Rabbit, Rabbit, It's December!

 

Happy Friday, December 1st, everyone. I've neglected saying this a few times, but good luck in December!

Today is the first day of meteorological winter, and it feels like it. I am extremely thankful to be living where I do, with heat, enough food, and so much more. My life is one of great fortune. 

Mike and I had a delightful breakfast yesterday with Mom on her birthday. I am also thankful for having my mother.  Mom was deathly ill with COVID earlier this year, with pneumonia and sepsis, so it's really amazing that she is back to being herself again. Being sick for an extended period sucks, but she is having better days now.

In September, Mike and I took a trip to Ireland, which was a fantastic experience. There were about sixty people on our bus, and surprisingly, a fairly large percentage of them were Australian. There were also some Brits, but the largest number of us were from the US. 

Soon, we will go on a cruise with a couple friends we met at magic collectors' conventions. This will be a different experience for us, and I'm looking forward to it, especially having friends with us at dinner. That will add to the fun, for sure. 

Tomorrow night, we're going to dinner with friends from the Annville area who I feel very lucky to know. It'll be fun, catching up with them. 

My other blog, about Netgalley books, has also been quiet, but I suddenly have two titles to read, so I'll be back. I'd taken some time off to read a longer book club selection, and then a library book. That title was A Gentleman in Moscow, by Amor Towles, a historical novel that I do recommend. I loved it.

When I went to check out other library books on my radar, I found that they were all immensely popular, so I am now on about seven (7) waitlists.  

So, I'd better start reading these two titles from Netgalley. Are you  reading anything good? Whatchaupto?

Rabbit, Rabbit! Happy, Lucky August, Everyone!

 Good morning! Yes, I'm actually writing a blog entry, such as it is, on August 1, 2023. The year is something I need to remind myself about these days, since time becomes so fluid and easily poured out in retirement.  

And speaking of this human construct, August, a month that arbitrarily has thirty-one (31) days, is regarded as the Sunday of summer. That should mean that it's relaxing, but I think most people think it means that this warm weathered season is almost over for those who are having a relaxed break from school. (I keep wondering why we capitalize the first letter in the days of the week. It's weird.)

So, what do I have to write home about? For one thing, we learned last night, during dinner at our favorite Indian restaurant, that Banana Leaf is about to get a makeover. I'd noticed that the walls looked spruced up, and then realized that they'd painted. They are getting new furniture and there will be about four special places to be reserved for Indian barbecue, which the owner says is very common in India, but not present here at all, and it's nothing like the barbecue places we have in the US. These tables will have their own fire pits, but it sounds like barbecue will also be available to order, also  (but if you wanna cook your own, reserve a pit and grill to your heart's desire). 

There will also be a Jain table. I did not know what this was until asking what this term was on the menu. Jain cuisine is lacto-vegetarian and lacks root veggies. People who practice Jain ascetics do not want to disturb small insects and microorganisms. Learning something new every day!  There are plenty of veggies that are considered okay to them, but I would sure miss potatoes and beets.

In ME news, I have become addicted to playing games on my phone. It's appalling, really. I'm supposed to be reading David Copperfield, the Dickens classic, as a precursor to enjoying Demon Copperhead, by Barbara Kingsolver. Mike finished, of course, because he is focused and disciplined. I am barely halfway through, largely because I've been playing Best Fiends, Solitaire 2, Royal Match...the list goes on. Sometimes, I forget to play Wordle! I had a nice long streak going there, too. Obviously, it wasn't important, and I really, truly, don't care what Wordlebot says. If I got that word in three or four guesses, I'm happy, save the statistics for people with minds--not like mine.

Moving on, as I should be, we here in Pennsylvania have been enjoying weather that is hot, but not as hot as many parts of the country or world. Climate change is killing people. We might be witnessing a tipping point, a huge change in life as we know it. 

And meanwhile, life goes on. A former president may or may not serve time for a host of crimes, democracy around the world is facing tough times, and I'm playing games.

On a lighter note, I visited #1 sister yesterday. Evidently, her cat Kathe does not get enough attention, and covered me with her hair, since I'd just shaved and was lacking hair of my own. #1 sister just had carpal tunnel surgery, so is homebound for a bit, since she's not to drive. I walked there, and discovered that even the walkable journey measures a bit less than three miles. And the walk home shook all the cat hair off me, too. It was a lovely day for a walk, too, and I was grateful to get in a walk while visiting!  Cool beans.

Mike is now a walker, too. I was pleasantly surprised at how happily he's given up running and found walking to be an enjoyable exercise. And he's got new, spiffy Hokas that are giving him happy feet.

And now I suppose that it's time for me to get up and move...

So, whatchaupto?

Hey, it's June, and it's almost over

 Wow, I totally forgot to blog this month, and it's already mostly over. As usual, I'm disturbed by how quickly my life is flashing before me, but I'll try not to dwell on that for now.

Random stuff: 

I'm sad that Reddit is choking its third party apps, and missing some of my favorite subreddits, since they've gone dark in protest. These forums are slowly coming back, but I fear that Reddit will be forever changed. We'll see. In the meantime, I've noticed that the official app isn't as bad as it used to be.  And, I was surprised to read in the r/help forum how many people didn't know about the protest and thought that they'd done something wrong! Also, quite a few people were barely aware that all these other apps even existed. So, yeah. I'll miss the app I was using (RIF, or Reddit is Fun), but it's not the end for me. I do think Reddit will miss all that voluntary moderation, though! 

I'm glad that Hunter Biden is pleading guilty to his crimes and perhaps we can stop hearing about his *#!* laptop. 

I was listening to Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me whilst walking today, and that show always highlights news stories that sound like paradies. Well, some of them are, but honestly, some serious crazy shit goes on out there--

In the 1990s, a murder trial was decided by a Ouiji board. Of course, someone has written a book about this, and also of course there was a retrial.

Item: a TikToker faked his own death so he could show up for his funeral by helicopter. I think this is an awful prank, and he must have issues. 

And, I learned a new, fun term: beige flag. It's a dating term for something that's less serious than a red flag, but something that might give one pause. Or, something that won't kill you, but might drive you bonkers. I wouldn't spend much time with a guy with a pet tarantula, for instance. Tarantulas are not poisonous and do not want to hurt people, but--their hairy little legs and visible eight eyes might give me the willies. And, it might be cruel to keep them as pets. And they need to eat insects, so--'nuff said. A pet tarantula is a beige flag.

______

AND, here I am, haven't even published this blog yet. Publish seems a fancy word for what this is, and yet. There have been lots of big news stories since I last visited. I'm so sorry for those men who died in that sub exploring the Titanic. And fascinated by what is going on in Russia. And watching all the legal issues unfold for the former guy. 

So,whatchaupto?

Marvelous May

  Did you sleep well last night? I did. And it's sunny outside, and I had a good step aerobics workout, and then I went to visit Mom and saw Della, too. 

Mom and Della sure looked chipper for a couple people who got up earlier than I did, and that's impressive. 

What have I been up to? Well, I just finished a novel that's been on my list, by Kazuo Ishiguro, called Klara and the Sun.  One of Ishiguro's themes is duty, and, like both Remains of the Day and Never Let Me Go, this was sad and thought provoking. Klara is a sentient robot, and this story seems especially timely.

In other news, I'm very relieved that Ed Sheeren did defeat that copyright infringement case against him. It seemed most unfair and unlikely that someone could claim to own a certain cord progression. 

And ah, yes, there was a coronation across the pond for the first time in decades, but I just can't seem to work up any interest in it.  

And the Kentucky Derby is today, but seven (7) horses have died this week, leading up to this event. What's going on? Are these horses being over-trained and over bred? How very sad. 

On Monday, Mike and I are driving out to Cleveland,  Ohio, for a convention of magic collectors. Yes, it's taking place in the middle of the week, because it's less expensive that way, and--it's an older crowd. I'll try to take some pictures.

I usually have a relaxing time reading and exploring while Mike hangs in the dealer room. I'm glad we're driving out, too, so that I can pack the kitchen sink, just in case. 

Netgalley has graciously floated me a couple of mysteries that look interesting, too. Perfect timing.

So, whatchaupto?

April Scribbles

 Happy April! Okay, so we are a week and a half into it, and Easter has just passed. I'm late, but I can't be fired from my own blog. Or so I say.

So, happy belated rabbitses, I hope y'all remembered. (I swiped the above photo from someone over on Mastadon.)

It's looking like spring around here, with all the blossoms and sunshine, and it's so good for the spirits. And another school year comes to a close, and soon, the kids will be hangin' at the nearby park and pool. It'll sound more lively around here. 

April is not a month I've ever had strong associations with, for some reason, but we've watched a couple of Netflix documentaries that make me wonder why. Sadly, we are coming up on the 33rd anniversary of the siege at Waco, Texas, on April 19. That date will also be the 31st anniversary to the Oklahoma City bombing, which Timothy McVeigh carried out in retaliation for Waco. 

The Netflix documentary is called Waco: American Apocalypse, and in my opinion, is very much worth watching. It's scary that a cult, or any charismatic leader, can gather together enough people and weapons to do actual battle with the federal government. This film does show that David Koresh, head of the Branch Davidians, and the FBI both abused their power. It was frustrating to watch the lack of communication and consistency involved in the government's treatment of the situation. 

Needless to say, we are still living in interesting times, which can be stressful when I think too much about it. So, I read novels and play games. I'm still reading some Netgalley books, though I do have quite a long list of books I want to get to. I also can't resist checking out other reading sites that are not Goodreads. 

Don't get me wrong! I don't dislike Goodreads, and I don't dislike Amazon, but when Amazon bought Goodreads, it just seemed unsettling that suddenly, everything we Goodreads members had reviewed and all of our to-read lists, all that information, was available to Amazon. That was ten years ago, and now I take for granted that the platform functions as a store front and data miner. 

There are other intriguing platforms, of course. I was enjoying Readerly for a few months until I received an email informing all the users that the site just wasn't making it and was closing down. I also very much admire The StoryGraph, which is independent and ad-free. I've already imported my Goodreads books and am enjoying the options for book reviewing. If this site is to remain independent, though, there need to be enough subscribers...something Goodreads doesn't have to worry about.  

There is also the fediverse, or a group of interconnected, open source sites like Mastodon, except focusing on books. I've taken a gander at Bookwyrm, another welcoming and pleasing platform. It will be interesting to see if these projects can succeed. It's certainly a revelation to see book reviews with no adverts or shopping buttons. 

There was a time when I thought that GR was the cat's meow, whiskers, AND tail. Since then, especially since Amazon bought it, there haven't been any updates or improvements, and this is discouraging. 

Anyway, that is how I avoid hard news with first world problems.

Whatchaupto?

March!

 Good morning, happy First Friday, if that's a thing. I'm generally in favor of things, especially if it makes the day special. 

So, I didn't make a Rabbit, Rabbit post happen, but I will try to do better in the future. I'm in need of lots of improvements, especially in the using-my-time-more-wisely category. There's a lot of stuff in this house that is not sparking joy, or even awareness of its existence.

Today is grocery day, good thing, as I am completely out of some of my staples: tea, soy milk, frozen spinach, cereal, and peanut butter. Planning ahead might not be my strong suit. Hmm, maybe I should get sardines, too. Only if they have them in olive oil. 

We just finished watching the Netflix documentary about the Murdaugh family on Wednesday, and now, Friday morning, we hear that Alex Murdaugh has been convicted of murdering his younger son and wife. There are a couple other deaths that need to be investigated, too. Their housekeeper's death looks suspicious, and the older Murdaugh son is almost certainly involved in the murder of one of his classmates. Paul, he dead son, was probably going to face consequences for a boating incident that killed a young woman, though Alex and Paul's grandfather were trying to cover that up. I wonder if Alex might also be charged with interfering with that case? This family is probably not out of the news, yet. And, of course, there will probably be a repeal. And oh, dear, I almost forgot about the millions of dollars Alex M. stole from his clients and law firm. What a sordid saga.

It's a rainy day, and that tends to make me lazy. However, I had decided that I should start taking pictures of our beer mat collection. And, I just happen to have one that is so close to me that I don't need to even get up--well, that's an exaggeration, but anyway, here is an over-sized coaster we found during our trip to Montreal several years ago--

A surname on my mother's side is Brasher, the Americanized spelling of the French occupational name for brewer. So, I thought of Granny when we saw this.

When people ask me what I do all day, it's stuff like this. Just so you know.

Next week, we are taking my father-in-law loveseat shopping. It'll be an adventure! 

So,  whatchaupto?

I'm Back!

Did ya miss me? 

So, Mama did point out that I haven't been here for awhile, and it's true. I completely skipped January and here it is, late February. Valentine's Day is over, and our thirty-fourth wedding anniversary is tomorrow. Dates are always closer than they appear to be on the calendar.

I have updated my book blog, which I use as an additional link to Netgalley books, or any book I get in return for an honest review. Currently, I am perusing Please Report Your Bug Here, by Josh Riedel, and so far, it's an interesting, light read. 

So, I'm talking about books on the argyle side...what else is happening? 

We just got a new treadmill, and it's a very nice upgrade. It's quieter and has Bluetooth, so Mike can stream public radio from his fire tablet right to the treadmill's speakers. It makes life quieter all over the house.( I'll continue to do that thang I do, which is pairing my phone with my headphones. I like it like that. (hey, that's a zeugma)).

Right now, the living is easy for us, and I want to appreciate and celebrate that. We have events to look forward to and are feeling well.

We visited friends for The Superbowl (is that capitalized?) and learned that night that our hostess had just had a scary mammogram. Of course, she's stressed out, but the good news is that it caught a bad development extremely early--the results showed pre-cancer, what she referred to as stage 0. It sounds like she will have surgery and radiation, and perhaps medication after that. This is the miracle of the 3-D mammograms! Catching bad stuff super early. We'll be thinking of her, as this is going to be unpleasant, mentally and physically.

Yesterday, I had my teeth professionally cleaned, and learned that my hygienist was also quite stressed: her husband, who bikes to work every day, had had a bad accident, and had just been released from the hospital the previous day. She-Bonnie-was actually leaving work early, right after my appointment. Bonnie's husband suffered a concussion, several broken ribs, a punctured lung, and I  think she mentioned his collar bone. Yeah, awful accident. One incredible thing: he was wearing an Apple smart watch, and it called the ambulance while he was unconscious. (I felt bad about being there, and told her I could've rescheduled, but obviously she didn't feel that she could just do that.) Anyway, she seems to not trust her husband to abstain from any physical activity, such as getting in the shower and whatnot when she's not there. I'll be thinking about her, too. 

I believe that both Sherry (game hostess) and Bonnie's husband will get through these health issues, but they are major events. 

And, I hope all my friends and family are feeling well, as often as possible.

So, whatchaupto?