random thoughts – Day 1,207 – (Friday) – lost

There is almost always some way I can entertain myself, and even if I’m doing next to nothing, it rarely feels like wasted time. Tonight, however, there was a stretch that felt like wasted time. There was regret and sadness.

The cause of the twinges of regret and sadness was the movie The Out-Laws, an American action comedy film that hit Netflix today. At least the description claims it is a comedy. There was definitely action, but the comedy part was questionable. I liked the music soundtrack. 

Starring Pierce Brosnan and Ellen Barkin and produced by Adam Sandler, it seemed like it had the potential to amuse and I charged in with enthusiasm, ready to laugh. I did not. Throughout the movie, there was a lot of “Who is that actor?” followed by Google searches of the cast, and “What in the heck am I watching?” 

There was no laughter. It was disappointing, but yes, I watched it all because I'm not a quitter. Or maybe too lazy to change it to something else. The Out-Laws is possibly the first show to which I gave a thumbs down on the Netflix ratings, so there's that.

Worse than the disappointment and regret of 95 minutes wasted on a dumb movie is the feeling of panic and dread that my sense of humor has departed. Fled. Headed for the hills. Dang, I hope it has a return ticket and makes it back some time, preferably soon. I swear, if it comes back to me, I will throw it a party. I miss laughing.

random thoughts – Day 1,206 – (Thursday) – seasoned

In April 2022 I was deep in a months-long search for a new 10-inch fry pan with a lid to replace a non-stick pan in use for decades that had become knicked and scratched. It was not an easy task. 

The fry pan I loved had straight sides, and the ones found online and in stores had sloped sides, were too large to fit on my stove with any other cookware, or didn’t come with a lid. And they were often expensive.

"Pre-seasoned" frying pan.

Finally, a pan that seemed to fit the bill was found at Kohls.com. Cast iron, with a lid, handle cover, affordable, and the golden words in the product description that clinched the deal, and I quote, “This 10-inch cast iron fry pan comes with a durable, pre-seasoned coating made to last years of cooking.” [sic].

The pre-seasoned cast iron wonder was ordered, and when it arrived, there was a buzz of excitement in The BungaLowell. I imagined using the new pan to prepare supper that same day or the next. I read “The Care & Keeping Guide” that accompanied the pan because yes, I read (or at least scan) user manuals and terms and conditions. The air went out of the balloon with the words, “Though NutriChef Cast Iron Cookwares [sic] are pre-seasoned, we still recommend to season them [sic] before first use.” Ugh. Seriously? And what is with the quirky language with this company?

The seasoning process, in case you’ve been lucky to never have to do it, involves rubbing a thin coat of oil over the entire surface of the pan – inside, outside, and even the handle – and then heating it in the oven at 400-degrees for one hour, then leaving it in the oven to cool. This needs to be done three times. Three hours of seasoning for an allegedly pre-seasoned pan. Am I a sucker, or what?

It is not an exaggeration when I say it took a more than a year for the seasoning process to happen. The summer months were a hugely unappealing time to run a 400-degree oven for an hour with no payoff like brownies or a cake at the end of the time. It seemed like a better idea to wait for cold weather and enjoy the heat from the oven.

The fry pan sat on the back burner of the stove waiting for the seasoning process until fall. When the colder season arrived, the cast iron seasoning began. Not being the dedicated housewifey type, this was not handled in an expeditious manner. It stretched out over several months, and finally concluded some time after the one-year anniversary of the delivery of the pan.

Perfect grilled sandwich.

By the time it was seasoned and ready for use, the silicone handle grip had been misplaced. It’s still only been used a few times. On June 15, it was used for a perfectly grilled sandwich. At least twice it has inspired some colorful cuss words when scrambled eggs stuck to it. 

According to “The Care & Keeping Guide,” cast iron shouldn’t be soaked, washed in the dishwasher, cleaned with soap, or scrubbed with steel wool, “as these may strip the pan’s seasonings.” After the process of seasoning it, there is no way I'm risking ruining it. 

This is turning out to be one heck of a high maintenance item. It kind of reminds me of an old boyfriend. Or the fancy gold-trimmed English bone china service from the first wedding that sits in a cabinet.

random thoughts – Day 1,205 – (Wednesday) – drained

Cobblestones
near the park.

The sun returned today in all its shiny glory, just in time for the post-holiday return to work. According to the weather icon on the computer, it was 89 degrees around 3:00 when I went outside for a walk. I was chilly in the office’s air-conditioned discomfort and I wanted to both defrost and verify that it really was 89 degrees. 

My left leg continues to hurt, and I also wanted to take a walk to try and analyze the mechanics of it. I have a referral for physical therapist, and “it hurts” seems like it might need a better explanation of the problem. 

The scientific notes compiled during the walk confirm that the weather was definitely warm. Downtown has a lot of cobblestone roads and brick buildings. As for the leg, it has a sharp-ish pain that runs between ankle and knee, sometimes on the outer side of the calf, and other times on the inner side. It hurts during the weight transfer to the left foot and then as my foot rolls forward to the next step. I like walking fast like I’m already late for something, but I can propel myself at only half-speed which just makes me mad. Climbing stairs doesn’t hurt in the calf, but it causes stabby pains in my knee instead. It's super fun.

Canal treasures.

The painfully slow-paced walk went along the canal in Lucy Larcom Park across the street from work. It’s recently been drained, exposing the the treasures in the mud at the bottom. There were countless bicycle wheels, several bike frames, traffic cones, street signs, bricks, landscape edging blocks, and a stroller. It seems to be on par with past canal drainings. 

The chilled air in the office felt refreshing when I returned and I didn’t need to put my sweater back on. It was nice to be outside, but the actual walking part of the walk was frustrating because it hurts and also because it seems to have come out of nowhere. Having a desk job means I get to sit, which is good, because walking very much drains me.

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

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

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

Lunch. And supper.
For a couple days. 

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

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

Slumbering through the fireworks.

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

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

random thoughts – Day 1,203 – (Monday) – block party

The Fitchburg Civic Days Block Party was today, and the weather held out long enough to enjoy it. The sun was out and burning hotly at 6:00, but there was rain forecast for around 9:00. It was a bit hot walking around but once the sun set, it felt chilly.

The flag finally unfurled behind
 the Moonshine Band.

I met a friend downtown to check out the Block Party and there was a lot going on. The organizers really covered their bases and had something for people of all ages. One of our friends was the DJ at a one end of the festival footprint near Espresso Pizza, where people were packed in a line at the counter waiting for the popular hometown pizza. 

We walked through the multitude of people and food trucks interspersed with games, vendors, and music stages. Local performers Whitney Doucet and the Moonshine Band were on the Main Stage when we arrived. There was an American flag on a light pole behind the stage and I patiently waited for a breeze to unfurl the flag a bit behind the band for a photo. It felt like it took forever, but it was probably three songs. 

Wrestling!

A few blocks away, adult men in spandex underpants posed and postured, then wrestled and a big crowd cheered. Across the street, vintage cars were parked along the Upper Common where another band played at the gazebo and people danced on the lawn. 

There were at least a dozen different types of food represented by the trucks. Vendors with pulled pork, tacos, chicken tikka masala, pizza, Polish food, and more dotted Main Street. Some of the vendors had a clear specialty and others crossed food cultures with varied offerings. The Police League had a booth selling burgers, hot dogs, and sausages next to a crowded beer garden with Wachusett beer and Tito's Vodka Lemonade. The many food choices were a bit overwhelming, and we grabbed some police fundraiser food because the line was short and the prices were more budget friendly than many of the trucks which had sit down restaurant prices for walking around street food. 

After eating and catching the rest of the Whitney Doucet set, we headed back towards the Common to The Boulder Café for beers and a break at the sidewalk seating. Our tiny and precious sidewalk table and seating offered a front row view to some of the colorful characters. A motorcycle rider with a fur covered helmet that looked like a buffalo head and a black flag declaring that "Jesus Saves" rode down the closed street. Later, a group wearing an inflated dinosaur costume, little dinosaur skeleton, and a woman "riding" an inflated dinosaur crossed the street over to the Common where a rap band had replaced the salsa band in the gazebo.

Dancers!

When we returned to the Main Stage area, a large band was playing Latin dance music and the crowd was dancing. Three beautiful women in fringey red costumes with Vegas-style feather head pieces posed for photos in between dancing, and three costumed stilt walkers moved through the crowd in the dance area. 

The band was fun, and we felt like we’d missed something by not being there earlier. The band ushered in the fireworks display at 9:00, which was fired off from Rollstone Hill. The fireworks had been moved an hour earlier due to a forecast for rain, and as the first fireworks launched, it began to rain a little, exactly on time according to the weather apps we kept checking. Walking to our cars, we passed a barber shop blasting music and people dancing on the sidewalk. It really felt like a block party.

random thoughts – Day 1,202 – (Sunday) – changes

Winston and the coneflower, 2021.

After three days that were mostly rain free, it’s changed again and the wet is back. The drive down routes 495 and 2 to Mom’s saw every variation in precipitation density from light mist to monsoon.

There was a visit with relatives from StepDad’s side, with food and conversation and reminiscing. It was a good time, and once again, we failed to take photos. We’ve not been very good at that lately.

Later, back at home, the evening downpour sounded ferocious as it slammed onto the house. It warranted a basement check, and sure enough, the floor had a puddle. 

The coneflower, 2023.

Some of the water entry points, especially along the driveway wall, are obvious. They appear like little fountains shooting out from between the concrete blocks and make gurgling sounds. There are other more mysterious puddles that seem to rise from the center of the floor and don't seem to be connected to the outer wall puddles. Last year, the chimney repair guy said it was because there wasn't a cap on the chimney, and $600 later there was one installed. I don’t get it, but I’m certainly no basement expert, but I’m really mastering using a broom to push the water over to the sump pump hole. 

Beyond the wall of the basement water mystery, lies another mystery. It’s the case of the coneflower plant. In 2021, it was a mostly reddish plant with a couple yellow flowers, chosen at the farm stand specifically for the reddish color. Now it’s got mostly yellow flowers with one red flower. Maybe it’s fallen for the “blondes have more fun” concept. What’s up with that Mother Nature?

random thoughts – Day 1,201 – (Saturday) – short list

Mom and StepDad came over this morning to help with setting up the patio umbrella, putting a doorknob on the recently revised closet in the junk/storage/supposed to be a guest room, and fix the broken door handle on the patio slider. Mom and I played Scrabble. We all had a lunch of pasta salad I made Friday night and then they were off to other adventures.

Random deck peanut.

During the afternoon, I went out to read on the deck under the newly installed umbrella. A peanut sat on one of the chairs. An entire peanut, shell and all. Apparently, peanuts are falling from the sky now. It’s weird, but it’s a nice break from the recent rain. The Merrimack has been looking high, mighty, and powerful during recent crossings and it needs a little space to recover.

During the afternoon, a movie rule was enacted for the second time this week. There are a couple movies on a very short list for which I have a rule which is, if the show is playing on TV, I have to watch it. One night during the week, Whip It, the roller derby movie, aired on one of the HBO channels. I had to watch. It’s on the very short list, where short is two titles.

The beloved printer scene.

This afternoon, while debating entertainment options that included visiting Western Ave Studios for the monthly open studios, shopping for shorts, or reading, I checked the online cable guide and saw that the other movie from the very short list, Office Space, was just about to start on HBO. All bets were off, and the top option became Office Space, the 1999 satirical comedy.

The scene where three characters have the office printer in a field and are stomping it and bashing it with a bat has to be one of my favorite and most relatable movie scenes. It was especially fitting after the fisticuffs with the work printer on Monday when I declared I was ready “to go all Office Space on the printer.”