I’ve been reading up on art crime and arguing about discussing the new books with Bob, who keeps bringing up Little Melvin. But I’m pretty sure we’re calling it the Joan of Art series now, at least until/if we come up with another name. The early days of a book are pretty random, full of maybes for me and definitelies for Bob. I just want it to be Spring. I’m sure by April, everything will be better. (Not sure at all.)
So what did you work on this week?
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My favourite colleague and fabulous head of department is leaving our small business school, which is a bummer as she’s simply a great human being AND the most analytical smart woman I know.
We’ve been too busy for too long a time to prepare well for her departure, so I’m behind in putting together a farewell album (with photos and texts) with contributions by our colleages for her. Sadly, I’ll only be able to present a “dummy” at tomorrow’s good bye party, as the printed version will not be ready by then. But I’m happy that I got more contributions than expected to put into the book/album, and that our boss found the time to put one together and a very nice one, too.
She’s been the driving force and mastermind behind the AACSB accreditation we received only last week – we’re the smallest school by far who achieved this in our country, so it’s really sad to see her go.
dodo, I’m sorry that great woman is leaving!
I wasn’t able to sleep Monday night (too many worries about things out of my control). On Tuesday, I remember that I had saved a bunch (more than 30) of emails as “new” so that I could save the contents on my hard drive in a way that would be easy to find later. That seemed a good task when I was too tired for more intellectually challenging work. So I saved all those emails with useful titles and now my inbox is much happier with me.
Yes, sometimes we need less challenging tasks to do and finish, so that we get the energy to tackle the more important ones. I fully understand, Llewella!
Ones upon a time, or possibly twos, I was… not buff, never buff. But I could lift 80 pound sacks and stack them. Rock salt for regenerating softeners, to be more precise.
So last night my new Hamilcar Butch Micronuclearoven arrived, a day early. After one attempt to lift, I slid the thing from the porch, through the sun room, the living room, the dining room and into the kitchen, leaving it staged in the open basement door.
In the basement, I emptied the top shelf of a, heh, microwave cart and prepositioned it at the foot of the stairs.
Next step, climb the stairs and tilt the box so it slides down the steps behind me until I am low enough to lift it onto the cart. Now I could roll everything into the Owner’s Suite. On the baker’s racks, I rearranged things to make room, especially unplugging the little unit and bottom-shelving it. The Keurig moved west one rack to the old oven’s former place along with the tea and sweetener rack and my scales.
Getting the HBM out of its box was a delicate operation because of the rollers and the glass turntable and involved (of course) a boxcutter and staple pullers. I also needed to pull the baker’s rack an additional 1.5″ from the wall.
Pic, because it happened
Amazing work, Gary! And you didn’t hurt your backi?!
With the precautions and preplanning I engaged in, there was never a chance for back injury. The unit is actually fairly light-weight. The enormous box was too awkward for me to juggle about. That sucker is huge, 1.6 cubic feet internal space, where the old unit was 0.7 cubic feet.
I figure if eldest grandson ever moves out, he’ll inherit it.
Periodically, the county temporarily puts a large bin in a parking lot in my condo development where residents can deposit items that aren’t allowed in the regular trash. Some years ago, I wanted to deposit in there a decades-old, large CRT television that had given up the ghost. It had been no easy matter to get that TV up the stairs when I was young (well, 40-ish) and strong. Like Gary’s microwave, it was more awkwardly large than heavy, although not light. Getting it into the bin involved putting a rope around it to carry it more easily, sliding it down the inside and outside stairs, then lifting it into the back of my car for a short drive over to the bin, which, fortunately, was open at ground level on the end.
Good job, Gary. It’s amazing what we can do, if we really need to! That’s a heavy microwave
More awkward than heavy, but thanks. I smile in your general direction.
Couldn’t you have asked the dotter to help you? Still, very impressed that you managed it.
Could have. It was after 6 AM and school was out so the only other person awake was Grandson #2, playing games or watching Netflix or whatever. I’d have drafted him, but he disappeared between me crossing the living room and sliding the box back the other way. (I had to smile. He’s no fool and he’s been drafted before.)
When the seven pounds of chocolate arrived around 1 PM, eldest grandson offered to help, but I declined. Smaller, denser packaging.
Nice labels, too.
Except that I labeled the HBM as a 110w instead of 1100w.
Congratulations to you and the new microwave. I admire how you use hooks.
I used to be able to lift seventy pound dogs into tubs above waist height, before arthritis set in. So I celebrate my recent triumph in getting my exercise bike up the basement steps (I put it in the basement when I moved six years ago because there was room) to crowd into the office where I’ll actually use it. I decided to do this during the months of physical therapy for IT band syndrome, which always started with a few minutes on their bike. “This feels nice,” I said, and by the time I was discharged six months later (!) thought I could probably get it up the stairs without trouble by pulling it up after me. I lifted it with both hands on the level, and it doesn’t feel like it weighs more the forty or fifty pounds, and I pushed it to the steps. Getting it on them, however, left me trapped between the bike and the bannister, and a little farther up, the wall, with no way to climb around it to the front. So I had to lift it from step to step from the side. This was not easy. But here I am typing this, so we made it. (This was several Wednesdays ago, but the memory still feels like work!)
Outstanding job! My job was much easier.
I had to look at the pic to see what it revealed about my hook usage. This is where I admit that every unit I purchased came with five hooks, but I’ve bought bags of hooks to augment that supply. I use a lot of hooks. 🙂
Good job!
One of my earliest memories was me taking my tricycle down from the third floor to outside. I just had learned to climb stairs from one foot, one foot to using both feet and obviously feeling like Wonder Woman started my adventure. After a few stairs I fell along with the trike and was rescued by the neighbors and my mother. No hospital visit was required just a few bruises. Oh, and we moved soon after to a new apartment same third floor setting but the trike did not travel with us.
Glad your mishap was minor, relatively.
Thanks!
My own microwave died recently. Replacing it is not at the top of my priority list, but Real Soon Now. I am rediscovering the art of the double boiler (useful for reheating, absent a microwave) and am appreciating the Warm burner setting on my range, the one below Low that I generally ignore.
The MW that just died I had deliberately chosen because it was medium-sized, a little smaller than the 1100-watt model it was replacing. It doesn’t have much lower wattage, however, and I didn’t noticeably have to adjust cooking times. I think I can still lift it easily to dispose of it and install a similar replacement, but we’ll see once some higher priority chores are finished.
Dragging things on carpets is my go to.
It’s down to the home stretch for me, as far as getting ready for the quilt show goes. I completed the quilting on the big purple quilt on Sunday, and this morning stitched the binding to the top. I’ll hand stitch the binding to the other side – and then wash the quilt to get rid of all the little bits of thread and batting and cat hair that might be on it.
For the show, each quilt needs to be completed, with a hanging sleeve sewn on, a maker’s label and an entry number label attached. Of my six entries, I technically have 5 complete with hanging sleeves, one with a maker label and zero with the entry labels. Luckily all of these are not particularly gruesome tasks, so I should be able to make the end of February deadline!
I got a little philosophical with my picture this morning. It’s the same corner of the quilt, looking at the front and at the back. I had deliberately chosen a dark purple thread for the front because I didn’t want to detract from the pieced design. You really can only see that it is quilted, rather than not. The back of the quilt however shows the lilac bobbin thread and all of the intricate quilting stitches.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DGQVY2gRf7a/?img_index=1
Now I’ve got to get to work. We’re at home today, so we can enjoy the forecasted snow (I hope not sleet) storm that should roll in shortly. As I told a co-worker yesterday, I’m glad we’re at home as I’ve done the “oh, it’s snowing, let’s all drive home right now” drive that added about 4 hours to my 15 minute commute, and I don’t want to do that again!
Here’s a better link
https://www.instagram.com/p/DGQVY2gRf7a/
Beautiful! And a great reminder to look below the surface.
That’s beautiful. Both links worked for me.
So lovely! you do such pretty work.
Monday was a holiday (Family Day), so yesterday felt like Monday at work. And because Feb is a short month, my month end stuff is LOOMING with a Glare.
We played a few games of Cameleon on the weekend. Super fun game, and the tween/teen kids actually asked the parents to play (spend time with them) so that was a big win!
I woke up at 330 and got out of bed at 530. But I did call the treasury department about a savings bond my mother theoretically gave me but did not transfer to me. (She died in 2019). This time the person seemed helpful and maybe I will be able to cross off my to-do list in 2025.
I’m sad that the Republican supermajority in Kansas overrode the Governor’s second veto of a vicious and cruel anti-trans bill, specifically written to take place quickly. There is a very small percentage of trans people, (2%?), yet they are the focus of Republicans’ ire, energy, and legislating. Why? There are much more important things to legislate. Stay out of people’s private lives and health care!
We got lots of snow, and tomorrow the temperature will be -8ÂşF. By Sunday, the highs will begin to be in the 50s for a week! Come on Sunday!
As I have a trans family member, I feel very sad for laws against her. Yes they chose 1-2% of the population to bully and make a rallying cry to the intolerant and hateful people.
Because there are only 1-2% they thought they could get away with it. The things we do to feel powerful just make me die a little inside.
I’ve actually been writing, which feels great. Finally sending in the nonfiction manuscript later this morning, so I can focus on the novella. It’s still a bit hit-or-miss, some days I don’t get anything or much done, but some days I actually manage to produce more than a page. I’m pretty happy to be able to do it at all, since I really wasn’t sure I still could.
Other than that, I’m catching up with all the adulting and cleaning stuff and counting down the days until spring. Or as I like to call it here in upstate NY, “Theoretical calendar spring.”
I sorted my seeds out & bought a few more plus some compost; need to start sowing. Also researched how to try and save the apple tree that has canker, shopped for the treatment, which took a bit of hunting down, and did the necessary surgery. Got on slowly with my big workroom sort-out, mostly research & emails on the computer this week. I’ve just started on my physical files, which I plan to fillet drastically.
I have the pots ready to start lettuce next week. The pots with lettuce seedlings will hang from hooks under the carport, which protects the lettuce plants both from frost and from varmints.
Other seeds (turnips, spinach) that need to be planted outdoors in March are going to be a problem. I can’t clean the last weeds out of the garden and mulch it again while the ground is frozen, and it won’t get above freezing until next week. I am so far behind with garden work because the IT band syndrome completely undercut my ability to do things last year. You can’t garden without bending over!
I daresay they’ll catch up – it’s usually better to be late than premature.
I am working on not doom scrolling and I failed miserably last night BUT I still managed to get some words in on time travel book 2.
Also prepping for youngest’s Kaiju/Pacific Rim themed birthday. Need to do decorations. She is a preschooler, she is obsessed with all the Kaiju and it cracks me up.
I keep trying not to doom scroll and keep failing too. Good for you on managing some words.
At this point, I think I’m invested in doom scrolling, sad to say.
It is very hard to stop!
I once watched Pscific Rim on the outside deck of a cruise ship. It had moments of being surreal. I kept looking at the ocean while thinking “hmmmm maybe?”
Yeah that is not the place I’d want to watch it, lol
Working with a client who is so determined to gaslight me – he always finds a way to demonstrate that everything is My Fault – that I’ve been having a teeny anxiety attack. Has been a long time since I’ve had one of those. Gritting my teeth and getting through it. My business partner and I have agreed we’re going to finish this project in March and decline to do any further business with them.
srsly, fire that client. grrr.
My business partner is setting up a call today with the person who referred us in to the company and the person who pays the bills – not the gaslighting boy – and we’re going to tell them our decision there. I expect a firework or two.
Good!! There are too many bullies getting away with it, now.
Ugh. That sucks. I am sorry.
There is always the option of fighting fire with fire and gaslighting him back. I do this sometimes with passive aggressive people who will remain nameless. Best of luck with slaying your dragons.
Our strategy is going to be worse than gaslighting – we’re going to throw him under the bus on the call by telling the truth. Call is in 15 minutes – wish us luck!
Let us know how it turns out!
So they took it well. Didn’t say anything negative about their colleague but didn’t say anything supportive about him either. Asked some good questions: I think they will support us now quietly until we are finished the part we have agreed to work on. Then we are outie.
Good luck!
Good luck! A self-employed friend of mind had a similarly impossible client, but was caught between wanting to bail and his record of never failing to complete a project. At least in the near term, he didn’t have much leverage. I think he ended up finishing it it some fashion, getting paid less than he was owed, and having his lawyer write a letter that the client (a much bigger dog than my friend was) ignored. Suing was impractical (for reasons unexplained to me, probably expense versus expected return).
He of course resolved never to deal with that firm again, and let that be known. Sometimes full justice is not practical for small players.
Totally true.
Hugs to cure the anxiety. Gaslighters are devils, get rid of them asap.
Put some extra pocket-hugs in all your pockets!
I wrote two chapters of Novella 2025.3.
Also submitted Novella 2025.2 and got an informal acceptance, should be contracted this week.
Also had an uncomfortable conversation with mi esposo about how, on the rare occasions I ask him to do something for me, it means I actually need him to do whatever it is.
Also pulled up a few weeds, took the cat for a few walks, and wrote a launch post for Novella 2025.1. 🙂
Oh those uncomfortable conversations really are…uncomfortable. Good for you. How did he respond?
He was pretty chill, but it remains to be seen whether he will start doing any of the shit on the list.
Ooh. Good for you. I have one of those looming in my future and I am dreading it. Not the doing things talk. Mine is good at that, but the ‘future plans’ talk. ugh.
Oh wow, kudos to you for not backing down from scary uncomfortable conversation. Communication really is key, BUT that doesn’t say it’s always easy.
The other stuff must’ve been a breeze in comparison. Well done, you’re a superhero!
I planted some ranuncula and grape hyacinth yesterday in pots that were in need of color. Very pretty! I also whacked back the hibiscus plant under our living room window. It was still blooming, but had gotten leggy and has white flies, and this is about as cold as it’s going to get, so it got cut. Hopefully it will come back better—it’s a very nice plant. I used my new loppers, which work like a dream.
Picked up a charging mat thingy for my mom’s phone yesterday, to help get her through until she can take the phone to Apple. Kid 2 drove me to pick it up and drop it off, with a stop at the library. He’s come a long way with his driving in a short while! I still get anxious.
I joined a writing accountability group recently and have to set weekly writing goals now. I’m starting out easy—1200 words this week. But I did zero words yesterday with all the running around, and zero Monday because it was a holiday and we went hiking, so I should write a bunch today…
I like starting off with lower word count goals and working my way up. Too high a goal sets me up for failure.
I’m not sure what you’re writing (fiction versus non, etc.), but 1200 words a week sounds moderately ambitious to me. That could be half a short story.
Working on my story and closing in on 20k so not quite halfway there but it will need lots of major editing. Like Eli, I keep doom scrolling or taking a nap to get away from it all. It snowed overnight so I didn’t make it to the Y for water aerobics but went walking with my neighbor and took lots of pictures. It looked like a winter wonderland because the snow stuck to the trees. Except for heavy, we walk every day for 30-45 minutes. Getting to see a gorgeous sunrise (we walk early) or deer feels like a reward for our efforts.
I am trying to figure out what to say to a former friend from high school who just lost his little brother. I didn’t know his brother and do not live in town, but he did make sure my name and email was on the list of classmates who have moved out of town. I’ve decided that I am not going into town for the visitation, but I think I should probably send a note. I sent a request for an address or email address to the woman who forwarded the announcement to me, but now I have to come up with something to say if Bethany has an address for me to use. After a gap of 40(?) years or more it is hard to know where to start.
Aunt Snack, after that many year, just thinking of him, and writing something, is very kind and thoughtful.
I was a complete zombie after my friend died, so I figure that if he added my name to the class list, he probably wants to hear something from everyone he can think of. We’ll see if he sends an address. If he doesn’t, I won’t have to worry about whether I said the right thing.
Well, I did get a direct email from the high school classmate, but I don’t know how much comfort he will get from what I wrote. I decided not to go into Milwaukee for the visitation because I don’t think I ever met the deceased brother so a lot of what I talked about referred to when my best friend died 32 years ago. And I don’t know any of the rest of the family. So unless I change my mind in the coming week, I think I’ll pass up the chance to see a classmate who probably grew up to be a Trumper.I’m not sure my health is up to that.
I spent the better part of the past several days shoveling snow. It just wouldn’t stop snowing! According to the local meteorologist, we have surpassed the average seasonal snow fall by 2 inches and winter here isn’t over for several more weeks. In case you are wondering, officially, we have received 97+ inches so far.
I also got my taxes done and was able to pick up them up this morning. It felt good to get out of the house and the driveway, and see other people in person.
97 inches? Eeeeep!
Indeed. Since I live across the road from a creek my first thought was “What happens when it melts?”
Mary Anne, it depends on how quickly it melts. I live in a flood prone zone so we watch the creek (a block or so away) very carefully. In face, there are a couple of cameras trained on the creek in vulnerable areas that anyone can watch at any time. It has been very handy to have it available.
Cameras, excellent idea! My creek never gets over the road here, but at the other end of the road is a bridge that floods with enthusiasm nearly every time it rains more than an inch.
That’s a lot of snow.
Congratulations on all the achievements–from quilts to microwave and bike moves to writing to gardening and just breathing in these challenging times. Condolences on the idiot client and the departure of the good boss. Good ones are so rare, unfortunately.
Editor is finally happy with the latest novella, “Burning Down the House,” the first installment in my new Sorcerer vs. Sorcerer series. Publisher will release it on March 11. I still don’t have a cover, so serious pimping will have to wait. Today I start revisions on No. 2.
And avoiding doomscrolling. That’s a constant these days. Thank heavens for the Ovation Channel!
Tech week for Hamlet. I regret to inform y’all that this is not a good show. Some people still cannot remember a lot of their lines (5 weeks of rehearsal is not enough), the director is driving a lot of people crazy, the director lost his stage manager and is kinda flying by the seat of his pants trying to get everything done, and some of the choices in the show are just…kinda weird, not gonna lie. Like “busting out in pop songs outta nowhere” stuff. It’s to the point where people are telling their friends NOT to go. Oh well, everyone’s gonna have to have a boner show sometime and it leads to you having stories to tell, I suppose. It’s only 1.5 weeks more and I got to do a good part, even if the rest of the show is so-so at best.
I’m still trying to get all my lines down myself–I have most of them down but a few of them are still giving me issues, sigh. I’m embarrassed for myself, but I’m trying. Drilling multiple times a day.
Otherwise, I had an ironing board land on my foot, so walking is A Challenge this week.
Jennifer, I’m so sorry that the first time you have a good speaking part, the show is falling to pieces. You have a good attitude about it, considering… Break a leg!! And may your foot heal fast.
…lost the stage manager…
Oh. Dear.
I’m still proud of you. My sister was in a production of Titus Andronicus that was the most depressing thing I’ve ever seen. But despite the really sickening choices that director made, my sister did her best and lived to tell the tale. May ice packs bring you LOTS of relief!!!!!!!! And you, too, will, live to laugh at this in retrospect.
Jennifer, I hope the show goes off better than you are expecting and that your foot heals quickly!
I finished two quilt tops and have started binding a third. It makes me feel better about the fabric at bought at my liquidating Joanne’s.
I also weeded the flower beds in preparation for spring. I didn’t get the potatoes in, so I may skip them this year. Here potatoes are supposed to be planted by Valentine’s day. The second best time is next Valentine’s day.
Phred, I love that “next Valentine’s Day”. LOL!
That seems incredibly early. I’m happy to get mine in by mid April, and wouldn’t start before mid March. Surely if you plant them late, you’ll just get a smaller crop? Unless you have a really serious problem with blight? (It’s got worse here, but it’s not quite inevitable every year.)
I think it has something to do with our hot wet summers. I have had potatoes rot in the ground before getting of a useful size, but I don’t know the actual reason. The farmer who taught me was very successful. He produced more porduce out of an acre than any person I have ever met.
I am working on not spending a massive amount of money on hard copies of books that I am afraid are going to get banned. I feel that I may lose this battle, but there are so many that need to survive… I need more bookshelves.
Lupe, I have books on Paganism, Wicca, Goddess, and Magic to sell at the used book store. I wonder if they will take them? I hadn’t thought about that possibility. It’s going to be a long 3 years, and 30 days till a reprieve.
I don’t know. I found a copy of For Real by Alexis Hall and hesitated before putting it in my little consignment booth. I worry that it will disappear or draw complaints. Ultimately I did it anyway because I will not be preemptively compliant, but as you say, it’s going to be a long haul.
I expect to see an uptick in my hoarder tendencies as scarcity mode becomes the norm.
On the other hand, if we can’t take them out from the library, the need for inexpensive copies we can buy will skyrocket.
And apparently the price of printed books is expected to increase because most of the copies that do the printing are in China. Argh.
I will be hitting the used book sales very hard this year.
Now that I think back on the past week, I did get quite a lot of stuff done, despite having to throw in recovery-days.
Thursday I made no-bake chocolate balls (oats, butter, sugar, cacao, splash of water or coffee, knead together with hands, roll into balls and roll through coconut shavings or sprinkles or sesame seeds or melted chocolate or you name it), which is an incredibly popular sweet treat to bake for kids in Sweden, since it requires no oven or stove. I also made a variety with sweetened condenced milk, which turned out pretty well albeit incredibly sweet despite me not using as much sugar as recipe said. Toffee-balls! Put most of them in freezer in attempt to not eat them all. It’s going… so-so.
Friday I was broken by sweet-treat-making and had to recover, but Saturday I discovered the joys of murder-tasking(!) and got a lot of tidying up done and cardboard boxes thrown in our new paper&cardboard bin. Did a thorough cleaning of kitchen too. Also put the gift together for my new niece and MIL took it to the post office, and they’ll receive it tomorrow already it seems. Yay!
Sunday was mostly a recovery day, although I did finally knit a little after a month or so of not. Managed to finish the Ravelry Jan/Feb loom-along hat/slouch in one go! No idea if it looks good, but it was kind of relaxing to knit. Monday I made home-made burgers with proper buns and fancy burger cheese and stuff, they were very good.
Yesterday was a bad day – woke up so dissociated from self I wasn’t sure I was awake until late afternoon. Panic-attack happened too. Bleh. Did go through with guitar lesson anyway, which I think was good and helped ground me again.
Today I finally tidied up the cupboard under the stairs, also did laundry, called GP, called the vet and placed grocery order for tomorrow. Had to sit down for a while after laundry-hanging because shaky/weak legs and hands and tired, so I’ll try to take activity down a notch and try to not do too many things in one day. All in all a productive week, though.
Yes, vet comes tomorrow, want them to check Triple. She’s been coughing lately (although not every day), and today I got the feeling that she’s got a lot of loose skin, which she shouldn’t have not even being 3 years old and even remotely close to overweight. Worried she’s dehydrated, even though I hear her drink. Wondering if the coughing is coughing or her trying to hawk up a hairball that just won’t come out? Regardless, someone should have a look. What with how it went with my sib’s Wheatley, I am not taking any chances. This is a vet that does home calls, which will save everyone involved a lot of stress. Please keep fingers crossed for our little demon. <3
Good wishes to Triple. I’m trying and failing to think how to explain how to feel a skin pinch to test for dehydration. (You can’t see one on a truly long-haired cat so sighted people have to do it by feel on them.) How to feel it without keeping it from un-pinching is beyond my ability to describe. If the vet is coming tomorrow it won’t matter now, but it might save you anxiety in the future.
No bake chocolate balls! It’s been too long. My version has peanut butter instead of butter, but it never occurred to me to add coffee, even though I tend to add coffee to a lot of sweets.
Fingers crossed that Triple is okay. It sounds like you’ve been pushing a little too hard. I am also someone who has to recover after a day or two of accomplishing things, and pacing is everything. (No, I haven’t mastered it. I’m just saying.)
I finished the second draft of a secret project (novel) and started the second draft of a Helen Binney novella for this summer (A Delusion of Death).
And I’m trying to do something positive for the resistance most days. I’ve been emailing my legislators a few times a week pretty much since the inauguration. Today, I ordered free covid tests, in part to send a message that there’s a demand for them, before they cancel the program, although maybe they’ve already done that and are just distributing the last of the supply, and it’s just a question of whether they’ll continue mailing them v. destroying them. But either way, it seemed like a good idea to get some, and if I don’t need them, I’ll have them available to share with anyone who does need them. If you want to order them while you can: https://special.usps.com/testkits
Also, if you’re on Bluesky, there’s a hashtag for sharing what you’re doing: #DidThisToday. It’s mostly in the context of protesting political stuff, but sometimes people will just post their daily accomplishments, not unlike Working Wednesday, and I find both categories interesting.
I am not motivated to learn to use hash tags on Bluesky since I spend a lot of time just reading people I follow, but that sounds interesting.
I had been meaning to order test kits and just did.
Yay for a new Helen!
Three meetings, two protests and a funeral. Meetings-county council candidate’s committee, local indivisible and home rule charter commission. Protests-not my president and Geisinger nurses strike. Funeral for cousin’s husband of 61 years (had dementia but it was the diabetes that killed him).
Messing around with my taxes and just trying to keep up with everything else and get to bed at a reasonable time.
And, Pixie, must you insist on a walk when it’s this cold?