Ah, A Day
Apr. 19th, 2026 03:58 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kallowayWent on an entire road trip today- Michael's first, which is down near where I used to work but feels like the other end of the universe. I have, for months, kept thinking I should make a chunky list for when I finally got down there, because I need many things... Did I ever make this list? No. Did I get the one thing I really needed? Yes. (smallish ziploc bags, generally sold for beads and whatnot but I use them for gunpla accessories)
Then on to HobbyTown to pick up a belated prize from that contest a month ago. It is a ballcap, and I am not a ballcap-wearer, so it'll just chill on a wig head or something. Also picked up a couple of 30MM kits, RG Wing (all the Wings!), and a couple stands because I am direly low on stands and keep building critters that don't balance well.
After that, back across to a free "anime convention" also near where I used to work. I can't even say I managed to walk around once because it was the biggest shitfire I've ever seen of a convention and I have been to a lot of dire nerd shows. No parking (I parked at a drugstore nearby and hoofed it), no lighting, a rock band playing loudly over a wrestling show, and a bunch of randomly laid-out artist tables and some random woo and a poor guy selling fudge. The layout was so bad that it was impossible to walk down aisles normally, even without cosplayers in large costumes blocking things (possibly the only actual "anime convention" hallmark). Maybe stayed ten minutes.
Doing a lot of cleaning tonight, both in my bedroom and online. First is a quick journal cleanup, removing inactive accounts and a bunch of communities that I'm not doing anything with and probably won't any time soon. As always, it's not anything personal. I should do my fediverse accounts next, and discord servers that I haven't looked at in ages.
(Bedroom cleaning is cataloguing models and became a dedicated shelf clean of a bookcase where I think the old paperbacks and the old clearcoat are interacting badly. But I think I can replace that bookcase easily so *waves hands* I also gave the discolored/spotty book bottoms a quick sand and they look a lot better. Also also these are mass market pocket paperbacks from the ~80's so they are not in great shape to begin with and there's some book repair in my future.)
Then on to HobbyTown to pick up a belated prize from that contest a month ago. It is a ballcap, and I am not a ballcap-wearer, so it'll just chill on a wig head or something. Also picked up a couple of 30MM kits, RG Wing (all the Wings!), and a couple stands because I am direly low on stands and keep building critters that don't balance well.
After that, back across to a free "anime convention" also near where I used to work. I can't even say I managed to walk around once because it was the biggest shitfire I've ever seen of a convention and I have been to a lot of dire nerd shows. No parking (I parked at a drugstore nearby and hoofed it), no lighting, a rock band playing loudly over a wrestling show, and a bunch of randomly laid-out artist tables and some random woo and a poor guy selling fudge. The layout was so bad that it was impossible to walk down aisles normally, even without cosplayers in large costumes blocking things (possibly the only actual "anime convention" hallmark). Maybe stayed ten minutes.
Doing a lot of cleaning tonight, both in my bedroom and online. First is a quick journal cleanup, removing inactive accounts and a bunch of communities that I'm not doing anything with and probably won't any time soon. As always, it's not anything personal. I should do my fediverse accounts next, and discord servers that I haven't looked at in ages.
(Bedroom cleaning is cataloguing models and became a dedicated shelf clean of a bookcase where I think the old paperbacks and the old clearcoat are interacting badly. But I think I can replace that bookcase easily so *waves hands* I also gave the discolored/spotty book bottoms a quick sand and they look a lot better. Also also these are mass market pocket paperbacks from the ~80's so they are not in great shape to begin with and there's some book repair in my future.)
Book review: The Salt Grows Heavy
Apr. 18th, 2026 09:43 pmrocky41_7 posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
booknookTitle: The Salt Grows Heavy
Author: Cassandra Khaw
Genre: Fiction, horror, fantasy
Author: Cassandra Khaw
Genre: Fiction, horror, fantasy
Today while waiting for my car’s brake pads to be replaced, I finish The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw. This is a short (fewer than 100 pages) fairy tale-inspired horror story about a mermaid and a plague doctor who get wrapped up in the sick games of a village they pass through.
I liked the idea of this story a lot more than the execution. Have you ever had the sense a book really wanted to say something profound about human nature? This book felt like that constantly. It also felt like the author desperately wanted the reader to be impressed with her large and esoteric vocabulary. Things were phrased and rephrased in ways that felt keenly like they were only there so the author could use a specific word. Which, fair, we’ve all done it, but the scaffolding showed so plainly here it felt very clumsy. I’m not usually one to fuss too much about purple prose, but the language here often felt decorative enough that meaning was obscured rather than clarified.
I like the vibes in this book, and the two main characters were engaging (although I felt like the half-mermaid children were a pretty glaring dropped thread) and the plot interesting, and some of the writing was beautiful, but more often it was distracting. I never sank into the book, which was too bad, because there were some cool moments.
Can’t say I’m inclined to look into more of Khaw’s writing, because I think her style is just not for me. I don’t think I wasted my time with this book, but I don’t need to see more from her.
Chena
Apr. 18th, 2026 09:27 pmranunculusYesterday Chena went from her usual interactive, happy self to the picture of an unwell dog. She was wobbly on her feet, flinched away from people and really, really didn't want to be touched. She lay down in the living room around 9am and hardly moved until 4pm. Not interested in food or drink. I almost took her to the emergency vet last night, but it looked like she was beginning to be a little more alert, so waited. At 3am she consented to lapping a little water. At 7 am she zoomed out the front door and began barking noisily at Mr Raven who was sitting on the power pole. Happily ate breakfast and slurped up water. Charged up Fairview Hill running happily next to the car. She happily rooted around in the leaf litter where the fallen limbs had been, using her nose like a pig. She was following the scent of a vole. My only guess is that somehow she got into some marijuana and spent the day yesterday extremely stoned. 1 gummy would have done it, but WHERE would she get such a thing? Whatever the case I'm glad she has gotten back to normal.
Busy
Apr. 18th, 2026 08:51 pmranunculusThis morning I met Dave and Ray at Friedman's. We bought lumber, screws, and rebar so I can build a bridge. We hauled the stuff up to the house, cut the lumber into 5' pieces and then hauled it out to Duck Lake. The three of us then switched gears and cleared the fallen tree off the old road above Duck Lake. Lots of twiggy stuff, but unnerving because three trees were involved. The biggest tree had fallen hitting and breaking two smaller trees. All of the bases were hung up (read the trees had snapped partway up and had not fallen all the way down. Instead the heavy trunk of the tree was suspended in the air. When the lower branches are cut back it changes the way the trunk is supported and can cause one or more of the trunks to roll and fall. This was on a steep sideslope, so I kept a sharp eye on everything as I cut, I really didn't want anything rolling down on top of me.
Our third task was to clear two massive limbs at Deer Camp. The two were hung up, and leaning on each other. There was probably 1,000 # waiting to fall on us. Fortunately those two limbs were pretty stable and on flatter ground. Once we cleared all the twiggy "brush" and cut back any branch that was not supporting weight we considered the problem. Geez, hundreds of pounds 10 feet in the air.... We put a tow strap on the smaller limb and pulled it sideways a little. It obligingly fell down with a thump, leaving the larger limb hanging by nothing much. I tried a cut to see if it would roll down, but no luck. So we put the tow strap on it and pulled it the opposite direction of the first limb. It fell with almost no real pressure on the strap. Whew! Very scary work. Lots of thought about how to keep fragile human bodies safe. With the limbs down Dave and Ray left as they had late afternoon appointments.
I returned to the house and feverishly sorted out ribbons. We mark the trail by tying surveyors tape; bright orange or bright pink; to clothespins. The clothespins can then be clipped to branches, fences, wands or pretty much anything else. To keep the ribbons and clothespins tidy and easy to access the pins are clipped to a circle of rope that can be worn over one shoulder. Here is Carrie and Juno last year.
The flags with the blue in them are to mark turns or other places where the trail might be confusing. They mean: STOP, find your next flag before you go any further. It will be in sight! Helps keep people from getting lost. I am desperately trying to make more flags. Somehow an entire, large box of flags, neatly clipped to ropes, has disappeared. Probably at least 200 flags just gone. Hopefully now that I am replacing them the old flags will re-appear.
Tomorrow is a bridge building day with Glenn.
Our third task was to clear two massive limbs at Deer Camp. The two were hung up, and leaning on each other. There was probably 1,000 # waiting to fall on us. Fortunately those two limbs were pretty stable and on flatter ground. Once we cleared all the twiggy "brush" and cut back any branch that was not supporting weight we considered the problem. Geez, hundreds of pounds 10 feet in the air.... We put a tow strap on the smaller limb and pulled it sideways a little. It obligingly fell down with a thump, leaving the larger limb hanging by nothing much. I tried a cut to see if it would roll down, but no luck. So we put the tow strap on it and pulled it the opposite direction of the first limb. It fell with almost no real pressure on the strap. Whew! Very scary work. Lots of thought about how to keep fragile human bodies safe. With the limbs down Dave and Ray left as they had late afternoon appointments.
I returned to the house and feverishly sorted out ribbons. We mark the trail by tying surveyors tape; bright orange or bright pink; to clothespins. The clothespins can then be clipped to branches, fences, wands or pretty much anything else. To keep the ribbons and clothespins tidy and easy to access the pins are clipped to a circle of rope that can be worn over one shoulder. Here is Carrie and Juno last year.
The flags with the blue in them are to mark turns or other places where the trail might be confusing. They mean: STOP, find your next flag before you go any further. It will be in sight! Helps keep people from getting lost. I am desperately trying to make more flags. Somehow an entire, large box of flags, neatly clipped to ropes, has disappeared. Probably at least 200 flags just gone. Hopefully now that I am replacing them the old flags will re-appear.
Tomorrow is a bridge building day with Glenn.
(no subject)
Apr. 18th, 2026 08:59 pmdustbunny105Ended up spending a lot more of the day than expected with my sister and the kids. We didn't even go to the library! Turned out the kids weren't ready to give up the books they'd checked out, lol. Instead, we had lunch, made sock puppets, went to the store and then had dinner. Unexpected and kiiinda inconvenient but still fun.
COOOOON!
Apr. 18th, 2026 11:07 pmcornerofmadnessFirst off let me say Happy birthday to lordgloria and happy belated birthday to evil_little_dog
Today is the first of 4 cons in a row. This is a small con mostly run by friends of mine. I went in the afternoon because I wanted to put in for the raffle. Unfortunately they've not had a lot of luck getting panels off the ground so it's mostly a vendor room inside the community gym. Still, it's always a nice time.
I didn't get out of there without promising to help next year. I can do that but not all day and that was fine. There were some repeat vendors that I knew and others I hadn't met before. I met a young author who was very enthusiastic about his book and since it was a mystery/fantasy inspired by his trans masc friend (who was the sensitivity reader) and I bought it. Later in the day my friend MKF mentioned a mutual friend (who I hadn't seen in a long while) was 'over there' talking to his son in law. turns out it was this young author.
I got a few other things, mostly little things for friends and some more hazbin art from an artist I bought from before, mostly because she gave me mochi because I was having a hypoglycemic episode which made NO sense because I had pancit (noodles) for lunch and had forgotten my insulin. Luckily right next to them was my friend PQ (from last week's post) who in addition to beer makes sarsaparilla and he gave me some so I was okay.
I did get the most adorable shaker keychain with Husk and Angel from the mochi ladies and then realized I could never USE it because it's delicate but in the shaker are tiny hearts and playing cards and it's so damn adorable.
I also got shell earrings with tiny little octopi in them. I picked up another SF book from an indie author but I was also getting too tired. I didn't make it to the end. Still I had a good time.
Let's have science Saturday
Bright-green fireball meteor caught exploding over famous Viking raid site in UK
Strange mammal ancestor laid huge, leathery eggs — and it was key to surviving the world's worst mass extinction
Stephen Hawking's black hole information paradox could be solved — if the universe has 7 dimensions
Physicists entangle two moving atoms for the first time, validating 'spooky' quantum theory
Physicists just witnessed pinpricks of darkness moving faster than the speed of light — without breaking the laws of relativity
Scientists use bacteria to turn plastic waste into paracetamol (On one hand, cool on the other hand it's a little strange and concerning we can rearrange plastic chemicals into medicine)
High School Student’s Low-Cost Teabag Solution For Millions Threatened By Arsenic Passes Peer Review
lordgloria and happy belated birthday to evil_little_dogToday is the first of 4 cons in a row. This is a small con mostly run by friends of mine. I went in the afternoon because I wanted to put in for the raffle. Unfortunately they've not had a lot of luck getting panels off the ground so it's mostly a vendor room inside the community gym. Still, it's always a nice time.
I didn't get out of there without promising to help next year. I can do that but not all day and that was fine. There were some repeat vendors that I knew and others I hadn't met before. I met a young author who was very enthusiastic about his book and since it was a mystery/fantasy inspired by his trans masc friend (who was the sensitivity reader) and I bought it. Later in the day my friend MKF mentioned a mutual friend (who I hadn't seen in a long while) was 'over there' talking to his son in law. turns out it was this young author.
I got a few other things, mostly little things for friends and some more hazbin art from an artist I bought from before, mostly because she gave me mochi because I was having a hypoglycemic episode which made NO sense because I had pancit (noodles) for lunch and had forgotten my insulin. Luckily right next to them was my friend PQ (from last week's post) who in addition to beer makes sarsaparilla and he gave me some so I was okay.
I did get the most adorable shaker keychain with Husk and Angel from the mochi ladies and then realized I could never USE it because it's delicate but in the shaker are tiny hearts and playing cards and it's so damn adorable.
I also got shell earrings with tiny little octopi in them. I picked up another SF book from an indie author but I was also getting too tired. I didn't make it to the end. Still I had a good time.
Let's have science Saturday
Bright-green fireball meteor caught exploding over famous Viking raid site in UK
Strange mammal ancestor laid huge, leathery eggs — and it was key to surviving the world's worst mass extinction
Stephen Hawking's black hole information paradox could be solved — if the universe has 7 dimensions
Physicists entangle two moving atoms for the first time, validating 'spooky' quantum theory
Physicists just witnessed pinpricks of darkness moving faster than the speed of light — without breaking the laws of relativity
Scientists use bacteria to turn plastic waste into paracetamol (On one hand, cool on the other hand it's a little strange and concerning we can rearrange plastic chemicals into medicine)
High School Student’s Low-Cost Teabag Solution For Millions Threatened By Arsenic Passes Peer Review
Final Fantasy Tactics Liveblog Part 1
Apr. 18th, 2026 09:10 pmalthea_valaraSo in the recent post by wavesagainstrocks on how you do fandom, I said the following:
WELL FOLKS! I am away from home watching my sister's dog. My PS5 is back home, so no FFXIV - neither potato computer or mom's laptop can handle it. I could play FFXI on potato computer, but I left its gaming pad at home. Which means either fumbling with keyboard controls (and I am NOT good at them) or seeing if my Switch Pro controller would work.
But that, for once, sounds like too much effort.
So what to do? Well, I brought my Switch along! Now, I could replay FFXII. I was supposed to be doing a random job challenge of it recently, but only played an hour. As much as I like FFXII, I think... I think I don't want to replay a game right now.
Which means I am going to start FINAL FANTASY TACTICS today!
Okay, okay, it's another FF game. But I've never played it. And I have long felt that lack of experience in it as a hole in my gaming knowledge. There's a REASON it's way up there with the Zelda series as a "most wanted to play" game.
I know surprisingly a lot about the game, for not having played it. First, I have an idea of what the gameplay is like, because I've played the shit out of FFT: Advance. Seriously! My game file had like 180 hours put in it.
Second, I know many of the characters already, from them having shown up in first FFBE/WOTV and then when I did the Ivalice raids in FFXIV. This also means I know many of the bigger enemies, too.
I also helped R51 at Caves of Narshe update his FFT section for its recent re-release. This means I know EVERY SINGLE item, weapon, and armor in the game, because I proofread those pages. I know where stuff drops from, or is poached from. I know all the locations, because I checked their map pages for correct links.
My posts will be FULL OF SPOILERS but I ask that you PLEASE not spoil me for anything I haven't talked about yet. Thanks in advance!
( here spoilers start )
wavesagainstrocks on how you do fandom, I said the following:
I do sometimes feel I am too narrow-minded in my fandoms, because except for yarncrafts and Final Fantasy, I don't really venture out of those areas? I keep saying I'm going to play more single-player games on my own, but it's so EASY to default to FFXI or FFXIV or replay a comforting game. Earlier this year I was playing Epistory (Typing adventures!) which I was enjoying, and I don't think I have much more left so I should probably finish that. I also played about two hours of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and immediately was interested... but the activation energy to do something new to me is hard to find. So easy to just... not do it.
WELL FOLKS! I am away from home watching my sister's dog. My PS5 is back home, so no FFXIV - neither potato computer or mom's laptop can handle it. I could play FFXI on potato computer, but I left its gaming pad at home. Which means either fumbling with keyboard controls (and I am NOT good at them) or seeing if my Switch Pro controller would work.
But that, for once, sounds like too much effort.
So what to do? Well, I brought my Switch along! Now, I could replay FFXII. I was supposed to be doing a random job challenge of it recently, but only played an hour. As much as I like FFXII, I think... I think I don't want to replay a game right now.
Which means I am going to start FINAL FANTASY TACTICS today!
Okay, okay, it's another FF game. But I've never played it. And I have long felt that lack of experience in it as a hole in my gaming knowledge. There's a REASON it's way up there with the Zelda series as a "most wanted to play" game.
I know surprisingly a lot about the game, for not having played it. First, I have an idea of what the gameplay is like, because I've played the shit out of FFT: Advance. Seriously! My game file had like 180 hours put in it.
Second, I know many of the characters already, from them having shown up in first FFBE/WOTV and then when I did the Ivalice raids in FFXIV. This also means I know many of the bigger enemies, too.
I also helped R51 at Caves of Narshe update his FFT section for its recent re-release. This means I know EVERY SINGLE item, weapon, and armor in the game, because I proofread those pages. I know where stuff drops from, or is poached from. I know all the locations, because I checked their map pages for correct links.
My posts will be FULL OF SPOILERS but I ask that you PLEASE not spoil me for anything I haven't talked about yet. Thanks in advance!
( here spoilers start )
Pass the Hat
Apr. 18th, 2026 08:39 pmsenmutHelp Kat keep her car and move.
This is our former roommate from when I FIRST moved here,darkdanc3r.
If you can signal boost, great. If you can donate... claim a drabble from me for helping a friend.
This is our former roommate from when I FIRST moved here,
darkdanc3r.If you can signal boost, great. If you can donate... claim a drabble from me for helping a friend.
A Fairly Sad Tale by Dorothy Parker
Apr. 19th, 2026 09:19 pmconulyI think that I shall never know
Why I am thus, and I am so.
Around me, other girls inspire
In men the rush and roar of fire.
The sweet transparency of glass,
The tenderness of April grass,
The durability of granite;
But me—I don't know how to plan it.
The lads I've met in Cupid's deadlock
Were—shall we say?—born out of wedlock.
They broke my heart, they stilled my song,
And said they had to run along,
Explaining, so to sop my tears,
First came their parents or careers.
But ever does experience
Deny me wisdom, calm, and sense!
Though she's a fool who seeks to capture
The twenty-first fine, careless rapture,
I must go on, till ends my rope,
Who from my birth was cursed with hope.
A heart in half is chaste, archaic;
But mine resembles a mosaic—
The thing's become ridiculous!
Why am I so? Why am I thus?
********
Link
Why I am thus, and I am so.
Around me, other girls inspire
In men the rush and roar of fire.
The sweet transparency of glass,
The tenderness of April grass,
The durability of granite;
But me—I don't know how to plan it.
The lads I've met in Cupid's deadlock
Were—shall we say?—born out of wedlock.
They broke my heart, they stilled my song,
And said they had to run along,
Explaining, so to sop my tears,
First came their parents or careers.
But ever does experience
Deny me wisdom, calm, and sense!
Though she's a fool who seeks to capture
The twenty-first fine, careless rapture,
I must go on, till ends my rope,
Who from my birth was cursed with hope.
A heart in half is chaste, archaic;
But mine resembles a mosaic—
The thing's become ridiculous!
Why am I so? Why am I thus?
Link
(no subject)
Apr. 18th, 2026 07:56 pmconulyPoll #34495 Ideal calendar behavior
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 26
When should one cross dates off the calendar?
View Answers
You cross off the current date at the start of the day
2 (7.7%)
You cross off the current date at the end of the day
16 (61.5%)
You cross off tomorrow's date at the end of the day
1 (3.8%)
You never cross anything off, ever
7 (26.9%)
( Read more... )
Grebes in the Rain
Apr. 18th, 2026 07:09 pmyourlibrarian posting in common_nature
We have seen grebes many times but very often they are solo or there may be two. It was unusual to see a group swimming together, which this one did for some time.
( Read more... )
Write Every Day: Day 18
Apr. 18th, 2026 04:02 pmsanguinityIntro/FAQ
My check-in: Finished this revision pass of the longfic, woohoo! (She says optimistically, knowing FULL WELL she's likely to rewrite tomorrow what she rewrote today.) Woot woot!
Day 18:sanguinity
Day 17:badly_knitted, china_shop, cornerofmadness, dswdiane, goddess47, luzula, sanguinity, sylvanwitch, the_siobhan, trobadora
Day 16:badly_knitted, carenejeans, china_shop, cornerofmadness, dswdiane, goddess47, sanguinity, sylvanwitch, the_siobhan, trobadora, ysilme
When you check in, please use the most recent post and say what day(s) you’re checking in for. Remember you can drop in or out at any time, and let me know if I missed anyone!
My check-in: Finished this revision pass of the longfic, woohoo! (She says optimistically, knowing FULL WELL she's likely to rewrite tomorrow what she rewrote today.) Woot woot!
Day 18:
sanguinityDay 17:
badly_knitted, china_shop, cornerofmadness, dswdiane, goddess47, luzula, sanguinity, sylvanwitch, the_siobhan, trobadoraDay 16:
badly_knitted, carenejeans, china_shop, cornerofmadness, dswdiane, goddess47, sanguinity, sylvanwitch, the_siobhan, trobadora, ysilmeWhen you check in, please use the most recent post and say what day(s) you’re checking in for. Remember you can drop in or out at any time, and let me know if I missed anyone!
Minneapolis is not ready for zone 5 yet
Apr. 18th, 2026 05:47 pmmellowtiggerI'm a big advocate of recognizing climate change.
For instance, back in 1960, this USDA map shows Minneapolis in zone 4a. Sometime later, we changed to 4b, and today we're in zone 5a. We're still fully surrounded by zone 4b, though, so it's only because of the "heat island effect" that we're considered a warmer zone. You can see that island of heat on this map. That's fine, I suppose.
Unwelcome, however, is receiving plant shipments on dates that are still too early for actual cold weather habits in this part of Minnesota. I planted things a few weeks ago, when they shipped much too early, then we had a hard freeze down to -7C/20F. I received more plants on Thursday, only a little too early. I kept them indoors, because I saw the forecast for below-freezing temperatures this morning. That's also fine, I suppose. After work today, I got some asparagus and roses into the ground finally. I had to dress warm, because the wind chill was 3C/37F.
I have a few more delivered plants to put into the ground, but I'm waiting until Monday morning's sub-freezing weather passes. One of these plants is another rose, but it's already blooming! It just seems terribly wrong to try putting it into the ground right before a freeze.
That photo isn't great, but the single open flower at the top is still visible. These last remaining plants will just have to wait for Monday afternoon. I wish all of these plants weren't delivered until late April, like what would happen years ago, when we were still in zone 4.
do it yourself, lazybones
Apr. 18th, 2026 05:31 pmsomedayseattleIts too damn hot to even complain about how damn hot it is. 92 degrees?? Whatever happened to Spring? Has Trump ruined that, too?
one if by land and two if by sea
Apr. 18th, 2026 05:05 pmtsuki_no_baraguess how my day started! if you guessed "couldn't get the car door open AGAIN, figured it out, discovered the battery was dead AGAIN," gold star for you! i called the garage and left a very cranky email (they're closed on weekends which i know and let them know i know) because come the fuck on, it's been SIX GOD DAMN WEEKS. and i cannot drive my car. and this is the exact same thing that happened last weekend. and i have plans this coming monday that do not include sitting at home waiting for someone to come and jump the battery like they did this past monday. and i have plans for tonight that i have to cab to.
JESUS FUCK. i just want to be able to drive my car! and not have to worry that it's going to die on me!
*seethe*
i did however manage to make it to the coffee house with the bagel sandwiches (god bless the bus) so i finally satisfied that craving, and i got some sun in and some exercise, and i accomplished about 960 words on the thing i'm doing for writing group, which isn't great but is better than nothing. and i bought quarters and did some laundry. silver lining, silver lining.
today's poem is historically appropriate but very long so i shall cut.
( Listen, my children, and you shall hear )
JESUS FUCK. i just want to be able to drive my car! and not have to worry that it's going to die on me!
*seethe*
i did however manage to make it to the coffee house with the bagel sandwiches (god bless the bus) so i finally satisfied that craving, and i got some sun in and some exercise, and i accomplished about 960 words on the thing i'm doing for writing group, which isn't great but is better than nothing. and i bought quarters and did some laundry. silver lining, silver lining.
today's poem is historically appropriate but very long so i shall cut.
( Listen, my children, and you shall hear )
(no subject)
Apr. 18th, 2026 04:44 pmmajuIt's a beautiful day today, much cooler than the last few days have been, and I very much enjoyed being able to run this morning in a comfortable temperature.
Yesterday my daughter went to Trader Joe's and brought back some chocolate orange sticks for me (small sticks of orange jelly coated in chocolate). They are delicious. This afternoon I walked to Stop&Shop to buy some milk. While I was there I had to spend some time in the British foods section (newly discovered - in the foreign foods section), drooling over English chocolate and English tea bags, and naturally I couldn't resist buying myself a bar of mint Aero. Now I'm trying to ration my chocolate consumption so I don't eat all this chocolate too quickly.
Yesterday my daughter went to Trader Joe's and brought back some chocolate orange sticks for me (small sticks of orange jelly coated in chocolate). They are delicious. This afternoon I walked to Stop&Shop to buy some milk. While I was there I had to spend some time in the British foods section (newly discovered - in the foreign foods section), drooling over English chocolate and English tea bags, and naturally I couldn't resist buying myself a bar of mint Aero. Now I'm trying to ration my chocolate consumption so I don't eat all this chocolate too quickly.
The Meadowlands Public School Book Sale
Apr. 18th, 2026 02:34 pmblogcutterI'm a sucker for booksales. If they're organized by a cash-strapped school and money raised goes to support the school library, so much the better! I didn't even know about this one until yesterday, when I read our local MPP's newsletter. I go to these book sales with no prior expectations - I just browse to my heart's content and pick out anything that looks interesting. Today's haul was a total of 32 books, the whole bag for $65. Some were very old, some newish, some in pristine condition, others well-thumbed, more what dealers would call a "reading copy".
Twelve were fiction:
1. Collectif de l'Association des écrivains québécois pour la jeunesse - Bye-bye Les Parents (YA short fiction)
2. Crummey, Michael - The Innocents
3. Demaline, Cherie - Empire of the Wild
4. Florence, Elinor - Wildwood
5. French, Nicci - Blue Monday
6. Graham, Genevieve - Bluebird (Historical fiction)
7. Ikkumaq, Jessica Rose - Why do Northern Lights run around? (English & Inuktitut)
8. Ness, Patrick - Chaos Walking: The Knife of Never Letting Go (SF)
9. O'Neill, Heather - The Girl Who Was Saturday Night
10. Pearse, Lesley - The Woman in the Wood
11. Smucker, Barbara - Underground to Canada (Children or YA)
12. Wagamese, Richard - Indian Horse
Another five would go into the category of biography or memoir:
1. Appleby, Timothy - A New Kind of Monster: the secret life & chilling crimes of Col. Russell Williams
2. Belli, Gioconda - The Country under my Skin: a memoir of love & war
3. Prince Harry - Spare
4. Thistle, Jesse - From the Ashes: My story of being Metis, homeless & finding my way
5. Trudeau, Alexandre - Barbarian Lost: Travels in the new China
Four under food & drink, and general reference:
1. The Beer Bible - Jeff Alworth
2. The Canadian Press Stylebook: A guide for writers & editors, 16th ed. (2010)
3. Cheese Stakes: Lanark County's mammoth cheese & its place in cheesemaking history - Ron W. Shaw
4. Vegan Secret Supper: Bold & elegant menus from a rogue kitchen - Merida Anderson
And finally ... all the rest. Some history and politics, local interest, autofiction, general nonfiction, trivia, humour. Stuff that caught my interest but I'm too lazy to fit into a specific category, which would feel too much like work.
1. Crankshaw, Edward - The New Cold War: Moscow v.Pekin
2. Deacon, Gillian - Green for Life: 200 eco-ideas for every day
3. Fogarty, Catherine - Murder on the Inside: True story of the deadly riot at Kingston Penitentiary
4. Gardam, John - Fifty Years After (WWII)
5. Laprade, Sam & Caroline Phillips - Ottawa Made
6. Mackenzie, Tom H. - The Last Foundling
7. Moorehead, Caroline - A Train in Winter: Extraordinary story of women, friendship & survival in wwII
8. Peterson, Jordan B. - 12 Rules for Life: An antidote to chaos
9. Stanbridge, Joanne - Famous Dead Canadians
10. Wallace, Garth - Cockpit Follies
11. Wilson, Richard Albert - The Miraculous Birth of Language (preface: Bernard Shaw)
I expect that the 32 books I've listed here will all have different destinies. Some I'll read once and then quickly pass on to a friend or a little free library or a future book sale; others won't be read cover-to-cover but I'll likely refer to them from time to time; others will stay in my permanent collection, for my descendants to read or dispense with as they see fit.
Twelve were fiction:
1. Collectif de l'Association des écrivains québécois pour la jeunesse - Bye-bye Les Parents (YA short fiction)
2. Crummey, Michael - The Innocents
3. Demaline, Cherie - Empire of the Wild
4. Florence, Elinor - Wildwood
5. French, Nicci - Blue Monday
6. Graham, Genevieve - Bluebird (Historical fiction)
7. Ikkumaq, Jessica Rose - Why do Northern Lights run around? (English & Inuktitut)
8. Ness, Patrick - Chaos Walking: The Knife of Never Letting Go (SF)
9. O'Neill, Heather - The Girl Who Was Saturday Night
10. Pearse, Lesley - The Woman in the Wood
11. Smucker, Barbara - Underground to Canada (Children or YA)
12. Wagamese, Richard - Indian Horse
Another five would go into the category of biography or memoir:
1. Appleby, Timothy - A New Kind of Monster: the secret life & chilling crimes of Col. Russell Williams
2. Belli, Gioconda - The Country under my Skin: a memoir of love & war
3. Prince Harry - Spare
4. Thistle, Jesse - From the Ashes: My story of being Metis, homeless & finding my way
5. Trudeau, Alexandre - Barbarian Lost: Travels in the new China
Four under food & drink, and general reference:
1. The Beer Bible - Jeff Alworth
2. The Canadian Press Stylebook: A guide for writers & editors, 16th ed. (2010)
3. Cheese Stakes: Lanark County's mammoth cheese & its place in cheesemaking history - Ron W. Shaw
4. Vegan Secret Supper: Bold & elegant menus from a rogue kitchen - Merida Anderson
And finally ... all the rest. Some history and politics, local interest, autofiction, general nonfiction, trivia, humour. Stuff that caught my interest but I'm too lazy to fit into a specific category, which would feel too much like work.
1. Crankshaw, Edward - The New Cold War: Moscow v.Pekin
2. Deacon, Gillian - Green for Life: 200 eco-ideas for every day
3. Fogarty, Catherine - Murder on the Inside: True story of the deadly riot at Kingston Penitentiary
4. Gardam, John - Fifty Years After (WWII)
5. Laprade, Sam & Caroline Phillips - Ottawa Made
6. Mackenzie, Tom H. - The Last Foundling
7. Moorehead, Caroline - A Train in Winter: Extraordinary story of women, friendship & survival in wwII
8. Peterson, Jordan B. - 12 Rules for Life: An antidote to chaos
9. Stanbridge, Joanne - Famous Dead Canadians
10. Wallace, Garth - Cockpit Follies
11. Wilson, Richard Albert - The Miraculous Birth of Language (preface: Bernard Shaw)
I expect that the 32 books I've listed here will all have different destinies. Some I'll read once and then quickly pass on to a friend or a little free library or a future book sale; others won't be read cover-to-cover but I'll likely refer to them from time to time; others will stay in my permanent collection, for my descendants to read or dispense with as they see fit.