A Long Night

I'm guessing there's a time in every house that is "too late" for the phone to ring.  If it does ring, you get that "uh-oh" feeling, wondering if there's very bad news on the other end of the line.  Last night, my phone rang "too late," and the ring tone was Hannah's.  My first thought was that Klunk had had a setback, and when I realized she was crying, was almost certain that was it.

She was scared.  What was happening in Atlanta was terrifying her.  She didn't know what to do. Since she doesn't drive, she had no way to get away if she felt she needed to.  Although all of the worst things were happening quite a way from her, who knew how quickly things would change and move.

We talked for as long as it took for her to calm down a bit, to get a plan for if she did --- or didn't --- have to go to work today.  I told her to call back if she didn't start feeling better.  I told her I'd come see her today if she wanted me to.  She was better when we hung up.

I haven't heard from her since, though Briton has been in touch with her.  I don't know what is going to happen in Atlanta tonight, but I pray she'll get through it.  Just like I pray the entire country will survive.

A Photo or Four

The bruises and stiffnesses and stove-up-ness have been the target of ibuprofen, but today, this had to be added to the mix:

Lots of clouds around in recent days, but not a whole lot of rain.  My sinuses don't care.

This

is my washing machine now.  I didn't know little beauties like this (mostly for dorms, I'm guessing)  existed;  Hannah told me about them.  It has to be on the countertop so it can be plugged in, and near the sink to drain the water.  It does a good job --- better than I could do by hand (or foot) in the bathtub.  Only very, very few things at a time will fit, and I don't know how I'll wash jeans, but I'm still not comfortable with the thought of going to the laundromat.  (New COVID cases in this county have gone up by double digits each of the last four days.)

The front of the sweater I cast on is done:

Plain ol' garter.  I honestly prefer stockinette for garments but decided to stick with the pattern.

Tap went on a tear through the house this morning, playing with one of his squeakiest toys and just plain running back and forth down the hall and around the den.  Then, quick as he started, he stopped.  And flopped.

Never mind that his bed was upside down. 

Ouch

It rained here last night.  After it stopped, I went out to roll the trash and the recycling bins to the street.  Coming back in, I had what I suppose was a burst of jauntiness coming up the porch steps and slipped and fell.  Banged up both shins, both knees, and the heel of my left hand.  Apparently, I bounced, as there are bruises just under my ribcage on the left, and a very big bruise marking very big pain just below my left collarbone.

It has hurt to move around today, even to take a fairly deep breath.  So, lots of reading and crossword puzzles on the schedule.  And ice packs.  Several ice packs.

(Oh, and the snake was back this morning.  Whee.)

Black Snake. Moan.

I am not a squealy, flailing type.  However, I do not like to be startled.  Toward that end, the anoles and little frogs that appear around this house at this time of year are not welcome.  (I seem to be almost entirely alone in this opinion.)  If I can't tell when or where something is going to move, I'm not comfortable.

I am currently reading this

900+ page biography.  I take it with me when I take Tap out, so he can walk and I can make some progress.  This keeps me from getting impatient with him, and my focus is mostly on my book while we're outside.  Yesterday, he's walking, I'm reading, and he stopped because a squirrel caught his attention.  (Cliche', I know, but the truth.)  I looked up from the book and noticed about six inches away from my left foot was a black snake.  My heart went into my throat or my stomach or wherever hearts go at times like that, and I made Tap beat a quick path away from there.

I've lived in this house for over 30 years, and have seen exactly four snakes: two in the front yard, two in the back.  I'm good with that for however much longer I'm here.

Two Days

This is what I did yesterday:

I was in the car almost all day.  All hot day.  Went to Atlanta, which meant sitting in traffic, sitting in parking lots when the places I needed to go required waiting there instead of going inside.  Heat is bad for me, in that, more than likely, it will produce

And that's how I've spent today.

The Wall

Sitting here last night, all of a sudden, I ran into the Impatience/Bad Mood Wall.  I was fed up with everything.  EV - UH - REE - THING.  Not sure why, but I reached my Toleration Limit.  I was angry, I was judge-y, nothing was right, and all I could do was go to bed early.

That ever happen to you?

Really, I Did

I had every intention of persevering.  Really, I did.  Then I realized that I had made a serious mistake in the pattern, so I frogged it.  Silk is second only to boucle' in being ridiculous to unravel.  I didn't have enough usable yarn left to make the hat once I got done.

So, I cast on for a sweater.

I finished Batkus:

The middle stripes are off center just enough to make it interesting.

Moving On

Cast on a slouchy hat with some silk from darn good yarn,  I like silk yarn, most especially banana silk, but it twists something awful.  Too, neglecting to sand down my wooden needles before starting was a mistake.

Nevertheless, I shall persevere.

Uhm. . .

I've been trying since Thursday to come up with something to write here, and have come up empty every day.  Which means it's time to turn to my writing prompts book.

Name five things you are thankful for right now.
1.  My children's health.
2.  Not having to make house payments.
3.  A very good book.
4.  Food in the refrigerator and pantry.
5.  Sleep.

Re-using a Facebook Pun: "Tappy Birthday"!

This is Tap's best trick.  He can sit like this for quite a long time, though sometimes not long enough for me to figure out exactly what he wants.

He might be asking for ice cream and/or cake --- today's his 2nd birthday.  Happy day, buddy.

Dia de Madre

Happy Mother's Day to all.  If you aren't a mother, you have one, so you deserve good wishes, too.

My day:

"Desk Set" with Tracy and Hepburn.

Gluing this puzzle,

and being sorely displeased with the outcome.  The "dry clear" adhesive is not drying clear, which has given the piece a cloudy, matte finish.  Since there are spots of foil throughout the design, I so wanted shiny.

"Letters from Iwo Jima," one of My Favorite Movies.

Finishing one book

and starting another.

Enjoying a lovely candle all day.

Working on masks.

And more Tracy / Hepburn:

"Keeper of the Flame."

Trigger Warning: Sexual Abuse

In the past couple of weeks, I've learned that a formerly close friend has died.  We had completely (and rather intentionally) lost touch over the years, but it was still sad news to receive.

I learned that she had fought deep and dark depression in her life, and wrestled with severe drug addictions.  Also, I found out that she and her brother were sexually abused by their father.

I never had anything much to do with her brother.  He was older enough than us to not hang around "little girls" on principle, even beyond normal sibling disdain.  And I remember spending a tiny amount of time with their father only once, maybe twice.  

 I don't know what to do with all this information.  I don't know now, and I certainly wouldn't have known then.  Her family seemed stiff and weird to me at the time, but whose parents didn't seem suffocating and uncool to their friends?  Though our friendship ended with an acrimonious thud, I am profoundly sad for her.  And for her brother, who bears witness to all of this by himself now.

There can't be a single family that is, inside, exactly what it shows The Outside.  For some, the differences are minimal, trivial.  For some, at the other end of that long and painful spectrum, there is nothing at all connecting the two, except the number of family members.  My friend's family wasn't wealthy, but it was certainly comfortable.  Not prominent, but prestigious.  And this rot was in its center.  And none of us knew.

If I could smooth our differences over, and if I had a chance to see my friend again, I would apologize.  What her life was was not what she deserved.

Naturally

Most of you probably already know this. I'm not always the quickest on the pop culture uptake.  You can knit face masks.  They need to be lined with fabric, but they take no time at all to whip up.  This is the pattern I used.  Made one in under an hour.

As Of Today

I have worked every jigsaw puzzle in the house.

I have my absentee ballot.

My nails are a polishable length again.

I overruled my previous decision to use this yarn for socks, and am making a Baktus.