schnitzel

mmmmm the schnitzel house was back on its game last night SO GOOD normally I don’t eat the whole thing but I just devoured mine.

Watching The Alienist. I read the book a couple of years after it came out, and really enjoyed it. Caleb Carr is a historian who lives in New York, and he tried to make as close to being ‘real’ as he could. I particularly remember how incredible the descriptions of 1896 New York were. Also, he wrote a sequel, which if this show is successful will probably form the basis for the next season.

100 things I like

  1. Fireworks
  2. middle aged men restoring useful objects as a hobby and posting progress pics on the internet
  3. middle aged women taking up old school handicrafts and then bending them out of shape with modern math, new techniques and wild wild subject matter and posting progress pics on the internet
  4. deer, moose, skunks and coyotes — when they aren’t in the fucking road
  5. hummingbirds
  6. Detroit iron, almost all of it
  7. the colours teal, purple, racing green and burgundy. I like black but it ain’t a colour and it’s usually really dark gray
  8. Pot. A lot.
  9. Human hair, on human people, the way they like it.
  10. Cats. A lot.
  11. Cuddling
  12. Coming to consciousness while somebody else is loading and unloading the dishwasher
  13. Drum circles
  14. The way my kids call me when they’re upset or happy or miss me.
  15. books that popularize hinky areas of science
  16. David Attenborough’s voice
  17. the fact that even if the Indigenous peoples of what is now Canada reclaimed all their land and kicked me off it I COULD STILL GO LIVE IN ENGLAND LEGALLY now THAT’S what I call settler privilege
  18. FASHION NUGGET by CAKE
  19. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_sku22QWeE  LOUDER PLEASE
  20. horrific puns
  21. circus geeks as a cultural construct
  22. knowing that no matter how bad things get I have friends and family who love me
  23. catastrophizing everything
  24. The Expanse. A LOT books AND SHOW
  25. THE DOGWOOD IN THE YARD Right now it is at the height of its spring glory
  26. wondering when we’re going to have another century flood (see 23)
  27. having Paul and Keith tour me around in a canoe
  28. the view from Widgeon Creek
  29. @hayBEARS on twitter
  30. Throat Coat tea before a singing session – that shit works. There’s a recall out right now so don’t buy any with an expiry in feb 2019
  31. Me and Paul doing high tight harmonies while he’s thrashing on the 12 string
  32. D saying ‘intriguing’
  33. Sue cackling with laughter
  34. I’M GOING TO ICELAND IN 17 DAYS
  35. Mike Beach – and the view from his place, I love it so.
  36. Used book and clothing stores. You never know…. what lurks
  37. Solid wood furniture that you don’t need an allen key to take apart (thanks Leo)
  38. How fast I can make my grandson laugh
  39. Rowena A LOT
  40. OTTO A LOT MAYBE EVEN MORE
  41. Decolonization
  42. Lumpy trucks
  43. Russian dashcam videos
  44. anybody shredding on anything human powered with wheels
  45. or dog powered, I’m not fussy
  46. Moscow Cat Circus
  47. a song I cannot find on the internet by Benni Hemm Hemm but I’m hoping I’ll discover the name of the song when I go to Iceland since he’s Icelandic
  48. Hot tubs
  49. Never having to help move a hot tub again
  50. My new boots even if they are giving me blisters – they are quite light and will likely be durable
  51. Making domestic lists and then losing them…. I must like it – I do it so much. I’m better at work
  52. my fOlks’ voices on the phone
  53. Reporting assholes on twitter – currently 15/16 for getting them banned
  54. changing my mind about something and then spending months and years getting my emotions and behaviours to catch up
  55. trying to talk Jeff into doing a movie podcast
  56. Gifs that really represent how I feel just this moment
  57. Knowing the name of the BLACK actor whose name isn’t mentioned when the three white actors in the publicity shot are named. YES I SEE YOU BOKEEM WOODBINE
  58. The way Jeff twitches in irritation when I call Tom Hardy Tom Brady, or mistake him for Pablo Schreiber
  59. Dominique Tipper’s hairdo in the Expanse
  60. Hey I turn 60 this year!  Really hopin’ for a steak dinner agin
  61. Tarot done mystyle
  62. Anything by Dunnett but the Johnson Johnson books
  63. finding interesting stuff on the internet for other people
  64. cotton socks
  65. wearing clothing people gave me as a gag gift
  66. steampunk anything
  67. 11.04 Supernatural episode “Baby” the one shot from the car I just rewatched it and it’s really good
  68. season 1 episode 4 of the Expanse – still the best 45 minutes of space sf EVAR
  69. highly trained animals with rude senses of humour – including Woytek the bear
  70. peaceful traditions that connect you to your ancestors
  71. rescuing wasps, spiders and bees from bad situations and potential interactions with allergic people
  72. walking in my neighbourhood in the early morning, or in fog
  73. wondering how it is that I’m still twenty-eight on the inside and thirty years older on the outside
  74. making new choons and dicking with old ones
  75. finding a new swear word
  76. editing – when I’m in the mood for it
  77. In season home made peach pie with vanilla ice cream. Jo made a peach pie once and goddamn it was good.
  78. teaching people how to cut up a pineapple
  79. making biscotti (when my heart has love otherwise NO NO N ON OONONOOOO!)
  80. THE WRONG BOX
  81. sleep
  82. hilarious signs Cuz Alex makes for work
  83. homemade cheese
  84. Problematically – queen elizabeth II
  85. Really problematically – Ezra Pound
  86. What the hell is wrong with me problematically – Mel Gibson
  87. Oh this is just fucking stupid problematically – Trudeau beating Brazeau in a boxing match
  88. my wacky ancestor HTW
  89. Plum duff
  90. Correcting people on twitter. Then being forced to correct my correction.
  91. Burnaby
  92. the MR2 is almost running again! well, adjacent to almost
  93. the word nullibiety
  94. the graffitti “Klingons fart in airlocks” from Torcon II
  95. the graffitti “Solipsism is such a great idea I don’t understand why more people aren’t into it” from the steam tunnels at Carleton U
  96. The graffitti “One in five crack up” from Spadina in TO
  97. scintillating scotoma that look like fractal dragons chasing each other across my visual field
  98. Organic fair trade chocolate
  99. phó
  100. pork chomps

alive

Took Jeff out for brekky this am. Now we’re trying to grind through enough work to feel okay about watching whatever’s on the pvr – which will not include NCIS since it’s a rebroadcast.

I charged up the camera M loaned me without difficulty and now I’m trying to extract pics. We’ll see how that goes. May post some here if I am successful, which I’d better be, since I AM UNDER STRICT ORDERS TO FILL A 16 GIG CARD WITH ICELAND ICELAND ICELAND

 

grandson visit

I love how hard he concentrates on his play. He was ferrying rocks back and forth between the bowl of water and the cement blocks he was placing them on, and everything made sense to him and he got wet from the hose and peed in the back yard and it was all pretty relaxed. I’m always glad when the rellies come voluntarily….

Recently he’s started telling stories. The one he told yesterday was of the multicoloured bugs that tried to get into his daddy’s place and make it a mess. We continued along with the story and laughed rather immoderately.

I got my bucket filled up again, yay. The sun yesterday was so gorgeous.

Left a gallon jug of milk on the counter last night SCREW THAT NOISE I’M MAKING PANEER.

aerie thoughts

There was an immense salmon made of clouds across the sky in Burnaby this morning. As a day sign for Earth Day I hardly think it could be improved upon.

somebody on twitter had to rehome a puppy (sadface) and I cheered her up with a pic of Miss Margot.

Barbara Ehrenreich gives up on doctors.

mOm that one was for you, since it’s slyly funny.

I JUST HAD SOMETHING MAHVELLOUS HAPPEN Alex told his mama that he wanted to go to a friend’s house and I AM THAT FRIEND.

I feel like I hit the grandson lottery. He’s already complimented me on a dress I wore (I wore red because he likes it) and now I’M HIS FRIEND. I feel like running around yelling, but I think M would object (we are very mismatched re sleeping cycles – I’ll be amazed if he stirs before 10 and given his insomnia I’d rather hack off my feet and eat them than waken him).

Anyway I get to see my grandson this afternoon and I’m a happy camper.

I saw this on twitter today and told Jeff if it wasn’t on the basement bathroom door by the time I got home I would be ‘disappointed’.

mOm next time you’re talking to Katie ask her about her ‘sexual harassment incident’ at work. Not as bad as it sounds. Tremendously happy ending, although possibly not what her coworker was expecting in that regard.

 

jokes and fires

Nothing caught fire. I’m hoping the fire in my belly comes back, but now that I’m used to why trouble with writing is happening I think editing is a better go. I’m whistling in the dark at the moment.

Expanse continues to be the best thing on new TV.

Loving Bosch, hating my love of police procedurals.

Happy 4/20 everyone.

It’s kind of regrettable that there are like two people who read my blog who will get why that link is funny, but that’s my life. Everything is funny or nothing is. Life without funny is not on, so I’m going with the former contention.

moleskin

I have now walked 2k (at least) every morning before 7 am since Saturday when I bought my boots. Paul heard me bitching about my blisters and gave me the biggest package of moleskin I’ve ever seen, and I am glad to report that my feet only hurt a teeny bit now. Also, I need better socks.

We are continuing to enjoy the reboot of Lost in Space (family friendly SF on Netflix, suitable for bingeing) and I am enjoying the current Bosch season although I’d enjoy it if the source material didn’t have ‘the ex wife dies and the killers must be caught by our intrepid cop hero’ as one of the main plot pivots. ah well.

Today since writing still feels far away: laundry and edits.

 

Thankful

I am thankful to have experienced a good night’s sleep on new high thread count sheets.

I am grateful that my mother and father had two children, because Jeff is awesome.

I am grateful for my grown children, who are challenging and fun and annoying in all the ways family members are, but mostly for being really loving and supportive of late.

My parents I try to thank in person when I remember.

Grateful for the intelligent and loving friendships which have been other people’s gifts to me my whole life.

Grateful to have my brain, even if it wobbles, because it thinks such interesting things.

 

Iceland trip preparation

  • Antibacterial wipes  NOT

* Batteries … buy there if I have to

* Binoculars (optional) – borrowing a pair

* Camera (With extra memory cards and batteries) – we’ll wee

* Cash, credit and debit cards – cash is not necessary in Iceland. Credit card penetration even in tiny places is almost 100% and the credit card companies are offering better exchanges in most cases.

* Day pack (Used for daily excursions or short overnights)

* First Aid Kit (should contain lip balm with sunscreen, sunscreen, whistle, Aspirin, Ibuprofen, bandaids/plasters, tape, anti-histamines,

antibacterial gel/wipes, antiseptic cream, Imodium or similar tablets for mild cases of diarrhea, rehydration powder, sewing kit, extra

prescription drugs you may be taking)

* Flashlight/torch (This item is optional and is only useful through the months of August – March)

* Fleece top/sweater DONE

* Hiking boots/sturdy walking shoes DONE

* Hiking pants (Convertible/Zip-off and quick dry recommended) DONE

* Long pants/jeans DONE

* Moneybelt    I’ll have to find it

* Nicer outfit for an evening out SCREW THAT NOISE I’M A TOURIST

* Outlet adapter – need to borrow one if I can

* Personal entertainment (Reading and writing materials, cards, music player, etc.)  DON’T I WISH I COULD TAKE ROWENA  I will take a deck of cards though

* Pocketknife — say what

* Reusable water bottle

* Shirts/t-shirts  yup

* Small travel towel —-have got

* Socks

* Sunblock need

* Sunglasses have got

* Sun hat/bandana  have got

* Swimwear have got

* Toiletries (Preferably biodegradable)   HA HA I AM NATURALLY BEAUTIFUL

* Warm gloves have got

* Warm hat – I’m going to take my nyancat hat

* Watch and alarm clock – my phone, you mean

* Waterproof backpack cover

* Waterproof pants  DONE

* Windproof rain jacket   DONE

Racgoons

Encounters with Wildlife in East Burnaby, part the nummptyeth. So I’m walking in the dark in my new boots (ow, incidentally) back from Timmy Ho’s just now with a bag of croissants. I hear the crow above me give an alarm call and look around for the source. (Vancouver crows are forgetting how to be diurnal – there are a number of places in town where they stay up all night, for example at the Casino next to the highway.)

One, two full-grown raccoons lollop across the street at 6th and 11th. They vanish, but they’re on the street I intend to walk down and I’m immediately uneasy. No raccoon has ever hurt me and these two don’t look sick, but two raccoons is 30 kilos of teeth and claws.

On cue, they *come out of the bushes toward me*, about three metres apart, not looking at me but at the frickin’ full’o’goodies Timmy Ho bag. I grabbed my open jacket front and wave, yell NO I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE THINKING and the lil ****ers do a Homer fade into the bushes again.

So …. yesterday I posted a tweet mocking a raccoon AND YOU KNOW THERE ARE NO COINCIDENCES.