Marching On

Once again I find myself trying to artfully rearrange the calendar to convince myself I’ve kept my resolution of posting something here once a week. Regardless, I’m definitely posting more than I was last year, and that’s an improvement. I suppose I’ve got to look back to February 19 and see what’s happened since then.

What definitely happened was that I finally succumbed to the sickness going around the office and, taking a half day off after going in when I probably shouldn’t have, proceeded to spend the next sixteen hours in various states of medicated sleep. When I finally gained real consciousness, I felt much improved. If I’d felt at 20% before collapse, I got up at 85%.

Of course, this Saturday I woke up at 4:30 in the morning literally screaming from pain as it felt the bones in my back were trying to flee my body. Ah, the joys of permanent nerve damage as a massive change in barometric pressure moves through the area, ushering in hour and hours of rain that sounded like it was trying to beat down the door.

The intensity of the sound may have had something to do with the fact that our back screen door has been left in the “open” position since last Monday and I didn’t know it.

Why was it open, you ask?

Well, . . .

On Saturday I went to make hot hamburger plate, and when it came time to put the fries in the oven it was stone cold. The interior heating element t had gone out, but thankfully the range still worked just fine and so I switched from fries to mashed potatoes. The result was so good Krystal asked for it two nights in a row.

That was the bad news. The good news was that the management company would take care of the oven, although I knew it wouldn’t be until Monday they received my non-emergency report, and who knows where we’d be on the maintenance list.

But on Monday afternoon I got a series of texts from Krystal: the maintenance man was there and while in theory the oven could be repaired, it would be easier all around to just replace the unit, and they had a new but dented one ready to go. The dent was on the side facing our cabinets and no one would see it, but even if not I wouldn’t care so long as it worked. Within an hour and fifteen minutes we had a new oven in place.

It must be said that they weren’t trying to put one over on us; Krystal watched him take the plastic off and test everything. I had to take the user manual out of the heating drawer, which is smaller than our previous one and requires some storage adjustment, and the arrangement of small and large burners is exactly opposite, but I’ll get used to it soon enough.

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There were a few interesting holidays that came and went.

On Twin Peaks Day I enjoyed some cherry pie and coffee. It must be said they were likely a far cry from the Double R Diner, but still a good dessert after the hamburger plate.

Last Sunday was Quiet Day, but despite my best efforts, I found myself irrationally angry and not making good judgment calls. I drank lots of water and played calming shows and music, but it was a struggle. Maybe that’s why I couldn’t bring myself to write last weekend.

Krystal went out shopping and knew I just wanted to stay home and when she got back surprised me with a book from Target and I later settled in to watch High Anxiety with a Bees Knees and a pack of hazelnut chocolates and things weren’t that bad when I finally made it to bed that night.

Despite yesterday’s pain, this weekend is better but also difficult. Since last Saturday I have attended two funerals. That may explain some of my emotional exhaustion heading into this weekend.

February 28th would also have been my father’s 82nd birthday. By fun happenstance, it was also Car Keys and Small Change Day – which was fitting, as he was always, always jingling the things in his pockets.

Of course I was deep in my emotions that day. Our relationship was complicated and strained and I often think that what I learned wasn’t what he set out to teach. It might be an amalgamation of other people’s words, but what was foremost in my mind that morning was this:

Few will know the violence it took to become this gentle. I hope that no matter how many times this world tries to harden me and turn me back into a cold person, I hope I remain compassionate, full of love, soft and seeing hope in everything – and to never become something that once broke me.

Of course, while I was driving in to work Spotify thought it would be great to play “My Tears Ricochet” by Taylor Swift so I parked in the employee parking lot a compete mess – yayyyy.

Perhaps it’s no surprise that was the day the sickness came . . .

Friday was World Compliment Day, and I try to be funny and punny (and both) when I share these holidays online and I was really proud of what I came up with:

Today is World Compliment Day.

Pay the world a compliment like “your moss is amazing; what’s your secret?” or find someone to give a compliment like “thank you for being a friend . . . your heart is true, you’re a pal and a confidant”

I swear I wasn’t fishing for compliments, but folks felt compelled to give them to me:

• I like your posts
• You are such a unique and incredible person, and your social posts improve my day every day.
• Your moss is amazing. What’s your secret?
  • Answer : existing moss, equal parts water and buttermilk, and a good blender
• Thanks for reminding me that each day is to be celebrated! 💖
• You are a light in a dark world, friend! So happy to know and love you 💙
• I admire your vulnerability. I applaud your fervor for speaking up against injustice.

And I must say those brightened my day, along with talking with my sister about caring for cast iron and getting to use my new cat-themed dice in our D&D campaign– and rolling a Nat 20 while use my Channel Divinity: Peerless Athlete skill!

I’ve just remembered the phone call and d&d session were last Friday. But they still count as happy things.

In other D&D news, there’s a new Discworld – based game on the way! (Sign up for info and help them out by taking their Discworld survey)

I also have one more new dice set to show you once our other-new campaign begins. They’re quite nice and roll well and have a color scheme I love. They were a gift from my friend Jax, who also runs Mad Labs Studios. The store just reopened this last Wednesday with new offerings; while the site almost crashed and some items are temporarily sold out, I’m told restocks are coming soon!

I managed to snag an Alastor-inspired fragrance from the Hazbin Hotel line:

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Yesterday was Rescue Cat Day, and I shared a photo of Smokey as asked others to share their cats with me for a digital pat. They did not disappoint, and I added quite a few names to my list:

• Lando
• Bella (in memory)
• George
• Lyra, Will, Wanda, and Yelena
• Jasmine, Mochi, and baby Gilbert (who I’m told looks a bit like Smokey)

I went grocery shopping on Friday as something told me I wouldn’t want to go out on Saturday and Friday me was right, though I did end up going for to the store for screws and lightbulbs in order to surprise Krystal by fixing one of the lights that’s been giving us problems.

Last night I made pickle-style fish sandwiches: mayo, lettuce and tomato, fish, a slice of cheese, and a few pickle chips on a hamburger bun.

Today is Soup It Forward Day, which “urges people to spread love & generosity with a bowl of soup.”

I’ve got a vegetable soup in the crock pot, which includes diced tomatoes, potatoes, & onion; tomato sauce; vegetable stock & white wine; mixed veggies; salt & seasonings, and Worcestershire sauce.

It will make a good lunch, and for supper tonight we’ll have salmon with Brussels Sprouts and rice. I bought the fish Friday evening assuming I’d use them Saturday but Krystal thought the sandwiches would be better (she was right!) and so today I need to use the fresh fish before it goes bad.

You know what? I’m going to wait to publish this until later this evening so that I have photos of both these dishes.

The salmon is basted with Kahlua and espresso and the sprouts have a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of Nature’s Seasoning, and a dash of salt and were roasted at 425 for about 22 minutes.

I’m hoping the sprouts treat me better than McDonalds did last Monday, because while my mouth and brain said “you know what would be good? McDonald’s,” my gut offered its rebuttal several hours later:

And last but not least, I’m re-reading Pyramids by Terry Pratchett, and at the recommendation of Jax and Ciarán, I’ve started listening to The Magnus Archives. While I’m typing this at noon on Sunday, I’m already up to episode 22 (MAG: Colony).

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What have you been up to?