No Surprise

 With the heat and the everything expensive going on, I have a rip-snorting headache.  I am, though, making some good crafting progress.  Good thing you can knit with your eyes closed.

Seriously, Though

In addition to the much-too-expensive tooth business (honestly, if I had known that one tooth was worth that, I'd have pulled some more and sold them on the black market, or eBay, or wherever) guess what?

A couple of* weeks ago, I started hearing scratches and chewing in the hall walls.  Did any of my three animals alert to the sounds?  Was any one of them willing to protect the homestead?

Call to my pest control service: guy comes out, says he doesn't see any recent evidence of mice or rats, which is as big as their services go.  Service call fee.  He gives me the name of a "wildlife guy."  Call the "wildlife guy" and he can't get here for a week.  Meanwhile, I'm banging on the walls with books, my hands, my feet, putting dents in the walls to very little avail.

"Wildlife guy" comes in yesterday.  It's mice and/or rats, he says.  (!!)  He can start a three-week long process of sealing the house's foundation to keep critters out while setting traps to catch any that are already in.  He cannot start until next week.  Fee, and steep upcoming charges.

"I'm sorry --- what?"

Then today, it feels like the AC isn't working.  Tap is panting and panting, and the thermostat says the temperature is creeping toward 80.  Call my AC/HVAC people and am told no one can come out until tomorrow, bringing along an emergency out-of-hours fee.

But I'm old, and I have animals here.  Yes, I  said that.  Well, the second part for sure.  Many phone calls later, there's a technician who can squeeze me in.  And you know what?  Everything checks out as perfectly fine.  Service fee, please.  

I'm really tired of all this, Tap is tired of people coming around and having to bark at them, and I am seeing my proverbial rope running out.

*Whoever started this "couple" without "of" makes me crazy.  It is not "He was talking to a couple friends " it's "a couple  OF."  Not that hard.

Quick Question(s)

Pilot is on the mend;  thank you for helping out.  🐶 

I'm trying to put together an animal collage, and as I go through my pictures and stickers, I wonder

Are butterflies and birds animals?

Fish and other water-based creatures aren't being included.  No insects.  (Yes, I  know butterflies are often classified as bugs.)  I'm only hesitating on things with wings.  Except for bats.  Bats are animals.

For extra credit*, 

Are hot dogs sandwiches?

Is water wet?

How many holes does a straw have?

Is ice a rock?

Are muffins cupcakes (or vice versa)?

*Once a teacher, always a teacher.

For Pilot

 Twinster's dog, Pilot, is having some health problems.  Send healing thoughts and waves of peace of mind to them.  Thanks.

In Order

Kim asks if I'm going to read the biographies in alphabetical order.  I am.  The reason the Danny Trejo book is in is because I've been wanting to read it, and Briton says it's been in and out of the library a lot.  I figured I'd better grab a copy while one was there.  If I do get it read before it's due back, I'll hold off on "reporting" on it until I get to it in line.

By the way, the author of the "A" title I picked up is a woman who lived here in Athens for a while.  She even went to the same high school as my children.  (Not all that remarkable, as there are only two public high schools in town.  But still. . .)  I had no idea at all that that was the case.  I just picked the book because it looked interesting.

Big Twin SIster also reminds us that it is Tiny Needle Tuesday.  My contribution is the same as last week, but with much more progress to show

There are only four colors, and the designs aren't intricate, so it's going fairly quickly.  As of right now, I'm not sure what it'll become when it's finished: framed piece or pillow.  There are lots of things on the walls here, but not too many throw pillows.  We'll see.

New Reads

 Several years ago, I set myself on a mission to read more novels.  Why novels don't hook me the way non-fiction books do, I can't quite explain.  My goal was to read novels by authors whose last names went from A to Z.  Twenty-six books.  I did it, but can't remember any of them.  I sort of remember the cover of one. . .

I'm revisiting the A to Z thing, only this time with biographies and autobiographies.  Off to the library with me today, where --- bonus --- I  got to visit with my son for a while.  I came home with my "A" and"B," and my "T" thrown in for good measure.

Incoming Info

 

Been watching some Robert Redford movies, and thought I'd inform you thereof.

New Sources

Not "news sources," you understand.  I've none of those.

I do, though, have a new collaging source.  It's Stamperia, which I've been accessing mostly through Amazon.  Now, a funny thing about Amazon is that, depending on the search term(s) you use, you'll get rather vastly different results.  I, in my inexperience, was searching for "collage supplies." Turns out, changing that search to supplies for "scrapbooking" or "journaling" or "decoupaging" brings all kinds of new things.  And yes, I know that I'm feeding the long-since bloated Amazon monster, but as often as I can, I shop etsy or manufacturer's websites or any other alternative that comes to mind.

Anyway, Stamperia makes very pretty things, wouldn't you agree?

Super Random

 Why would you want your ducks --- all your ducks at that --- to be in a row?  Is there an advantage to having them so arranged?

Dotting i's and crossing t's. . .  I always do the latter, no matter how I'm writing, but never do the former if I am printing.

"Extraordinary" shouldn't be an indication of wonder, if you think about it.  "Extraordinary" is only more ordinary.  "Extra mayo" doesn't mean better mayo, just more mayo.  So calling something "extraordinary" means that it's just doubly (triply, etc.) ordinary.

Can we retire the word "countless"?  Nothing is truly countless, it's just that some things would take a really, really, really long time to count.  They are not uncountable.

Purple Power

If you've known me for more than, oh, half an hour, you know that purple is my favorite color.  If I'm thinking of buying something, and it comes on a nice shade of purple, that's likely the one I'll buy.  These includes toothbrushes with purple bristles.

My hygienist gave me a purple toothbrush after my recent cleaning.  Strictly random, I know, but nice nonetheless.  Yes, toothbrushing is allowed with my gap.  If the brush accidentally bumps my gum right there, there's still a sting, but nothing bad.

Don't Ask

My previous TNT project of the horses is in the proverbial and literal dustbin.  Don't ask.  It was ugly and it was infuriating and I've moved on.

A sampler on the theme of knitting.  I've already made a mistake, and it will gnaw at me always, but on I go.

Craft Update

So, I'm still working on/with my little bowl of prompts.  Witness "Child"

and "Wish."

Oh, and guess what?  I found that last ball of yarn for my Wingspan.  It was in the bag with my embroidery to-dos.  Because of course it was.

It isn't much bigger than it was, because it was going to take so much for the cast-off, I wasn't sure how many more wedges were left in the yarn.  There was probably enough to finish that last wedge, but I didn't want to risk running out.

And, yes, the purple and purple tweed sweater is still on the needles.  It's such an easy pattern, but I'm just not making progress.

Teeth still gappy, but there's no pain.  My Essix remains unused.  I've not been anywhere that felt like an "appearance of all my teeth" destination.  (*wink*)

It's Hot

 

It's just on the edge of unbearable.  But a lot of you know this, too.

Who, Me?

 Talking to someone on the phone tonight, I realized this tooth gap has given me quite a lisp.  I didn't know missing a tooth next to a front tooth would produce the same sound as missing that front one.

In Common

 Swelling and discomfort going on with other members of this family, too.

It's Done

 And as the anesthesia wears off, it's beginning to hurt like a mother.  If you want to see my gap-toothed self, I posted a picture on Instagram.

For Me

So, I bought myself some flowers, imagining I will need them to cheer me in my upcoming hours of recuperation.

And I'll probably be perfectly fine.

Two Choppers

 First, the kitten Chopper.  Last night, Hannah noticed that Chopper's face was swollen.  She was not interested in eating much, and was not letting Hannah look at her.  So, off to the vet today.

The vet couldn't give a definitive answer.  It isn't a tooth abscess or a problem with her lymph nodes.  He gave Hannah some anti-inflammatories to treat her with, and scheduled a follow-up visit.  Hannah said Chopper seemed to be feeling better today, so there is that.  For it to come up so quickly, I thought maybe it was a bug bite, or something like that.  The main thing is that they're home with something to do for it and both very tired.

Second choppers, my teeth.  Y'all have had your teeth cleaned --- no need for a description.  Well, I will tell you I got to have cinnamon tooth polish.  AND, instead of the hygienist scaling my teeth only by hand, she used

A Cavitron.

Yes, a Cavitron.  It's basically a super-charged Waterpik, but has a name from an episode of  "Futurama."  I had to laugh.

Can't Explain

 This is the week that It Starts.  The whole tooth thing, I mean.  Tomorrow morning is my rescheduled cleaning.  The idea, it seems, is to remove as much bacteria (or stuff/gunk as some of us might say) as possible before Wednesday's extraction.  At first blush, that makes sense, but I'll still have the rest of tomorrow and all of Tuesday, and some of Wednesday to eat and dirty things right back up.  😕

We Know

Book Smarts

 This book came to my attention a few days ago, and you can imagine how pleased I was to see that it is

"educationally sound."  What a relief.  Providing proof of the educational soundness: a photo of Dr. Lester Fisher on the back cover:

I mean, he's holding a lion cub!  How much more evidence do you need?

Twinster asked about something in the picture from yesterday, specifically what looks like a palette in the lower right corner.  It's a set of little ink pads.*  When I finish a piece, I stamp a little feather on it, and wanted a variety of colors from which to choose.

*From Temu.

Making Sausage

I know you aren't supposed to want to see the sausage being made, so how about where the sausage is made?

This used to be a kitchen table.  You know, where one is supposed to take one's meals?  Thank goodness there is a long counter in the kitchen, where I can sit to eat.  And, yes, there's a wee bit of method to the jumbled madness.  I'm usually able to find what I'm looking for.

Also, I've seen sausage made.  It isn't as bad as what has to go on leading up to that part.  Formal or farm, an abattoir is nothing that interests me.

You're Kidding

Kim wonders what I did to make Tap sleep through last night's fireworks.  Honestly, nothing at all.  It's how he is.  Don't misunderstand: if there's a car horn from a car driving by, he loses it.  If I sort of drop or rattle something in a drawer, *barkbarkbark*.  Fireworks, though, meh.  He'll sleep and snore, thank you very much.

I went to the dentist this afternoon to get my pre-implant cleaning, only my name wasn't on the books.  

WHAT?

I tried to stay calm (in fact, the receptionist kept saying, "You're being so kind"), but it frustrated me.  Everything about all of this dental stuff is beginning to really, really weigh on me, and this was just another boulder added on.  I was put at the top of the cancellation list because evidently, a thorough cleaning is all but mandatory before the implant journey begins.  Maybe not strictly necessary, but strongly recommended.

The Fourth

 Tap snored through all the fireworks, and he snores still.

Animal Content

 Those full-page stickers with hidden images I told you about?  Here's what one was keeping secret:

A chintz-y bear and butterflies.  I don't know that I'll have a future use for a flowery ursine, but I have one should the need arise.  Floral butterflies will likely be easier to place.

I walked into my room the day before yesterday and came across this:

No one props like my Maddie. 

Political Commentary

 I guess when you're a world leader, and you're generally considered attractive, you can do your job tieless and with your hands in your pockets.

I Understand

Grandparents who don't see their grandchildren too often, say, when they do, "I can't believe how big you are now!"  Hannah sent me this picture of Chopper today:

I get those grandparents now.