dress form was brought to the dining room where there is more space and the lighting is better than the still not fully functional and poorly lit craft studio room.

One technical question of the day was, “will seams in silk provide stability or add stress on the fabric?” Also, “what is the best seam technique for silk?” (I generally prefer having enclosed French seams but not doing them because they are more work.) These answers would surely have been learned in my 20s had I enrolled in the fashion design school I was accepted into, but I didn’t go and that is another sad story for another day. Today’s brief self-study at the Worldwide University of the Internet tells me that the answer to the first question is that seams can provide both stability (yay!) and stress (on, no!). Stress can occur if the seam is not done correctly or the fabric is pulled or stretched while sewing. The best seaming technique is indeed the French seam in this case, because unfinished seams can ravel (and cause stress). Good to know. 

random thoughts – Day 2,121 (Tuesday) – stripping christmas, plotting a dress

Today, Christmas came down at my house. Most of it, anyway. It wasn’t a formal plan for the day, but suddenly, it felt like the thing to do. I set my book down, arose from the couch, and started the process of stripping Christmas.

Naked silver tree.

The two smallest trees on the buffet were stripped of their small pine cones and iridescent glass balls, collapsed, and set in a storage tub. The ornaments were removed from the three-foot black tinsel tree and the four-foot silver tinsel tree and they now stand naked in their respective spots. Ornaments were wrapped and packed in the usual boxes and through whatever magic was at play today, there is more room in the same bins used year after year, despite my recent purchases of additional ornaments. Go figure. It’s a cool trick, but I don’t understand it. Maybe the recent move refined my packing abilities and boosted my experience points.

The wreaths are still on the front and back doors, partly because the storage container is in the shed and I didn’t want to put on shoes and go outside to get it. Partway through the process of stripping and packing, I took a break to check email and LinkedIn, where I saw a great job posted just 27 minutes earlier for a role for which I am qualified at a company within a reasonable commuting distance. An immediate break from the un-trimming was declared and I shifted gears to submit the application.

The application process required the usual customization of whichever existing resume is closest to the job description and the drafting of a cover letter, which always takes longer than it seems like it will (or should). The automated application system almost timed out on me while I was bouncing back and forth between the job description and resume to write the cover letter, but I caught it in the nick of time.

It didn’t snow this morning because Mother Nature seemed to be saving it up for tonight. The forecast included a “winter weather advisory” in effect from 7:00 p.m. tonight until 10:00 a.m. tomorrow with a “wintery mix" expected in my area around 5:45 p.m. The forecasted timeline put the winter weather during the drive time to and from dance along winding roads and I chose to not attend. 

Soon to be a dress.

Instead, I read this week’s book (The Paris Seamstress) while also mulling ideas to lay out and cut the dress for the dance costume. I like to have the process mentally mapped out before the scissors (or rotary cutter) touch the fabric. Trims were found in the sewing drawers today, bought on clearance forever ago (just in case) and may be considered for possible appearances in the dress. There was black beaded fringe, silver paillettes, silver coins, and some chiffon ties cut off something else that might make a headband. While the overthinking takes place, the fabric sits on the dining room table which managed to remain cleared for two entire weeks (a recent personal best).

Ideally, I would be testing the entire dress on muslin or some other inexpensive material, but gone are the days of dashing out to the local neighborhood fabric center to get a few yards of whatever because there are no such stores anymore. I wish I had bought a lifetime supply of bolts of muslin in the 1990s the time I found it on sale for 39 cents a yard. Of course, I would also have needed a place to keep it, and then move it too many times, so it would not have been practical. My friends are still recovering from moving all my books (again).