Confessions of a One-Track Mind

 It's been a strenuous week, and yesterday was brutal. I could barely walk this morning...I was actually relieved that FMH begged off, saying he'd double-booked himself and can't make it this afternoon.

In addition to the clothing scramble that's been going on all week, I went out and got a trim on Thursday, then yesterday...well, the ASFS Christmas party was last night, and I hadn't made my contribution yet. This year's theme was 'Emergency Space Rations'. My thought was crispy rice treats, suitably tinted and labeled 'Soylent Green'. Which I ought to have made Thursday, but I didn't get it shoehorned in.

So Friday morning, I had breakfast and started making treats...had two dozen of them arranged in balls in individual paper muffin cups. 

Then I got dressed and LL collected me for class and the senior center was having a food giveaway, which we also participated in. (Standing in line, I made the acquaintance of a pit bull named Beefy...service dog to a nice lady who okayed petting him and he gave me doggy kisses--that was the high point of my day.) 

Went back to my place to drop off the perishables and managed to drop the flat of stuff while I was trying to get the front door open. Had a small meltdown, for which LL prescribed cannabis.

The last time I had any of that was September 1995. I quit because too many workplaces test for it and I was looking for a job at the time. Now, though, I'm retired (and just plain tired). And I needed something to calm me the fuck down, because I was a hot mess.

She gave me a cookie. By which I mean, COOKIE. It's been 20+ years, and I'd forgotten how relaxing it is to radically decouple those neuro-transmitters and switch from digital to analog. 

Came home, and while LL was running around getting her contribution for the party and picking up a third party, I had half an Impossible Whopper, wrapped two gifts, one Christmas, one birthday and filled out two cards (both Christmas) and made the sign for my contribution. A lot to do in one hour, but I got it done handily and with minimal stress.

The party was fairly subdued compared to years past, which was fine with me. GK gave me what she referred to as a 'starter' Christmas present, a Glasbake bowl--it's a cousin to Pyrex, and I have several pieces in that pattern already, so I'm pleased. I managed to leave the second gift sitting on the kitchen floor (*eyeroll* silly stoner), but since that was the Christmas gift and I'm going to see Chica on Christmas Eve, no big deal.

LL was literally moved to tears by her gifts. Someone gave her a canister of cashews, which she's fond of. GK gave her a Penzey's gift box (Choose Love) and I gave her a Country Living subscription and a yarn bowl. She's a serious crocheter, and she mentioned wanting one ages ago...she's from a dysfunctional family and isn't used to people thinking about her. 

As usual, GK got first place in the theme competition with Black Hole Bento Boxes. She make individual boxes with individually packaged contents in each compartment--it took time and money--and they were pretty amazing. My Soylent Green crispy treats were one of the runners up...the folks who sponsor it run a bookstore, so the prizes are bags of cookbooks. GK and I did some comparison and swapping--I wound up with Martha Steward Cupcakes, Surprise Inside Cakes, Salsas and Tacos, and Mario Battali's Italian Grilling. Not bad for a box of cereal and two bags of marshmallows!

Came home, made it through Colbert and literally turned the lights out at midnight, which for me is the equivalent of going to bed at 8 PM, 

Now to see if I can manage to do anything constructive today. Love to all!


...

 I just sat down and added up my fic output so far this year. Now, mind you, I was just adding up what's posted on AO3, and of that, I left out the stuff started in previous years ('The Man With the Silver Arm', 'The Belden-Jones Chronicles' and 'Step Right Up'). I'm not sure how much I added to any of them, so I didn't count any of it. I've filled assorted prompts at Comment_fic that never made it to AO3. And that doesn't begin to include the WIPs I've got in the works.

Total? Somewhere north of 117.000 words on AO3 alone. Jesus wept.

The WIPs probably add up to another 30,000 at least. That's in the neighborhood of a 300 page book. Which of course, it isn't--it hop-scotches through a couple dozen fandoms and ranges from 300 words to 32,000 ('One Big Happy Family').

It's just...if I put as much effort into original fic as I do the PBN that is fan-fic, I'd have something to show for it. An actual book that I could maybe shill online and make a few bucks...but that means giving up the instant gratification of "Write, post, accept kudos". 

Do I have any original ideas in my head? Enough to drive at least 200 pages of plot? Ah, now THAT'S the question. 

Any thoughts, friends?

..

 So, this afternoon was my first visit from the young man helping me deal with my shit. God knows, I angsted about it beforehand, but he ended up being very sweet and cheerful and we spent two hours getting acquainted and doing a surface clearing of the kitchen and living room. He's got nice energy--not just with regard to getting shit done, but also in the sense of not stressing me out.

It's still a long way from done--I have assorted bags to sort through, and we didn't ever start to get into the kitchen cabinets! but there's definitely more space to be had. Plus, I found things I've been looking for--some DVDs (that were evidently in plain sight), the instructions for my Instant Pot, some jewelry...and at one point, I was working in the living room was he was sorting recycling in the kitchen. I asked him to keep an eye out for something and he literally had it in his hand. I suspect FLH might be fae, but what's wrong with that?

Between lingering sadness from last week, plus several busy days back to back, I'm absolutely wiped out. I may or may not make it to my class tomorrow--my plan calls for sleeping until I'm caught up...which feels like it might be Monday or thereabouts.

Right now, a nap sounds like the best idea ever. TTFN....

...

 Wow, it's really coming down. I noticed last night while I was waiting for Dominos that it was snowing and sticking...around 9 pm, we had around an inch. Now I'd say it's closer to six inches, and it's still coming down quite briskly. 

It's rather pretty, in a Currier and Ives kind of way--and I'm very thankful I don't have to go anywhere in it!

Stay warm, friends. Love to all!


...

 No, really. Last Monday, LL and I raked my yard, then went to the grocery store then Costco. I had a couple days to rest up, then on Thursday, I had an appointment with my eye doctor. On Friday, LL and I went to a Swedish weaving class at the senior center, then Home Depot, which was a bust and very frustrating, then grocery again. We were going to stop for chicken on the way back, but the place was a total zoo, so we skipped it.

Now, here it is, Tuesday, and I'm still feeling wiped out. This is ridiculous! I was planning to go see 'Rambo: Last Blood' at the second-run theater this afternoon, but that involves 1) getting dressed and 2) going, which means dealing with people and frankly, I just don't have the spoons for it. To quote a meme, it's too people-y out there.

Eye doctor  has some concerns and wants to see me again in three months. I might need laser treatments because there's inflammation.  It's technical ...basically I have to be super conscientious about my drops and keep on top of my diabetes and maybe I can avoid it,

The Swedish weaving class is diverting. I haven't done any hand-work projects in a while...kind of over crocheting, beads are all packed away in the shed, and the last thing I need is beads rolling around underfoot anyway. I'm not doing anything complicated yet, so it's nicely distracting...I can stitch during TV time or while meditating on writing projects. I just need to expand my repertoire beyond one stitch and find some pattern books (which seem to be few and far between). I'm eyeing a big piece of Huck cloth on eBay, thinking, "Custom kitchen tablecloth!". GK has a monogrammed cross-stitched tablecloth that NJ sewed for her as a wedding gift--I've always envied that tablecloth!

GK has invited me to Thanksgiving dinner, but because there's snow forecast, she wants me to stay over the night before, which I'm loathe to do. Assorted reason--uncomfortable guest room, dealing with her family, guests, etc. Just not feeling it. What does it say about me that I'm grateful for the privilege of being alone?

Love to all and a happy Turkey Day!

...

 Last night I stayed  over at GK's because there was a juicy estate sale this morning. They had Pyrex! and a KitchenAid mixer! Yay! The trouble is, I failed to grasp the nuances of GK's texts--her plan was to drop me off at the sale at 8:15 because she had physical therapy (hands) at 8L30. The sale didn't actually open til 9, and it was 35 degrees this morning, so fucking brrr! 

It didn't help that this was sprung on me at the last minute yesterday--I forgot several essentials when I packed, like my sleep mask. I don't sleep well in strange beds anyway, and that room *the college boy's) creeps me out with all the anime posters on the walls. Anyway, I woke up at 3 a.m. after three hours sleep and couldn't doze back off. As per usual, GK was in a tearing hurry to get out of there--I didn't get breakfast, either, Ended up at the sale 45 minutes early, and it was one of those places with a lot of steps and not a lot of handrails...peachy. I was, however, the first one in the door, so my promptness was good for something.

Alas, the mixer turned out to be a Hamilton-Beach--GK swears the one in the pic the company posted was KitchenAid, put it doesn't really matter, since the one on the counter definitely was NOT. I was disappointed to see that the Pyrex (Spring Blossom pattern) was only two bowls, with the smaller one promped up on a box inside the big one. It wasn't till 12 hours later--much too late--that it dawned on me that the box may have been the bracket for a chip and dip set, which I would LOVE to have. *headdesk* I was just so disappointed that it wasn't a complete set of mixing bowls (and so brain-fried from lack of sleep) that it didn't occur to me to look more closely. Now I'm kicking myself.

Got a Lyft back to GK's (cheaper than coming all the way home) and crashed hard. Was out of it til she banged on the door saying ten minutes to get my act together...she was running older son to an appointment and dropping me off home on the way. 

You know how, when you're wakened out of a dead sleep, you can barely think? I was operating on instinct--fortunately, I'd gotten as much together as possible before I lay down...got in, stayed awake long enough to watch Dr. Phil, then stretched out on my own comfy bed--much more comfortable than the one's at GK's, any of them!--and napped until my alarm went off at 6:45, which gave me enough time to slap myself awake and settle down in front of the TV with a bowl of soup. Afterward, I got a wild hair and scrubbed up in the kitchen, which needed it badly. I still have a long way to go before Lambie gets here, but at least now there's room on the counter to whip up a batch of cornbread.

I just checked...it's been a few weeks since I updated, my bad. The Halloween party was meh. I went as Bane (in a very homemade mask) and mostly sat on the sidelines because I'm not an extrovert like that. On a scale from 1 to 10, with ten being the most fun, I'd give it a 4,

After months of nothing, this was actually the second weekend in a row that we did estate sales. Last week, we both went. The first sale, by the same company as today, was at a compound--I can't bring myself to call something with a huge house, guest house, courtyard and detached garage simply a house. Got a couple smallish Christmas presents and a bag of lightbulbs--got a bunch of GE bulbs for about what I'd pay for generics, so go me. Also found a doorstop of a cookbook, "The New York Times Heritage Cookbook", which has 700+ pages of recipes sorted by region. I sat out in the courtyard for a while, because the house was too people-y and there was no seating at a comfortable height for me...turned out to be a great spot to watch someone landing a hot air balloon in their back field--gotta love ABQ. Even when it isn't Fiesta, the balloonatics are out and about.

The second sale was just a couple miles up the road, but nothing so posh as the compound. It was a fairly ordinary ranch-style house that had obviously been the victim of a lot of DIY over the years. I loved the kitchen--spacious, attractive pine cabinets, but loathed the floor tiles, which were an obnoxious SW geometric pattern. I have nothing against SW...if it's done tastefully, which this wasn't.

It ended up being a fairly successful sale: one, a very nice Pyrex bowl with an avocado green geometric print. Not a super common pattern, so I was quite pleased. Two, a five-pack of Britta filters. I just replaced mine literally one week before that--I now have enough to last me through next year, at least--for the princely sum of $10! (They're usually about $7 a pop at Walmart.) Excellent score! Three, a little figurine of a woman from the 30's or 40's to go into my kitsch collection and four and five, two nice stretchy 3/4 sleeve tops, one pink with red polka-dots, the other a sweet black and white Op Art print. 

I wore the pink top with a black skirt to my bariatric appointment last Tuesday...my weight hasn't done anything wonderful, although my A1C is down from August. Got to schmooze with my counselor for a bit--she and I are both bookaholics, and I recommended the Mrs. Pollifax books to her, describing it as a "cozy" spy series.

Managed to miss the sign-up deadline for Yuletide again this year...have been browsing the prompts list for treats to write, . I'm rather startled by the number of requests for "Humans are Space Orcs". That's one possibility. There are a few others so far (I'm only about a third of the way through the list). Mostly I'm looking for things I haven't already written, although there's a certain amount of, no, I haven't written it, but then, do I actually WANT to write that? Just because I'm acquainted with the source material doesn't mean I'm motivated to add to the fandom. And there are a lot of requests that are for characters I'm not enthused about, or we clearly don't interpret the characters the same way.


Love to all--!

...

They're forecasting a freeze tonight and tomorrow morning. Time to leave the faucets dripping! Also time to button Swamp Thing up for the winter. I turned him off a week or so ago--we're out of the 80's and into the 70's, with overnight lows in the 50's--but the water needed to be turned off, the tank drained and the cover put on. GK, who's been highly unavailable due to her second job at Balloon Fiesta, said ask the park manager for a recommendation, which I did. She referred me to a plumber. I called the plumber, who wanted $90 an hour.

Amazing how fast GK got over here when I told her that! She turned the water off, and found a guy to do the climbing around on the roof part of it for a whopping $30, w00t. Very nice guy--I'll use him again. There are enough project that need to be done, like replacing the porch light; GK took it apart shortly after I moved in because the old one had to be taken apart to change the bulb, which was NOT what I wanted. However, the idiot who lived here before did all the wiring on the DIY porch, so it's nonstandard. GK shrugged and left it, and it's been that way, with two loose wires sticking out and no porch light for almost three years now. There are a few other projects on the to-do list--if I can get him to take care of them, I'll be a very happy camper, because GK has the best intentions in the world, but her patience is limited and her follow-thru is in very short supply. And it doesn't bother her, because she doesn't have to live with it!

We have plans to go out and see the Glow at Fiesta on Saturday night. That's the evening ritual where they inflate the balloons after dark. They don't actually launch, because duh, it's dark, but the balloons glow with light from the propane burners, and there are fireworks near the park. It's supposed to be quite spectacular, but I've never been, just seen pix. 

Have posted n\my nominations for Yuletide. I was absolutely thrilled that someone else nominated "My Friend Flicka" by Mary O'Hara. Being the horse-crazy kid that I was, I think I was about nine when I first read that. A year or so later, I was given "Thunderhead", the second book, and a few years after that, the final volume in the Goose Bar Ranch trilogy, "Green Grass of Wyoming". Love, so much love! I nominated it as well, and added a few of the secondary characters. I'm super excited about this one!

My second nom...I'll be astonished if I get a fill or even a treat, it's THAT obscure: "The Ark" / "Rowan Farm" by Margot Benary-Isbert. I first encountered that as a high school freshman, dazed by a much bigger library than the one in grade school. The two books tell the story of the Lechows, a family of refugees in Germany shortly after WWII. The primary character is Margaret, who's 15. Her twin brother was killed during the war, her father is a prisoner of war, and the remaining family, Mother, older brother Mattias, younger sister Andrea and baby or the family, Joey work to stay fed and sheltered during the lean times. From what I've read, Benary-Isbert was herself a refugee and writes keenly and kindly about the difficulties of post-war Germany.

My third nom was "Stumptown", because I'm loving it so hard. What's not to love about Cobie Smulders kicking ass on a regular basis, a car with ESP (a mixtape is jammed in there and has a habit of playing just the right song at just the right time) and of course, Donal Logue as her former mentor who shows himself as a total bastard. 

I also requested a few additions to someone else's nom of the Chanur series (CJ Cherryh), because the world needs more Chanur.

So that's what up with me. Love to all.






.

 Went to Red Robin for lunch yesterday to take advantage of my free birthday burger (got the portobello and bleu cheese, which was delish) and schmoozing with GK. 

Last spring, she had planned to go to Georgia to visit friends and family...had her tickets bought and everything, when Mr. GK's medical issues necessitated a change of plans. The airline gave her credit toward another ticket, and she's just realized she needs to use it before the end of the year...except she's working at Balloon Fiesta in October and early voting through November. Her in-laws may be coming to town, too. And of course, there's her  regular job, too.

So she's wracking her brain, trying to figure out where she can go for a quick trip to use up this travel voucher. She doesn't want to spend a lot of money, so no car rental and a minimum or hotel expenses. The trouble is, she's already done A LOT of traveling--she's been to most of the major US cities, tons of national parks, etc. She went to New Orleans for a family reunion, she's been to San Francisco, Lived outside of Boston for years, worked in DC, just got back from Vegas...the list goes on. She doesn't want to invite herself to visit friends or relatives, since she has a leisurely trip planned (but not booked) for next spring. Skiing is out. She shrugged off Christmas shopping in NYC.

If the darn voucher was transferable, I'd volunteer to go exploring--making up for all those boring decades in Florida--but it isn't. It was a bit galling, listening to her sigh about what is she going to DO? I ate my burger and did NOT say what I was thinking, namely, if she's that worried about money, it would probably cost less to let the damn thing expire as it would to go somewhere for a weekend, especially since she's only doing it to use it. Maybe it's just me, but a hotel for a couple nights is a couple hundred dollars right there, plus meals and transportation--since when does it make sense to spend $400 to "save" $300 (or thereabouts--it may have been more, it was around spring break).

I got rid of the four sets of double/full sheets taking up space in the linen closet...that freed up most of a shelf. I ought to go through the whole thing again...I could probably survive with fewer towels/dish towels/wash cloths. I need to make room in there for suitcases--which is going to take some doing--the handle of the big one has malfunction and no longer retracts, I have several overnight bags and a carry-on, too. Ironic, for a woman who travels as seldom as I do. (Although it's gotten better over the last few years. Before I came out here in 2013,, I'd only been out of Florida once in the previous 20 years!)

Autumn is fast approaching. Okay, yes, technically it's begun already--Mabon was last Monday--but it's starting to get to that magical time of year where it's comfortable during the day but perfect for snuggling under blankets at night. In short, my favorite time of year! The leaves aren't changing here--yet--but upstate things are starting to turn color. In another week or three, I'll have to start worrying about raking leaves--the park is ridiculously fastidious about bagging up one's leaves--but at least this year, I'm pretty sure I can manage it myself instead of having to recruit anyone as in years past. If it was up to me, I'd let the darn things crumble to mulch, but it's not. *eyeroll*

If autumn is here, can Christmas be far behind? Pretty sure Walmart has started their holiday section already...this year, though, I'm looking forward to Lambie's visit, so I'll actually have someone to celebrate with! I mean really go for it--decorate the house, do baking, entertaining and enjoying trappings of the season. ('Die Hard', anyone?)

We've been having marathon phone calls, talking about recipes to try, movies to see, places to go. We've already made plans for Christmas Eve, when LL wants to drive around and look at everybody's lights, go to her service at her (metaphysical) church, and come back here for cocoa and cookies. We've been discussing Christmas dinner--a nice ham!--with some of my candied carrots ala Cracker Barrel and a pineapple bread pudding that's her grandmother's recipe. And we're planning to have a small private luncheon with GK between Christmas and New Years (it's the week of her actual birthday). Doesn't that all sound perfect? One nice thing about Lambie is, she's a night owl like me--most of our conversations occur in the wee hours.

All my Amazon goodies have trickled in--quite a lot of Tom Hardy movies, an Anne McCaffrey to replace one that never made it out of Florida, some curtain clips (I'm going to replace the mismatched ones in the kitchen) and my favorite black and white movie, "I Remember Mama" (1948). No, this is NOT the one with chainsaws--it's based on the memoirs of Kathryn Forbes, about growing up in a Norwegian family in turn-of-the-century San Francisco. It's endearing without being sappy, because the characters are so well-written. I oncehad a VHS copy, courtesy of Peter, who loved it as much as I do, but good grief, I'm not going to take up space with a VCR so I can watch that twice a year or so.

New shows--I'm loving "Stumptown" (It's set in Portland, OR). I didn't know anything about it when it came on, but OMG they had me at Cobie Smulders. Dex, her character here, may not be quite as aloof as Maria Hill, but she's every bit as badass. Witness her ingenious solution for escape when she's locked in the trunk of a car--spraying a fire extinguisher into the car through a gap in the seats. The character is a vet with PTSD who has a drinking and gambling problem and she's caring for her special-needs brother. It's satisfying to see a woman in the classic PI mold of world-weary and cynical with occasional glimpes of a heart of gold.

Also well worth watching: "The Unicorn". Because Walton Goggins is never not good, and here, he's not just good, he's funny. He's a windower with two teen daughters who is getting used to the idea of dating again, egged on by two couples who were friends with him and his late wife. His character Wade, is a genial but slightly bewildered Everyman and I'm looking forward to seeing how he makes out in his new life.

And if you haven't been watching "Bless This Mess", it's worth a look. It's the hipster's answer to 'Green Acres', but instead of a lawyer and his socialite wife ending up in Hooterville, it's a failed musician and his New Age therapist wife from New York who end up in Bucksnort, NE when he inherits a farm from his aunt. Their millennial sensibilities don't always mesh with those of their red-state neighbors; it's sweetly fish-out-of-water, helped by a fun cast, including Ed Begley Jr as the eccentric guy who lives in their barn.

Ok, enough of my babble. Love to all!




.

 Yesterday was pretty quiet as birthdays go, but I can't say I'm disappointed. I'm still getting back on track after being gone for eight days, Because I was gone for the first week of the month, and because this park is run by dinosaurs who cling to the outmoded 20th century custom of being paid SOLELY by paper check, I had late fees to contend with--but I paid my rent early this morning, so that's done.

Gk came by with gifts and took me for a quick lunch. (She works split shifts and had to go back.) She got me a carry-on suitcase, since I had to borrow one from her for the trip. Inside it was a piece of pottery from the art show at Bubonicon, a signed Anne McCaffrey ("Dragondrums", signed to Don and Judith) and a lightning cable, which I really needed, as my old one is starting to fray. Apple makes great devices but shitty cords.

We went to Jason's Deli; I'm in their birthday club, so $5 off my order. I virtuously had a salad and got a baked potato to go--their taters are like footballs, good for at least four meals--and a spot of ice cream. Their soft-serve isn't much, but the syrup is Godiva and very nice indeed.

Came home to birthday greetings and a Home Depot GC from Hermit, which was a delightful surprise--I can think of a few things I might invest in, although I'm leaning toward a giant multi-pack of AA batteries--I'm almost out of the ones I got when I first moved in.

One final surprise--a great Hawaii 5O casefic by Brumeier in her Western AU. (https://archiveofourown.org/works/20587121) I love a good western! so I've been following this series quite happily.

Then I spent about an hour on the phone with Lambie--did I mention she's coming out for Christmas this year? We're both very excited about it. Making plans for movie marathons and things we want to do together...shopping and dining and decorating and celebrating...she's an empty nester, so she hasn't really done the holidays over the last few years. I can relate to that. GK may decorate, but she doesn't make an Event out of Christmas dinner (and last year, I didn't even go over there). And New Year's Eve? I couldn't even tell you the last time I had company to welcome in the new year. So we're both really looking forward to it.

Nothing major on the agenda, because the trip really tore a hole in my budget for the month, and GK is in the same boat, because she was paying for three squares a day for those voracious kids, plus gas, tolls, lodging, admissions to various venues and souvenirs.

She also paid for my haircut, which was OMG expensive and I can't believe how fast it's growing out. One of the nice things about it, aside from how liberating it is not to wake up with it in my face, getting in my way when I'm trying to eat or in general being Too Damn Hot is, the sides are so short, the silvering bits aren't so noticeable. It's been at least four months since I last did any color on my hair, so it's mostly dark except for the tips up top, which are blondish. Disclosure: I was white-blonde as a kid. Started going dish-water in my 20s. These days, it's dark ash shot with silver. Not a great look, but a lot better short than having long masses of it raked back from my face!

Nothing else occurs to me at the moment except SLEEP. Love to all!

...

 We departed on Friday afternoon, rather later than we wanted to, because of the kids...we're traveling with GK's son (The Kid), his girlfriend and two friends (Whiny and Whinier). We drove to Kingman, only to find out the Travelodge had lost our reservations...took an hour to straighten that out. By then, it was ten at night...the kids walked to a nearby Denny's, I crashed in the van while GK argued with the motel and the site she'd booked through. We finally got two rooms. I don't know about the kids, but ours was very bare-bones. By then, I was exhausted and slept a full eight hours.
On the way out of town, we slid through Walmart--the kids needed a few things, and I found pool shoes and a cute dress for $3 (clearance, yay!). From there, it was a bit over 300 miles to LA. GK and I listened to my iTunes--I started with "A" when we left on Friday--and so it happened that with exquisite timing, I crossed the California state line with the theme from "For a Few Dollars More" playing spiritedly.

GK rented an Air BnB for two nights. It turned out to be a great location, although the apartment itself was very no-frills--she and I had to share a rock-hard queen-sized bed--and the landlord didn't have enough keys and that part was a pain, because it needed keys not just for the apartment, but for the elevator. The tower of Los Angeles City Hall was visible from the balcony, which was awesome--boomers would recognize it as the Daily Planet building from the old Superman series. That was one of the things on my Architecture Slut's LA Bucket List, so I was immediately thrilled.

Sunday was our one full day in the city, The kids wanted to go explore Little Tokyo. Meanwhile, GK and I went off on our own. Had breakfast at Burger King: Impossible Burger is pretty damn tasty, FYI.

First thing we did was get my hair cut. When I showed them my inspiration pic, the gal immediately exclaimed, "Ronin!" and I knew I was in good hands. GK picked up the tab at a very classy place, a salon that caters to men's cuts called "Hammer and Nails".How classy are they? Services come with a free adult beverage. I had a well watered-down bourbon--first drink I've had in a year or so--and sat back to be sheared like a sheep. I now have stubble on the sides and a little fluff on top. It's light and breezy and it's not straggling in my face and I don't have to DO anything to it. Although it's interesting to look into the mirror and see my dad....

From there, she dropped me at the Petersen Automotive Museum for a couple hours while she visited with an old friend from high school. I had the best time! Three floors of fabulous cars, Everything from Frankenstein's car from the original "Death Race 2000" to cars from Mad Max to street rods to the one that made me have palpitations, the first-ever production Shelby Cobra. (Signed on the dash by Carroll Shelby himself.)

Afterward we drove around for a couple hours--got to see the Ennis-Brown House (Frank Lloyd Wright) which is up in the hills and only accessible by a twisty little barely two-lane road. Saw the Hollywood sign albeit at a distance. Drove  past the Chinese Theater, through Beverly Hills. Had dinner at Trejo's Tacos, which was yummy--I had the blackened salmon bowl, GK had spicy shrimp--and then we cruised Rodeo Drive on our way back to the apartment. Wow. I knew it was high-end, but that was beyond my expectations.

Back at the apartment, the kids were squabbling--a lot of drama about their dinner orders. I won't go into the details, but the bonhomie seems to be wearing a bit thin.

This morning, we got up early and picked up. the apartment and everything to turn the keys back over to the landlady at 11. Then we drove past a few more places on my bucket list. Saw all of City Hall (not just the tower), Union Station and the exterior of the Bradbury Building. Then we visited the La Brea Tar Pits as a group. "La Brea" means "the tar", so the name is basically the Tar Tar Pits. That was pretty cool. Or maybe I ought to say it was interesting, because it's been hot AF--it really IS the humidity!

Lunch was an Italian place called Maria's on Pico. Really really good, except for the cannoli, which was meh. The trouble is, I grew up eating real New York cannolis--finding what I consider a REAL cannoli is a difficult prospect outside the Tri-state area.

Now we're a few miles from The Kid's school, in a hotel on the beach...Thankfully, they're in a different room on the other side of the hotel, because tensions are escalating. The Kid has issues, Girlfriend is sweet but not overly bright and the other two are brats, no two ways about it. If I was GK, I think I would've put Whinier onto a bus home by now; lucky from him I'm not. They're all ungrateful little monsters, but Whinier is the  worst. Anyway, tomorrow GK is taking The Kid to campus and dropping him off to get his room assignment and she'll return with the Brat Pack later. I'm planning to sleep in, eat leftovers and maybe even do some constructive writing.

It's a nice hotel--not a chain--but it has one glaring lack--there's no desk or table. I've had to set my laptop up on the luggage stand, which is not the most ergonomic solution, but it works.

Love to all!



(Sorry about the typos. I neglected to pack my mouse and I fucking hate the touchpad on this thing.)

...

 I ended up just ging to Bubonicon on Saturday...there really wasn't anything happening on Friday that I was frothing to attend.  Dragged myself over there in time for an 11 a.m. panel which was less enthralling than I'd hoped. Got to schmooze with a few people I hadn't seen in a while. Met a delightful bookseller in the vendor's room--I need to cobble together a wish list! and got a small print at the art show.

The hospitality suit was disappointing. In previous years, they've had bags of individual-sized snacks, bowls of fun-sized munchies and the like. All that was conspicuously absent. Maybe it was the time of day (mid-afternoon) but it was a very picked-over tray of cut-up melon, veggies and dip and not much else. Since I didn't attend last year, I can't say if this is a recent change--but it's my understanding that somebody new took over last year after the previous long-standing hospitaler 'retired'. Either way, I wasn't impressed.

The highlight of my day was "Snack Sized Fiction" writing exercises. There were three pro writers and a moderator. The mod would read out a prompt and the writers had five minutes to do something with it. Audience participation was encouraged. 

1. The prompt was, Two AIs meeting and talking

"Oh dear. Diane has forgotten me."

"Does that happen often?"

"Yes, I thank that's one of the reasons you're here. Shes always saying 'I have to remember to get cat food or toilet paper' or some other necessity, but then she forgets."

"She's coming back. I can see her approaching the front door now." She must have missed you."

"What you, Alexa."

"Talk to you later, Siri."

========

2. The prompt was:  She didn't look like a princess, she looked like an evil queen who had turned.

"A princess? Don't be silly. She's no princess."

"But her father is a king."

"So? That's just a technicality. She has two doctorates and if you try to define her by her title, she'll rip you a new one."

"Doctorates in what, tattoos and motorcycle repair?"

"Mathematics and philosophy. Her philosophy is, 'I don't need my dad to get ahead in the world'."

========

3. The surrealist prompt was "My eyes are turning into pigeons."

They're everywhere. It's like a scene out of Hitchcock. The birds are converging onto the plaza around me, dozens. hundreds, maybe thousands or them as far as the eye can see, all clamoring shrilly around my ankles, squabbling among themselves. They're definitely invading my personal space. 

That'll teach me to carelessly spill popcorn on my way home from the movies.

========

Not exactly enduring prose, but a fun diversion nonetheless. This morning, I woke up exhausted and in pain--my feet hate me and I still have a lingering headache. I was going to go in for the traditional steampunk tea, but I was just too damn tired to think about showering, washing my hair, getting dressed, getting a ride and battling the crowds at the hotel. It was just not going to happen!

Sometime in the next couple of days, I need to go get my haircut. Liberation!

Have a good week. Love to all.
...

 Little did I know when I woke up this morning that it was going to be the last time I slept in my bed. Not in a bad way--while we were in Colorado, I gushed to GK about the quality of the bed at our accommodation (the best thing about the place, really) and how, the next time I got a mattress, by golly, I want a queen, not a double. I had a queen in Florida. It's what I'm used to, what I prefer--even after three years on that PoS, I could never adjust to how narrow it was. 

'Was' being the operative word! GK found me a super-duper queen mattress and box-spring on Free Cycle.. I spent a couple hours shifting things to make room for it--I'm definitely going to have to rethink the mini-fridge placement!--banged my knee again (racked it up last week at the movies because I couldn't see where I was going and took a tumble) to make room to get it in. NOT how I planned to spend my Monday morning!

But OMG, y'all--that is SOME mattress. It's ultra thick, with a pillow-topper on both sides so it's flippable. And because it's so very thick, it's also very tall--not quite as tall as my Florida bed, which was mattress and box-springs on a platform--I needed a step-ladder--but tall enough that I sat basically sit on the edge and stand up! As for getting in, it's just the right height. For me, anyway--most gals I know would need a step-,ladder of at least two steps to get up there--it literally comes up to my crotch. The difference between that and my old bed (barely knee-high)--it's like a completely different species. Somebody spent serious cash on this puppy, and it shows. The old one was allegedly bought new, but it was very bargain basement--only one side had padding, so it couldn't be flipped, and the side that DID have padding was about as thick as a Kotex pad. Even with a foam mattress topper, it wasn't overly comfortable. The new one...after GK and I got back from picking up some secondhand sheets from the thrift store, I lay down on it, no pillows, and nodded off for a half-hour. Bliss!

The old bed has gone, along with my spare sheets, to someone GK knows. She's welcome to it; it probably reeks of sexual frustration...I'm waiting to hear if her dog starts humping it....


Is anybody here a Tom Hardy fan? I got sucked in via Venom, but I've been branching out from there. I particularly like him in Guy Ritchie's 'RocknRolla'*. There was supposed to be a sequel, which never happened, so here's mine: RocknRolla Wedding Belle Blues  (https://archiveofourown.org/works/20071246)  Enjoy! (Comment?)


* It doesn't hurt that Mark Strong also has a rather juicy role  in it, Idris Elba is also part of the scenery and if you like Gerard Butler, he's quite prominent...

.

 Because of the kids's schedules, we're not staying in Seligman the first night, we're going to be overnighting in Kingman, AZ (which sounds much less interesting) and from there, we're going to Los Angeles for two days--I know!--THAT'S a major change right there. The kids want to see Little Tokyo (which could be interested, and GK and I will probably see a few sights on on own while they're doing that. (I have a feeling there are going to be penny machines every ten feet or so for the tourists.)

The only downside to LA is that we're in a one-bedroom apartment. GK and I will be sharing a bed and the kids will have the living room. When we get to the college town (three nights there), it's a bigger place, and the kids are only going to be there the first night--then they're going to stay at the dorms with The Kid. 

The accommodations at the college town are quite posh and according to GK, it's only a block from the beach! I have a dress--I've had it for quite a while--and I have a picture of me wearing it while standing on the beach (Atlantic). I plan to get a similar pic of me wearing it into the Pacific. Then, of course, I can peel it off to reveal my swimsuit and go in. I'll have to check when low tide is so I can snag some shells!

So far, Vegas is still unchanged, and GK said we might be able to swing through Seligman on the way home, maybe for lunch or something. The situation is flexible--and I'm trying to be.

...

 I'm delighted to report that last Wednesday, GK and I drove up to Colorado Springs to see the bro, Doc, and the family: (wife, two girls 13 and 16). Had a really lovely time.

Mind you, the motel wasn't all that great, but the location was good. It was next door to a little cafe/bistro-type place, the kind where a grilled cheese sandwich is literally $15--but the food was fabulous. It was pricey, but the best breakfast I ever had: two eggs over easy atop a mountain of leek-and-potato hash above a fresh homemade biscuit and all of it smothered under really excellent sausage gravy. I couldn't begin to finish it--half of it was breakfast on Friday.

It was also just a couple minutes from Doc's place, so he and the wife popped by to pick me up for dinner Thursday evening--GK was at the mall with the kids, and I wasn't up for that. Anyway, dinner was at Village Inn (which if you aren't familiar with it, is similar to but just slightly posher than Denny's). I had a deconstructed Reuben--I left off the bread--and wet fries, and then made the mistake of ordering pie for dessert...too much! Regretted it.

However, Mrs. Doc told us about a local thrift just a few blocks from them, so not over far from the hotel. They were open for about an hour after we finished dinner, so GK and I headed over there and I had some very happy hunting. One small yellow Pyrex casserole dish, a Fire-King loaf pan and the crown jewel, the piece that made me squee: a serving bowl in Corelle 'Lyrics' (It matches the dishes I've had for 30 years. Now, if I could just find the big oval serving platter....). Also a white top in like new condition and a skirt with a fun circle pattern.

Friday, GK and I collected the girls and drove an hour up the road to IKEA. Now, I am not exaggerating AT ALL when I say that if I'd tried that a year ago, I would've dropped-dead in the first hundred yards. It's true. If you've never been to an IKEA, well, it's like the Disney World of DIY
furniture. There are no short-cuts--you're steered through the various departments, back and forth and around and around, two ginormous football-field-sized floors of it. I got separated from GK and the girls fairly early on, and wasn't sure if they were behind or ahead of me. I pressed on, unnerved by the thought of GK having already checked out and standing there tapping her foot. I was about 80% of the way through when she finally responded to my texts. She and the girls were still upstairs, having a nosh at the cafe, in fact. Big load off my mind!

IKEA was quite successful, both in terms of shopping and in terms of discovering I'm in better shape than I thought I was. Yes, I was wiped out afterward, but I got through there under my own steam, go me! I acquired some towels, which were on my list. I already had one in that style and color, now I have two, and two washcloths and I'm planning to paint my bathroom the same shade of deep blue to match them. They didn't have the picture frame I wanted, alas, nor does it appear on line, oh well. Got a few kitchen gadgets--honestly, you can't go wrong with silicon molds for $2 a pop--and the real triumph: the Kvittera.

I've been wanting a tea stand since GK and I went to the posh tearoom a while back. Silly of me; I've never had anyone over for tea in my life--but it just seemed so respectable. I had a half-dozen pinned on my Amazon wish list...had, because I've  deleted them now that I have this one. IKEA refers to it as a serving stand, fine, whatever. It's three tiers of stream-lined Swedish goodness just waiting for me to rustle up some cucumber sandwiches and biscuits. I am complete.

I should mention that GK's new van is iPhone compatible, so I made up an oldies playlist for the drive up...a little boring. Like I said, all oldies. However, with the girls along, I knew that wasn't going to cut it, so I gleefully switched to my Post-Modern playlist--everything is post Y2K (although some of it is slightly older...I'm going by when I first heard it.) The girls, loved it! They were singing along to quite a bit of it, and 13 hollered "Turn it up!" when 'Supermassive Black Hole' came on. Hot damn, I'm not a total old lady yet!

Got to have lunch at Steak'n'Shake, which they don't have in NM. Chili-Mac 5-Way and a dark chocolate shake. Damn, that was good.

Then GK took the girls to an arcade, dropping me off at the motel. I crashed for an hour...oh, god, I was SO sore. It was all I could do to pull myself together for dinner. I'm glad I did, though. We went to a BBQ joint a scant block away from the motel--and the funny thing is, there's a branch of it here, less than a mile away, but I'd never been there. I will now, let me tell you! I had brisket, and it was oh-so-succulent. I saved half of it and had it for breakfast, and it was just as good cold.

Saturday morning, we met up with the Docs to play mini-golf as soon as we were packed and checked out. I conked out midway through the round--I was doing pretty good, except the course was on uneven ground; it had a lot of steps and no shade...I went and sat in the shade til they were done, and we all schmoozed a bit before leaving. GK has mentioned the possibility of either going up there for Christmas, or arranging for them to come to ABQ. Either way is good!

While I was on Facebook at the motel, I saw a blurb that Social Distortion and Flogging Molly are touring together. They're both bucket list bands of mine...unfortunately, the two nearest shows are Denver or Mesa (Phoenix, basically) and the tix start at $50--plus travel. As I said to GK, for what it would cost me, I could buy a $200 iTunes gift card and download everything they've ever done.

So as we were leaving town, she asks me what Social Distortion I have, because she's never heard of them. Well, I used to have a couple albums of theirs back in Florida, but at the moment, all I have is 'Machine Gun Blues', which I played. And then, I just let it keep playing through my Songs list in alphabetical order. With musical tastes as eclectic as mine, this could get surreal very quickly, and did. Social Distortion was followed by a Noel Coward ditty ('Mad Dogs and Englishmen'), Maggie May (yes, Rod Stewart),' The Magic Flute', 'Mambo, Mambo' and so on. We made it almost all the way  through to the 'R's--we were on 'The Planets: Opus 32' when we pulled in to my driveway. GK also seemed to enjoy it more than the tame 'Road Trip' playlist. Worth noting for future expeditions!

Sunday I slept a good chunk of the day, just catching up. Today (Monday) I've taken it slowly and got more writing done than I have in the last month, I kid you not. Not for prompts, either--just a couple crazy ideas I had. One's done, a simple four-page crossover. The other...the opening scene wrote itself, and now I'm filling in the rest of the plot, which is making me snicker. I don't know if there's much of an audience for it--it's a fairly obscure fandom, though not completely dead. Still, I'm having fun with it.

This afternoon (Tuesday), I have a follow-up appointment for Bariatrics...had some blood-work done a couple weeks ago; time to find out whether anything is out of whack. I'm thinking I'll wear my new skirt.

Anyway, that's what's been going on with me. Love to all!

...

 One of the things I looked forward to when I moved to NM was getting out and having adventures...of course, that was before I was told I couldn't possibly afford to keep a car on my income. So mostly, it's been me sitting in the Sardine Can while GK jets off to CA...NY...NZ, etc. Or goes road-tripping with various visiting relatives. The last time I overnighted out of town was one night when Lambie was here (2 years in October) and we went up to visit Doc in Colorado Springs.

Now that she's finally got a better vehicle, GK is more amenable about travel. I haven't said anything, because I've had more than one outing jinxed, but last night I got a copy of her confirmation e-mail for the hotel--we're going back to Colorado Springs for three nights, and I'm excited. Oh boy, oh boy--three nights in a queen-sized bed! In a hotel with "a mountain view"! And an indoor pool! And a continental breakfast and free wifi! Plus, of course, we get to see Doc and family, IKEA, and whatever else she wants to investigate. I'm just happy at the prospect of getting out and doing things and seeing some new places. 

There are also shenanigans planned for September, but that's too far away to count on. God only knows what kind of crisis GK is liable to have between now and then--so I'm simply going to enjoy the  hell out of CO. I have a week and a half to get the costumes stashed in my suitcase out of there, decide on outfits to cover a cooler climate than ABQ and see if my swimsuit fits worth a damn.

Glorious!


...

 I had GK for about an hour and a half this morning, before she had to run off to the set-up for CSTS (Can't Stop the Serenity) tomorrow. That doesn't sound like a lot of time, but GK, who'd already been chivying one of the CSTS organizers that morning, was warmed up and in rare form.

With the good linens packed away into my new linen closet and the dross removed, there were actually a few square feet of space, which led me to want more of it. Specifically, I wanted to get rid of the upright wardrobe that was occupying one side of the living room, so I could move the extra chair into that space, because GK occasionally drops by to hang out and chat, and it would be nice to carry on a conversation face to face rather than at an odd angle because the second chair was at 4:00 from my usual chair.

So we did that. I parted ways with a half-dozen sweaters and jackets, put the keepers into an under-bed box, and moved the chair. Yay! Although I wrenched my back getting the under-bed box out from under the bed...it's okay at the moment, but it gave me grief all afternoon.

Which brought us to the region of the breakfast bar. The space underneath it was wall-to-wall stuff, ditto the surface of it. We went through it all, and GK removed the breakfast bar permanently. The TV set that was living there since January is now set up in my room, although getting it programmed is another story.

And because we only had an hour and a half, we got that done, and then had to leave, so the house in general looks like a bomb has gone off. There are boxes strewn around the living room and random items everywhere. (Cloche hat and display shelf on the washer, anyone?) My kitchen counter, which started the day perfectly clean, has been inhabited by things to be sorted and put away. There's a big wicker laundry basket of clothes on the ottoman--which doesn't include the under-bed stuff!--assorted cartons surrounding my chair--it's chaos, but at least it's quasi-organized chaos.

At least things are moving, I tell myself. I had a nice nap, my back feels better, I don't have to do it all at once...but I want my kitchen back. I want all the furniture back where it's supposed to be. And at some point, I want the damn TV functioning so I can turn it on while I'm wrangling my bedroom, which is probably going to take AT LEAST a whole day all by itself. (On the bright side, I found several Very Useful Items while tossing the living room--that's where my black denim skirt went!--and there's hypothetically enough room to set up my sewing machine now.) It's just stressful, partly from the chaos, partly because that sort of activity with GK is always stressful. She's on ADHD meds and does things quickly and decisively, whereas my pace tends to be about one-fifth her speed and I tend to over-think things and want to articulate the process behind my decisions. She starts firing off four questions in a row about something I haven't even begun to think about and my brain goes into vapor-lock. Happens every damn time.

I may or may not go to CSTS tomorrow evening. It depends on how much I get done, how I feel physically after I've done it, how much sleep I get and whether I can figure out what I'm going to wear. At the moment, I have absolutely no idea. I have plenty of potential ensembles--no one can accuse me of being deficient in that department--the question is, what's clean and appropriate and can I find it amid all the welter? 

Meanwhile, I'm starving. I can't do anything about that until I deal with the kitchen counter. Oh, joy...!

Love to all.

...

 I think I need the services of a good DM...what I could really use is a linen closet of holding. Seriously, I've spent most of this week (or so it seems) working my way through bins and bushels of stuff. So far, I've discarded a stack of miscellaneous sheets, towels, etc. that's literally three feet high. And I'm still having issues trying to sort things into the new space--and bemoaning the fact that no one, including eBay, seems to sell fitted flannel sheets separately. (Three different sets, ZERO fitted sheets. Zero complete sets of any sheets, for that matter.)

With Amazon Prime days coming up, I'm planning to snag something to further efficiently utilize my closet--I wish listed it a while ago: an over-the-door rack that will hold one's iron, ironing board and accessories (can of spray starch, mister, etc. That way, it'll all be in one handy place and I can iron things properly rather than rely on the "throw it in with the wet laundry and tumble it" trick. Although I don't have as many cotton clothes as I used to, I've still got a bunch of linens.

I've been doing laundry. Not just wearables--heavy-duty shit like my puffy comforter, my duvet cover, a quilt...and tumbled a few things that were clean but wrinkled. I now have "new" pillows inserted into "new" shams on my bed, which is really nice. I've got a fresh tablecloth on the kitchen table. and miracle of miracles, the closet shelf is now holding things that were taking up space on top of my dresser, so now, if I can just shift the dresser enough to get a plug strip back there, I can get the TV set up, hooray. I'm really looking forward to being able to plug in a DVD while I'm in there purging the closet again. (I swear, I wear 20% of my wardrobe 80% of the time, and why the fuck is so much of it BLACK? I've got to dial that back, it's depressing!) Although it still needs a fair amount of work. I'm happily anticipating getting my room DONE. If I can ever get the gorram curtain up over the closet....

Since GK bailed on me, I took the rest of my funds for the month and went to the store yesterday. Earlier than I wanted to, because the senior van was being recalcitrant, but it paid off--I got a bunch of ground beef patties on half-price markdown, so yay, quality protein! and I picked up some eggs--in April, I was presented with three dozen that where marked down to 10 cents per carton. I just used up the last of them yesterday, and boy am I glad to get fresh eggs. These were six weeks past their sell by date, and I was having a devil of a time getting them over-easy without breaking. I ended up taking a Lyft home, because I was done well over an hour before my scheduled pick-up time for the bus. Yeah, it cost about $3 more, but I haven't used it much this month, so what the hell. Went home, put away my burgers and other perishables and called the bus company to cancel the pick-up. Worth the extra cash not to have to wait--for anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half--there's a 30 minute pick-up window--and they might or might not take me straight home--I didn't got there directly from home, either--so it could've been an additional two hours of my groceries slowly attaining room temperature (and like I said, it was in the 90's yesterday). I've got enough to last me through Tuesday, at least, so it was worthwhile.

Although as far as karma goes, I'm apparently being repaid for every Political Animals (or similarly obscure) fic I've ever written for an "any/any" prompt. It's been Lonely Prompts week (which I detest) and I've gotten a number of gift fills for fandoms about which I know sweet fuck all...a few pf them bear absolutely no relation to the prompt that I can see. I've also gotten some that are more in line with my enthusiasms. But I take a deep breath and say 'thank you for the fill', if nothing else,,because it's the polite thing to do. Do unto other, right?

Love to all.

.