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Monday, August 31, 2015

September rolls around again

So, I guess most people are in back to school mode, others not. 

I accidentally went to the convenience store before noon, and even though the sign says "3 students at a time," there was about half a classroom in there, and that's a lot of energy for a small space.

All kinds of unbloggable things going on over here.  Sigh.  But the cats are cute, and the weather is on its way to cooling off.

How 'bout you?

105 comments:

Queen of West Procrastination said...

W: I went and got some teeth filled today (and have to go back to have the rest done next week). They filled between two tight molars, and it involved a device the pries the teeth apart so that the can do the filling. Now the the freezing is wearing off, I feel terrible!

AW: today was the last day before the students go back to school, and so Mr. Q was able to come back fairly early, and he's making supper. And my sister stuck around and entertained E until Mr. Q got home.

esperanza said...

QWP, OUCH! That sounds awful.

Whine of Ridiculousness from Elementary School. Last week was a little loose on "adults in the building at drop off time," because it was the first week of school. We received, on Friday, a very ambiguously worded letter that encouraged us strongly to drop our kids off at the door rather than walking in with them. Mini and Sweet protested strongly. So we dutifully stood in line at the front door (where first grade and Pre-K enter), went through the process of logging in my ID and receiving an official sticker. We walked Sweet to the cafeteria for breakfast, then Mini to her kindergarten class (they eat breakfast in their classroom in Kinder). As I exited out the kindergarten entrance, I noticed there was no line nor computer. I inquired and, sure enough, a parent can enter the kindergarten line simply by signing in on a log form. So we're keeping super close tabs on who comes in the front door, but any Fred Flinstone could sign in the kindergarten door. I'll be using the friendly door tomorrow, though it means a much longer walk for Sweet.

kathy a. said...

QWP, ouch! That thing they do, it hurts. Advil helps; and if it really bothers you, there's a soothing gel for gums, think it's called Ambesol. Or was, back when.

Esperanza, that does sound ridiculous!

esperanza said...

~whispering~ AW: Mini has gone to sleep, of her own free will, at what might be termed "a decent hour" last night and tonight. Thanks, kindergarten!

kathy a. said...

Yay, kindergarten!

kathy a. said...

Our silly dog Cora is 12, getting on in years, but has been fit -- long dog walks this weekend, eating well, pursuing her longtime hobby of barking at the mailman, jumping with joy when Her Man is around. And tonight, she isn't -- lethargic, not eating. Poor girl.

esperanza said...

I'm so sorry that silly dog isn't feeling herself.

W: I am not getting a walk in this morning, as I planned
AW: Because it's raining! And I happened to look at the sky, then the radar, as I was about to head out, so avoided getting drenched in the downpour.
AW: I will probably get to go in a few minutes, because it looks to be short-lived.

kathy a. said...

Yay, rain!

The dog checks out fine, just a little anemic, she was very excited about the trip to the vet.

Meanwhile, our older cat has not appeared since last night. She never goes outside, so she's got to be around here someplace.

Sue said...

Ouch, QWP!!! I hope you've had some relief from the toof pain.

I'm glad the dog is okay kathy. Being a home with only a cat, the words "excited" and "vet" are never heard in the same sentence.

Yay rain, esperanza!

AW: Our son and his partner arrived last night for a week-long visit. It was hubby's first time meeting said partner and they hit it off right away (as I knew they would). Is there anything better than seeing your offspring happy? I think not.

W: Back to work today. I feel like an old tractor gearing up slowly for a big harvest.

AW: Back to work today. I feel so fortunate to have a job, and particularly this job, in these dicey financial times.

Speaking of dicey financial times, I have committed to bringing my lunch *every* day. Too many places to buy a quick lunch around here, which is neither a healthy nor frugal option. Naturally, I forgot said lunch in the fridge at home.

kathy a. said...

Hi, Sue! Sounds like a wonderful visit with your son and his sweetie. Yes, all's good when the kids are good, even if they are grownup kids.

I never really got in the habit of taking my lunch to the office. My daughter may let a lot of other things slide, but every day, she stuffs leftovers or a sandwich into the Giant Purse.

Polly the cat is worrying me; a fairly decent search didn't turn her up yet. Am giving her until tonight, in case she just needs quiet time, and then we'll tear the house apart. She is super-shy (rescued same time and place as Spot), but has never ever tried to go outside.

That clerk of court in Kentucky, who is defying a state order to issue marriage licenses and just lost her last-ditch appeal to the Supreme Court -- she's been ordered to go to court on Thursday. That should be interesting.

esperanza said...

Welcome back, Sue! I just lamely justified a purchase today by saying to myself, "well, I did eat lunch at home today!" :)

Queen of West Procrastination said...

Welcome back Sue!

This week has been a series of increasingly-aggravating Old Skool whines. Yesterday was the painful dental work. Then I got a text from Upstairs Landlord saying the today the painters were coming to finally do the final "touch ups." They arrived early today (while I was still in pyjamas). The "touch ups" turned out to be removing every door in our suite and taking it out to spray it. We ended up going to my parents' house for the day, because we had no bathroom door, and E found the lack of doors to be distressing. On our way inside, she escaped to the front seat of the car and, unknown to me, turned on the headlights. Which were on for the whole day. She didn't nap, because she won't nap away from home. We went home at the end of the day (after discovering and charging the dead car battery), and came home to sprayed doors still sitting in our garage. The project manager has to re-hang the doors, and he's coming after he's done work for the day. E ought to be in bed in half an hour. Her bedroom has no door.

Queen of West Procrastination said...

Oh! And she spent the whole trip home telling me that she's mad at me, and she wishes Daddy stayed home with her and Mommy went to work, or that she could go to a babysitter, or anything owe than seeing me. Or she could get a job at Daddy's school and earn money.

Queen of West Procrastination said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
esperanza said...

Oh, QWP, you need a hug. And some doors. And another hug. Poor E, trying to cope with too much at one time and taking out on the one person who's the constant. It sucks to be the one constant person.

Queen of West Procrastination said...

Still no doors, and no word from the project manager! And our landlord (who is at work right now, and fielding panicked texts from us, while sending panicked texts to the pm) hasn't actually heard anything back from the pm. And won't let us go and hang the doors ourselves.

kathy a. said...

Oy, QWP! NO DOORS??? Cluesticks on the way! Meanwhile, would it help to tack a sheet or beach towel across the doorway, as a temporary measure? (Thumbtacks are just pinholes, don't really even show, especially if you can get them in the door frame.) Or if you happen to have a small tension rod, even better.

Do not worry for one minute about the "hate mama, want daddy" thing. It'll be his turn, one day. My sweetie and I used to laugh about how reliably the kids switched professed parental allegiances. xoxo

Sue said...

((((QWP))) that's a rough day!

Liz Miller said...

(((QWP)))

Queen of West Procrastination said...

E eventually went to sleep with a blanket hung over her door frame.

Question: if someone told you that your doors were getting a few touch ups, would you expect them to remove them all and spray them completely?

kathy a. said...

"Touch ups" means a dab here and a dab there, not a total refinishing with door removal. Of all doors.

Glad the blanket trick worked!

Queen of West Procrastination said...

I'm relieved, because at first she wouldn't go into her room at all, with the blanket there. I got her good and tired, and then we tried to make it fun. (And I let her have two bedtime stories instead of one.)

Upstairs Landlord and I are going to spend the morning hounding the builder to come and finish the job. If no one gets back to us by late morning, Landlord is hanging the doors himself.

esperanza said...

I'm with y'all. "Touch ups" mean a small bowl of paint and a small paintbrush, little pieces here and there, 15 minutes per door.

Sue said...

Agreed re: touch-ups. Sheesh.

kathy, have you any news on Polly the cat??

kathy a. said...

No. We searched everywhere, usually several times -- and outside, too, where she never wanted to go.

My husband feels awful, thinks he must have not been paying close enough attention when he was letting the dog in and out the night before last.

Polly is the shyest cat we've ever had, a fostering failure, and 8 years of living with us still was not enough to let any human pet her. She just recently started sometimes sleeping at my feet, and one time she let me stroke her paw with my toe. The only other contact allowed was when I was in my magic reading chair and she smelled brie -- she would eat a tiny bit off the tip of my finger.

Because my girl is so shy, and she was sickly -- can't get a cat to the vet if the cat has a no-touching rule -- we don't hold out a lot of hope of finding her.

esperanza said...

Oh kathy a, y'all are having a rough stretch with pets.

W: crick in my neck for multiple days, maybe even a week. Gets better with heat and/or stretching, but an hour later it's hurting again. Grumble.

Sue said...

(((kathy)))

Ouch, esperanza!

Liz Miller said...

((Kathy)) Can you put out brie as bait?

((Esperanza))

kathy a. said...

Ouchie, Esperanza.

My husband tried some of her beloved kibble last night, just outside the bedroom door where she possibly escaped, but it was still there this morning and the dog ate it.

The first cat my daughter remembers, Nikki, disappeared similarly about 18-19 years ago. She was sickly, but the vet could not figure out what was wrong. And then poof. My daughter was inconsolable. We figured that Nikki had gone off to die in peace, as cats sometimes do.

We posted flyers all over the neighborhood for Nikki. With Polly, we can't imagine that anyone could rescue a cat so shy of humans. I mean, she never came out if other people were in the house; two of my sisters decided she was my "imaginary cat."

esperanza said...

W: Meeting for Albatross #2 committee tomorrow. Yesterday, the only non-Anglo member of our committee resigned. For good reasons, and she was very complimentary of her time serving, but still. Our denomination's racial statistics are dismal when compared to our surrounding community. I hate to miss out on her wisdom.

kathy a. said...

Will there be a replacement sought for the committee? Whether or not, it seems worth it to identify the need for diversity of backgrounds, and the need for outreach, as concerns.

esperanza said...

I haven't heard from the powers-that-be on that, but the timeline makes it difficult to replace her. Ethnic diversity was not the only diversity we are lacking, and we are doing our best to consult with others to fill in the gaps. At the very least, we're working hard to be aware of the gaps. Sigh.

Queen of West Procrastination said...

(((kathy)))

Oh that's too bad, esperanza! I hope that you guys have some clarity in how to fill the diversity gaps.

AW: we have doors! (Well, the suite door is partially hung, and doesn't close all the way. They'll be back after lunch with a different screw, and then they'll be done.)

W: it's a good thing that I'm not superstitious, because this week would make me feel unlucky! The second that the last door was being hung, our freezer drawer got stuck open in a weird way. I've wiggled it to the point where it isn't leaking cold, and it's only open a little, but I also can't get it open more than a few inches.

I'm going to take a nap now. (Three hours of sleep last night. E had nightmares all night, and would cry out in her sleep. Because Mr. Q's sleep was so disturbed, he talked in his sleep a bunch. And I had a lot of trouble falling back asleep after each awakening.

Queen of West Procrastination said...

AW: you guys, it took Mr. Q three seconds to fix the freezer. After I took a whole hour trying.

kathy a. said...

Is it one of those big drawers in a freezer section below the fridge part? If ours gets off track, it is hard for me to get it right -- small space, big heavy wide drawer, lacking that upper body strength. I pretty much need to unload all the contents to manipulate it.

kathy a. said...

Polly turned up, hiding in the family room after 2 days. I'm stunned. There is a half door to that room, and I try to keep it closed so the dog stays in there and the cats stay out. But my husband keeps leaving it open; then he closed it after searching the room. (She was very cleverly hidden today.) The poor cat knocked over a cup where we were trying to cultivate an avocado seed, to get the water. I think she could have jumped the half door if she tried, but.... Anyway, I banished the dog and the big scary human to the back of the house, and hope she'll come out soon.

Liz Miller said...

Yay!!!!!!!!

esperanza said...

oh good! She is a sneaky sneak! I'm glad she is found.

Sue said...

Yay kathy!!!!

kathy a. said...

Polly got braver after the TV was off and the dog and giant human gone, but it still took her a while to venture out. She was perched on a table, and I tossed little bits of brie -- she is not much for treats, but brie is her passion. Then the pouring of the kibble enticed her to the kitchen. And daughter gave her some wet food for good measure. She is still acting scardy-cat this morning, avoiding the young upstart cat who jumped her the other day, but returning to a more normal (for her) routine.

It's like living in a feline soap opera.

W: The former family room is now known as the dog room and electronics and bike workshop, which now also features all kinds of furniture and junk from my SIL, not to mention 2 big shelving units of boxes related to my work -- which I can't even get to any more, because of all the other junk. It is a freaking disaster zone. We have got to find a way to unload some of the junk.

And keep the damned half-door closed.

Queen of West Procrastination said...

Polly! Hooray!

The week of ridiculous Old Skool whines continues: last night, E refused to sleep until 10pm,and then woke just before 6am. Then, instead of napping, she got out ALL the pook, which clogged our toilet. And that's how I discovered that our plunger is useless plastic garbage.

AW: upstairs neighbours have a plunger that's a little more useful, and I got the toilet partially unplugged.

Oh, and Mr. Q has Meet the Teacher night, and so I'm on my own at bedtime.

Also, there are two flies in our house, and the are smaller and craftier than I am. And seem to be following me around the house. (I swear I showered today.)

Queen of West Procrastination said...

YOU GUYS. E just twisted the same ankle that she twisted at Halloween. It's not as bad as the last time (It's been an hour and she can put some weight on the ankle, but can only walk a short walk with assistance. Last time, she screamed with any weight, even after a long nap.) There's no sign of a break (and no swelling), but I know what the next couple of days are going to look like.

kathy a. said...

Might be worth taking up with the ped, just in case. Of course you want to do a little pain med and comforting -- but also encourage her along, so she's feeling rewarded for progress, and reassured that she's fine, just hurts a little for now.

Polly has treated herself to sunbathing in her favorite locations, so things seem to be getting back to nermal.

Queen of West Procrastination said...

Hooray for Polly improvements!

My plan is (since the long weekend is approaching), if she's still not able to walk or crawl first thing in the morning, I'm calling our family doctor, who saves some afternoon spots for same day urgent calls. I know it's unlikely that she'd get an X-ray anyway, unless it was really puffed up or somehow obviously broken. (I learned this last time: she's had a lot of scans in her young life, and so the general medical opinion is that she should avoid x-rays unless blatantly necessary.) I'm calling my MIL to see if she has tomorrow off. If she doesn't, my mom can come help me. (I want to check with MIL first because I've been leaning hard on my parents this week.)

AW: Mr. Q skipped the BBQ and helped me get E to bed before Meet the Teacher started. And she's quiet! (But I'm going to bed EARLY, because who knows what will happen if she moves around in her sleep. I need to write on a big sign the time when she took Advil, and when she can next take it, so that my sleep-deprived brain doesn't make a mistake in the night.)

esperanza said...

QWP, when one or (especially) both Baboos are sick, I start a chart for each of them, for meds, temps, etc. It's just not worth trusting my sleepy self with those details. I started doing this when Sweet came home from the NICU with feeds and meds and everything else. There was no way I could handle it without writing it down. That's how the pros handle it, after all! I hope E sleeps well and wakes up with a much-better ankle.

So glad to hear that Polly is acting Polly-ish again.

Albatross #2 meeting went well today, overall. Except for Loudmouth Man with Wacky Ideas. I have yet to figure out a way to keep his contributions to a reasonable quantity, if not quality.

W: I am exhausted. I am not used to attending meetings, and I am certainly not used to running them.

Liz Miller said...

AW: Am in the Washington Post today. Mentioned, anyway. Front page. On needing sensible gun laws

Liz Miller said...

(((QWP))) (((e)))

esperanza said...

Liz is famous!!

Queen of West Procrastination said...

Hooray for Liz! That's so cool. I'll have to look up the article.

Esperanza, I feel exhausted for you, having to manage Loudmouth.

AW: E slept straight through the night! She's still sore, and unwilling to put weight on the hurt for for more than a few seconds at a time, but there is no sign the she needs to be rushed to a doctor today. We'll take it easy over the long weekend, and if she still isn't walking after that, I'll take her in.

But, oh boy, is she grumpy today! I was inspecting her ankle and said, "Still no swelling, so that's a good sign," and she shouted back, "No! It's an owie sign!"

W: she's also very clingy. I'm hiding in the kitchen, because she's comfortably propped up in the living room and watching a movie. If I go and sit down out there, she'll insist on sitting on me, and I'll be trapped for the foreseeable future.

(Kathy a called it: today she only wanted Mama, and shouted, "Daddy, I not like you!")

kathy a. said...

Woot, Liz!

Glad E slept OK; here's to full recovery.

esperanza said...

Mini has been suuuuuper clingy/touchy/violating my personal space-y since kindergarten started. I'm not aware of touching her that much on a regular basis, but apparently she's missing out on a significant amount.

And the Baboos will join E in the Grumpy Girl Club today. I got yelled at at 4AM by Sweet, who thought it was morning and wanted to cuddle with me till the alarm went off. No. Just no. Mini refused to eat breakfast.

Sue said...

((((QWP))) ((((E))))

Yay Liz!!!!!

esperanza said...

I had two things on my list today: go for a walk, and make cupcakes for Mr E's birthday. I have accomplished neither. A phone call derailed the walk, because by the time I was done talking, it was too hot to walk. Then I took a nap and did some other stuff and completely forgot about the cupcakes. Oh well. Tomorrow is another day.

Liz Miller said...

Went canvassing yesterday and I guess I must have looked like a hot mess because 5 separate people offered me water.

And I got a donation.

Second one in a week at the doors!

kathy a. said...

Go, Liz! My vote is that you were doing something admirable in the heat, and people felt hospitable so they offered water. Nice people!

You're doing politics in a different, more personal way than certain spectacles we are all witnessing elsewhere. That's gotta restore some faith in democracy, IMO.

Esperanza, hope you got to the walk and the cupcakes!

Queen of West Procrastination said...

Happy Labour Day, everybody!

You guys, I need reassurances: while E is no longer in pain in general, she still can't walk. I'm taking her in to her family doctor tomorrow, and I'm freaking out. What if there's a small fracture, and I should have had it x-rayed days ago? Ugh, what if she needs a cast? Because, if I know my kid, she'll think the cast is interesting for five minutes, and then cry, begging me to take it off of her.

And did I mention that, since she hurt herself, she suddenly is panicked about doctors and medicine? She even cried when they prayed for her in church. She normally loves all three of those things. But she's so anxious, and I think she just wants to be okay, and is scared that there's something wrong.

(I'm other words, the anxiety level in this household is astronomical.)

kathy a. said...

Oy, QWP! OK, the most important thing is for you to do what you need to, to be calm calm nonchalant. Because E will react to you. Do not talk about anything like an x-ray or a cast. This will be a totally calm and usual doctor visit. (And if she melts down, you still need to be calm.) Between now and then, any subject except her ankle is a good subject. The more distractions, the better.

The second is to know that you did not have reason to take her in -- no swelling, you didn't report bruising. It is weird she still isn't walking, so good to check.

There are a few options -- maybe a sprain; maybe a teensy non-displaced fracture; maybe there really is nothing wrong. None of these is dire.

Crossed fingers! xoxo

esperanza said...

Kathy a is right. There was no indication that you should have taken her in immediately. And the more you can fake calm and matter-of-fact, the better. Liberal use of electronics is also good.

Keeping y'all in my thoughts, and keep us updated when you can. Hugs to you and E and Mr Q.

esperanza said...

oh, and a giggle about medical professionals.

Sweet received an antibiotic shot earlier in the summer, for strep throat. When we had to go for swimmer's ear a couple of weeks ago, she was very worried she was going to get a shot, though I assured her she would not. At the follow up for that, which involved an ear wash (which somehow did not freak her out, which I can't understand but am grateful for), she greeted the nurse with "you're the shot-ter!" Nurse cracked up. I tried to correct her but was laughing so hard I couldn't say much either.

esperanza said...

W: I hate making phone calls.

Sue said...

Yay Liz! You are remarkable.

QWP - good advice here from others. I do hope E is doing okay and back on her feet soon.

esperanza, that's hilarious!

kathy a. said...

This thread will stay open through this week.

QWP, hope all goes well.

Esperanza, I hate getting phone calls. Because usually they are either recorded robo-calls, or robo-dialed calls where it takes several seconds for a human to come on, and then they always want to chat about how my day is going.

Queen of West Procrastination said...

AW: NOTHING FRACTURED! Such a relief, since the x-ray was bad enough, and if there had been a fracture, our GP was going to send us straight to the orthopaedic surgeon at the hospital.

AW: I'm so thankful for our healthcare system. I saw our family doctor and got the kid an x-ray today, and had to anticipate a surgical consult, and I only had to worry about my kid's health, and not about whether or how much was going to be covered by insurance, or if everyone was in network, or anything. I showed her health care card at the front desks and that was it. I never have to think about this day again. And it makes me so angry that this isn't the norm in this continent.

Anonymous said...

W: mid 90s here today. My children's school has no air conditioning, and apparently not fans that help either. And my daughter's classes are on the 2nd floor. ugh
AW: my school I work in has AC, though it was still uncomfortable today-- but , not complaining for myself

--Neighbor Lady

p.s. so happy about E's foot!

kathy a. said...

Go, E! Yes, about making healthcare work.

NL -- it's that hot here, too! And no AC! Bleah. Think I've convinced my daughter to go to the movies with me -- for AC and Lily Tomlin.

esperanza said...

It's a bit hotter than that here, but we all have a/c. I can't really imagine trying to learn something while sweating.

Hooray for no fractures! And no insurance stress!

Miranda said...

Hi Pixies!! I'm so happy we have the SpaceFace because I feel some small connection to you all. Life has been very busy with summer stuff and work stuff and parenting stuff. People are doing well. Teen Son started high school today. Teen Daughter is doing well and is on several college classes this year. She signed up for a college level African American History because "I've had white history shoved down my throat my whole life and I want to learn other perspectives."

Oh, and I started my Dream Job a few weeks ago. I have to travel more but instead of the Windy Ciry, I will going to Our Nations Capital.

Anonymous said...

Yay for good starts to the year, and your dream job, Miranda!
:) Neighbor Lady

kathy a. said...

Miranda! Congrats on the Dream Job!! And glad the kids are doing well, too. Like your daughter's attitude.

esperanza said...

Yay for Dream Jobs! Good to hear from you here, Miranda!

Sue said...

Yay Miranda!! I'm so happy for you - you deserve a Dream Job!!

kathy a. said...

Plus, DC is a way better place to visit for work than the old mothership. Just sayin'. I just went for a few days, a few years ago, and I met in person 3 members of WW and some other people I knew virtually -- and that isn't even mentioning all the museums and monuments and the big court and the Library of Congress and ... Well, there is a lot there.

kathy a. said...

And also, DC metro [light rail] is great. I did not rent a car; this got us where we needed to go, or reasonably close. Couple taxis, shuttle bus or 2.

Liz Miller said...

BLOGGY PLAYDATE FOR MIRANDA AND ME!!! (After Nov. 3.)

kathy a. said...

Yes yes yes! Go, Liz!

The heat is actually melting me. And it is barely mid-afternoon. And even if I get bitchy sometimes, I'm pretty sure I'm not the Evil Witch. Trying to decide if I can stand another movie. Straight Outta Compton is not doing it for me. Any reviews on Inside Out?

kathy a. said...

Or, Mr. Holmes?

Miranda said...

Absolutely!!!!

kathy a. said...

We shall require photos. :)

Sue said...

Yay bloggy playdates!!!!

Sorry kathy, I haven't been to a movie theater since 2008, so I'm no help to you. How about grocery shopping? It's usually cool there.

Anonymous said...

Inside out was amusing-- great for a cartoon, and quite enjoyable for the grown ups IMHO.
--Neighbor Lady

Queen of West Procrastination said...

What movie did you end up seeing, Kathy? I've only seen one movie lately (Man from U.N.C.L.E.), but I've heard good things about Inside Out.

Hooray for Miranda! And hooray for bloggy play dates!

AW: progress on the E front. She stood unassisted for about ten seconds this morning, and also kept standing assisted and announcing it to us, all morning. (She was a little more sore and tired in the afternoon. But won't let me give her the recommended painkillers.) All in all, she and I had our most pleasant day in weeks.

W: I had no idea that this recovery process was going to take so long, with a pulled muscle. I'm so thankful for progress, but it's tiny bits of progress each day. It's going to be a week of this, tomorrow, and I'm tired. My back is so sore, from hauling around a kid who is almost 3. And diaper changes are far more complicated than usual, as is potty time. I feel guilty for being so whiny about it, because some parents deal with this all the time, and my kid will start walking again any day now. But it is tiring, and my life is on hold while she's injured.

kathy a. said...

QWP, glad E is on the road to recovery! Pretty soon, she'll forget all about it. Ouchie on your back. xoxo

I did not go to a movie last night, after all. But I might see Mr. Holmes soon (even though some people in my group dealing with dementia found it disturbing). Daughter saw Inside Out and loved it, and it is in the closer theater, so might see that if the heat holds on.

Old Skool: giant zit. As a person in the far end of my 50's, this is so totally not right.

Liz Miller said...

AW: the communications firm have put together 2 mailers that look really good, and there are some fantastic photos in them

W: I now know what Nora Ephron meant when she wrote, "I Feel Bad About My Neck"

AW: I am coming to terms with the fact that necks are just weird. They really are.

kathy a. said...

Go, Liz!

Feet, also. Feet are always weird.

Sue said...

Yup. Necks and feet. For everyone.

Liz, is your photo on the book of faces on the new mailer? It's amazing!!! That's a great colour on you.

kathy a. said...

That is a great color! Also, I like your neck in the photo. So there.

esperanza said...

...and now I'm off to check your neck, which I certainly did not notice because I was charmed by your smile.

Liz Miller said...

My neck is fine in that awesome photo!!!

It's three other photos, where I'm talking with other people and so I'm looking up a little.

esperanza said...

My goal is to receive zero Albatross-related emails today. I'm going to send zero emails, which I realize is all that is actually in my control. I will let you know my success rate at the end of the day.

kathy a. said...

It is this day again. My kids have spent half or more of their lives in the post-9/11 world, where fear is king and wars have tended to be the "answer." My daughter still has a file folder of things she saved -- what she wrote that day, news reports.

The sorrows and horrors of that day still feel so heavy. In the days and weeks after, my daughter and I sometimes visited an improptu memorial, where people brought candles and flowers and origami cranes, wrote thoughts on paper that was clipped to cords someone had strung around this little area near a library. Sometimes people sang; no longer remember what, except Amazing Grace. I drove by the other day, remembering so vividly.

xoxo

esperanza said...

Dangit. 10:00 am and two emails already. Nothing that I had to respond to, though.

kathy a. said...

Well, Esperanza, you're keeping YOUR end of the bargain. ;)

My stupid wireless adapter died, so I have to go to the Office Supply Monstrosity.

Liz Miller said...

I am going to be begging people for $ until the end of September with no breaks for canvassing

kathy a. said...

Sorry for sounding cranky about this day. It isn't that I don't remember; it is that I don't think I can bear looking at those towers one more time. Not this year.

Went wild at the big store of office stuff, and have managed to install the new wireless adapter, a wireless mouse for my backup laptop, and a wireless keyboard (since the letters were wearing off my old keyboard). Back in the saddle on the desktop! My laptop is still installing #26 of 46 updates. geesh.

kathy a. said...

Go, Liz!

Liz Miller said...

Kathy!!!!! Thank you!!!!!

kathy a. said...

Conjuntivitis. Got drops; helping.

Sadness: Our cat Polly -- the extremely shy one who recently disappeared for a couple days -- she was lounging in a sumbeam with her belly exposed. My poor girl has a large tumor at the bottom of her abdomen; no wonder she has been feeling bad. :(

Anonymous said...

((((kathy a.)))) and ((((polly))))

NL

Queen of West Procrastination said...

(((kathy a)))

So, after nine days of no walking (and after a Friday where she seemed worse than ever), E strolled out of her bedroom, after her afternoon quiet time, acting as if nothing was ever wrong! I think she skipped her nap so that she could have some privacy to try out walking. So, now I'm working on getting her to pace herself, because she's so excited!

kathy a. said...

Yay, E!

esperanza said...

Hooray for E! And so sorry about Polly.

Liz Miller said...

Yay E!!!

So sorry about Polly

Sue said...

I'm so sorry about Polly. (((kathy)))

kathy a. said...

Thanks for your thoughts and love for Polly. The growth seems to be in a mammary gland, and the prognosis isn't good with something so large. We're attempting cat hospice. (Except, can't get meds unless we can get her to the vet; and she has the no-touching rule.) She adores cheese, and likes people standing far enough away and making friendly cat sounds. She prefers brie, but just settled for some cheddar. ;)

Is someone able to host this next week?

xoxo

Liz Miller said...

I would love to, but I know that it's not realistic.