Maybe free

Jun. 18th, 2025 08:27 am
susandennis: (Default)
[personal profile] susandennis
I spent most of yesterday assuming today I'd be Hazel's hospital taxi. This was not a good thought. I hate the drive and I'm not wild on her dependence on me. She has two grown sons and one grown daughter in law who live nearby... But, finally last night about 8, she came in to give me an update. They were still testing stuff with John but his spirits were good. Her son brought her home and her daughter in law escorted her up to her door. And they were going to be her hospital taxi today. So, whew.

She's kind of a mess. Not in a pearl clutching way but more in a confused and also severely diminished eyesight kind of way. This has also pointed that out to her. "I never used a cellphone because why? John's always there and he does it. Bad move." But, it is nice to know (for me, her sons, her husband and her) that she is in a place with options if she needs them.

So today is mine. Thank you. There is a Food and Beverage committee meeting this afternoon. The first since they fired the long time chef and hired a new one. Should be interesting.

I put in a work order the other day because the door to my apartment squeaks so loudly that I was afraid of complaints from downtown every time I opened the door. I had WD-40'd the hinges and nada. But, turns out, I just needed a professional. Yesterday, Jorge (who is one of the nicest guys) came and did just what I did but did it way better because now I can sneak out in the dead of night and no one will ever know. I love not owning my home!!

I think after Scott and Julie leave next week, I'll go back to dolls. I should be about out of Pride yarn by then anyway. And nearly out of Pride month.

20250616_170751-COLLAGE

Wednesday Reading Meme & Books 43 - 45 of 2025

Jun. 18th, 2025 07:45 am
spikedluv: (summer: sunflowers by candi)
[personal profile] spikedluv
What I Just Finished Reading: Since last Wednesday I have read/finished reading: System Collapse (The Murderbot Diaries) by Martha Wells, The Body in the Garden (A Lily Adler Mystery) by Katharine Schellman, and Martinis and Mayhem (A Murder, She Wrote Mystery) by Donald Bain.


What I am Currently Reading: Water Like a Stone (A Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James Mystery) by Deborah Crombie.


What I Plan to Read Next: Still a variety of library books out and even more on request, so a library book.



Book 43 of 2025: System Collapse (The Murderbot Diaries) (Martha Wells)

This book was so good! ( spoilers )

So good! I still have one book left because I was forewarned that this one immediately followed Network Effect. I’m obviously giving this one five hearts.

♥♥♥♥♥


Book 44 of 2025: The Body in the Garden (A Lily Adler Mystery) (Katharine Schellman)

I liked this book a lot. ( spoilers )

I enjoyed this book and have already requested the second in the series from the library. I'm giving this one five hearts.

♥♥♥♥♥


Book 45 of 2025: Martinis & Mayhem (A Murder, She Wrote Mystery) (Donald Bain)

I enjoyed this book (though you know I'll have something to say about it in a future M[F]M post). ( spoilers )

I'm happy to see that these books are getting better, even though there are still some inconsistencies (within the book and with the show). I'm giving it four hearts.

♥♥♥♥
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The Day in Spikedluv (Tuesday, June 17)

Jun. 18th, 2025 06:49 am
spikedluv: (summer: sunflowers by candi)
[personal profile] spikedluv
My sister A wanted to go out to see mom at 11am; I’m relieving her around 3pm (timing at her request), so I had time to get some shopping and other chores done. I went downtown so I could go to Walmart.

Mom stuff: While at Walmart I picked up some items that mom had requested I get for her eventual convalescence at home; dropped by her house to get her mail; and stopped in at the bank to make sure they had a copy of her POA on file (since she has me signing checks to pay bills while she’s in the hospital). They did not. The process took way longer than I expected; it’s such a rigamarole now. (On the plus side, I got a call after just an hour and a half saying it had been approved, so I’m good to go.)

I passed Sunnycrest, so I stopped in to see if they had those beef sticks for Pip. They did! Just one package, but it’s something.

I did a load of laundry, hit Stewart’s on the way home, baked chicken for the dogs, did the usual amount of hand-washing dishes, and changed kitty litter. (Dear lord, that was a stinky job. My fault because I let it go longer than usual. Lesson learned. Hopefully.)

I started reading a new book and obviously got to visit mom.

Time is warping and I thought today was Wednesday so I took my Trulicity injection a day early. o_O

Temps started out at 59.0(F) and reached 74. At a guess. I hate not being home in the afternoon to check the temp.


Mom Update:

Mom was doing much better today! MUCH better. ( more )
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The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Tuesday, June 17

Jun. 17th, 2025 07:53 pm
rahirah: (su_editor)
[personal profile] rahirah posting in [community profile] su_herald
WILLOW: Tara, I have to tell you...
TARA: No, I-I understand. You have to be with the person you l-love.
WILLOW: (smiles) I am.

~~Buffy Episode #75: "New Moon Rising"~~


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Interuptus

Jun. 17th, 2025 01:28 pm
susandennis: (Default)
[personal profile] susandennis
Volleyball was really good this morning. We had a good crowd of fun players and lots of laughs. Then, home to breakfast and coffee. I was nearly finished with both when Hazel came in with a face that was in total distress. She said John and fallen in the shower and they had just taken him away and could I please take her to the hospital.

Turns out, thankfully, he had not fallen but had come close and nearly lost conciseness. The parametics said it was likely dehydration. She wasn't entirely sure which hospital and her son could not get to her until after 11 (this was 8:30). So we made a plan. We found out the hospital. I grabbed my shit, she grabbed hers, we got her and her walker into the car and off we went.

She was not frantic just worried to bits. I was really glad she had gotten me instead of trying to figure it out on her own, Plus, I had zippity on for this morning so not a problem.

The hospital was the same one that I took Myrna to all those times so at least not a black hole. It's an easy-ish trip until you get close and then it's a nightmare. But we made it And found easy parking and got right in to John who was awake and alert and not frantic. Now they were thinking heart. I stayed until Hazel had talked to their son to find out he was on the way. Then I came home. Now I am in the elbow while my house cleaner does her magic.

Hazel did call a few minutes ago to say that they were keeping John overnight and Keith (son) would get her home. (Whew on not having to go again. I'm over that drive.)

So that's my excitement du jour. I did remember, on my way home, to pop into UPS with my Amazon return. Go Me.

Comment Bingo Round 7

Jun. 17th, 2025 12:03 pm
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The Day in Spikedluv (Monday, June 16)

Jun. 17th, 2025 07:36 am
spikedluv: (summer: sunflowers by candi)
[personal profile] spikedluv
I had plans to get a lot of stuff (including stuff for mom) done in the afternoon after visiting mom, but my sister got out of work later than she thought and I stayed later because the surgeon had come in and so I got none of that stuff done.

I did do a load of laundry, the usual amount of hand-washing dishes, and scooped kitty litter. I read and watched an HGTV program.

I was hungry by the time I left the hospital as I hadn’t had lunch yet, and I didn’t want to wait until I got home to eat. So I went to a place called the Hawkeye Bar & Grill in the Otesaga Hotel and had some very good fish and chips. This was the view from my seat on the patio:



Temps started out at 57.4(F) and reached 81. (According to Pip. I’m not sure whether to believe him, but he actually had a number instead of yesterday when he just said ‘it got hot’.) The whole day was overcast/hazy, for which we should be thankful, I guess, if it really did reach 81.


Mom Update:

Mom was feeling better today, which was a relief. A lot of stuff happened, so I expect this to get long. ( it did get long )
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The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Monday, June 16th

Jun. 16th, 2025 04:17 pm
fatalfae: Sunnydale Herald use ONLY. (Default)
[personal profile] fatalfae posting in [community profile] su_herald
Fred: Okay, so - maybe you got a beast in you. But I know what it's like to be squirrelly and a freak with no one to... (spins to face Angel) Does it taste like oatmeal?
Angel hurriedly shoves a spoonful in his mouth.
Fred: I-I forget what things are supposed to taste like.
Angel: Tastes good.
Fred takes a step closer and yells 'Tacos!' making Angel jump.
Fred: Sorry. I didn't mean to holler at you. (Sits down beside Angel) I love tacos. Do they still have them? You know, back...
Angel: ...home? Yeah, they didn't outlaw tacos.

~~There's No Place Like Plrtz Glrb~~


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Join everykindofcraft!

Jun. 16th, 2025 01:31 pm
yourlibrarian: Guava Hibiscus (NAT-GuavaHibiscus-yourlibrarian)
[personal profile] yourlibrarian
1) Even though I know it's difficult to get any traction with communities, I decided to give a new one a go. Unfortunately Dreamwidth does not give over defunct communities to new mods, which is a shame since quite a few communities don't make it a year and the admin has disappeared.

I know there are many crafters on Dreamwidth but it seems nothing devoted to it has been updated in eons or has no admin or both. So I decided to open [community profile] everykindofcraft for what it says in the name. A community where people can share their projects, either in process or completed, as well as ask for assistance with craft-related things. ( Read more... )

If anyone would be interested in co-modding, let me know!

2) Thought it was amusing when I read in this article about Andor filming locations that a building of Calatrava's was a central choice. I've liked his work and had a book on his portfolio (most of which has involved bridges and transportation centers rather than, say, office buildings). But I didn't recognize it, which is probably in part because I was so riveted by what was happening on screen and partly because I hadn't realized they'd done as much location shooting as they had.

3) Posted another set of travel pics over [community profile] common_nature, this from the International Rose Test Garden in Portland.

4) Read the latest two books by Ellie Griffiths, and had mixed feelings about them. They are Bleeding Heart Yard and The Last Word which I read in order. I had issues with the mystery in the first and felt like the resolution to the second one was rather pro forma. ( spoilers )

5) Also tried out the first of Helen Fields' DI Callanach series, Perfect Remains ( Read more... )

Poll #33260 Kudos Footer-527
This poll is anonymous.
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 7

Want to leave a Kudos?

View Answers

Kudos!
7 (100.0%)



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Monday

Jun. 16th, 2025 07:43 am
susandennis: (Default)
[personal profile] susandennis
Friday night, Ethel asked me if I wanted wine or water 'or we have some tonic and lime' and pointed to glasses set up that looked delicious and refreshing so I opted for tonic and lime. And now, of course, I'm hooked. I do enjoy a good gin and tonics but I like most alcohol, while I enjoy the taste, I do not enjoy the effects. Plus who needs the extra calories anyway? For some reason it never occurred to me to just leave out the gin. So tonic and lime is my new, refreshing, Summer beverage.

I went out yesterday to buy some tonic and to make an Amazon return and then remembered, after I had left, that the UPS shop was closed for father's day. So I still have that errand to do. But, still no hurry.

There are workers out on the patio this morning but they are working very quietly :) There are several tables set up for eating so someone must be having a lunch or dinner out there today. Tis the season. My friend, Steve, gathers folks for dinners on Thursdays out there. I can watch from my table. I keep thinking I'll join them sometime but on Thursdays I usually find a million reasons why I'd rather not. Starting with... eating outside?? I've never understood the allure. It's way cooler and more pleasant in here and... no bugs.

I have nothing on the agenda today. So that's probably what I will do. More Clarksons Farm and more Pride dolls. I need to build up an inventory for when I'm not knitting next week. My New Zealand friends arrive on Sunday.

Even with nothing on the agenda, it would be good if I got dressed.

The Day in Spikedluv (Sunday, June 15)

Jun. 16th, 2025 08:37 am
spikedluv: (summer: sunflowers by candi)
[personal profile] spikedluv
I did a load of laundry, the usual amount of hand-washing dishes, and scooped kitty litter. I finished one book and started another. I talked with mom on the telephone and visited her, as well as sent messages to her.

I forgot to mention that Pip’s buddy dropped off more BBQ chicken quarters yesterday, lol! At least I didn’t have to worry about what he was going to have for supper.

ETA: I forgot to mention the sad news that the four killdeer eggs are missing completely. No sign that they hatched. Pip caught sight of a red fox eating the sunflower seed he puts out, so we think that's what got them. I can't believe that just a day or two after I decide to tell you all about them, they're toast. *sniffle*

Temps started out at 57.9(F) and reached 69.2. (Pip said it had gotten higher, but that’s the high I saw when I got home.) It was mostly hazy all day.


Mom Update:

I called mom in the morning (now that she’s in SCU she has a phone). ( cutting for those who don’t want to read )
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The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Sunday, June 15th

Jun. 16th, 2025 11:43 am
thenewbuzwuzz: Spike at computer, caption says EDITOR (Herald)
[personal profile] thenewbuzwuzz posting in [community profile] su_herald
ANYA: Well, thank you for the generous life-saving. Now please go away. Look, I don't need anyone's help. Or, OK, clearly I do, but I don't want to need anyone's help, so stop helping.

~~Him~~



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The Julio equivalent of watching paint dry

Jun. 15th, 2025 09:01 am

Sunday

Jun. 15th, 2025 07:45 am
susandennis: (Default)
[personal profile] susandennis
Turns out that last night's dinner was kind of a tradition for the two couples. Ethel and Gary, who live here, have Seattle Symphony tickets with Jan and Dick, who don't live here... yet. Dick and Jan come over and have dinner as guests of Ethel and Gary and then Dick (the only one of the four who still drives at night), drives them to the concert.

So last night, they added me and Beth Box into the mix. Beth was another friend of Myrna's (and of both couples) who moved in here about six months after I did. So the six of us had a delightful dinner. They closed the dining room ('staffing shortage' again) so we all got dinners to go and had it in Ethel and Gary's apartment which was just lovely.

Dick and Jan did finally get their house on the market and had an offer in 3 days and are closing the first week in July so they will be moving into Myrna's apartment very soon.

Today is baseball, knitting, and laundry. I might go out. I have an Amazon return and I'd like a couple of things at the grocery BUT nothing really that can't wait so maybe not. Next week has plenty of opportunities for stuff like that.

Julio has this toy that he is addicted to. It needs to be charged and I forgot to charge it last night and it's just run out of juice and he's having a hard time dealing with it. For the last 5 minutes, he's just been lying there staring at it. He gets all anxious when I plug it into the charger. But, it looks like that's going to have to happen. Sorry, buddy.

PXL_20250615_145829300

Oh, good, he just went into the bedroom. Time to plug it in.

TV Talk: Murderbot & Resident Alien

Jun. 15th, 2025 08:28 am
spikedluv: created by tarlan (misc: tv talk by tarlan)
[personal profile] spikedluv
Murderbot: Good ep! ( spoilers )


Resident Alien: Good ep! ( spoilers )
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The Day in Spikedluv (Saturday, June 14)

Jun. 15th, 2025 06:55 am
spikedluv: (summer: sunflowers by candi)
[personal profile] spikedluv
I hit Price Chopper, the Pharmacy and the Bakery while I was downtown. I stopped at the library on the way home to pick up a book. I made spaghetti sauce for supper when I got home. I did a load of laundry, the usual amount of hand-washing dishes, and scooped kitty litter.

For fun stuff I watched the current ep of Resident Alien and some HGTV programs, read some more Lily Adler, and sent more messages to mom. I also wrote ~550 words on a new fic.

Temps started out at 55.0(F) and reached 61.2. It was originally supposed to rain all day, but the forecast showed that the percentage was going to drop to very low after 9am, though we weren’t going to have any sun. And that’s sort of what happened; there were still sprinkles, but not a soaking rain. Still it was very chilly.


Mom Update:

Mom had been moved to the SCU when my sister, A, arrived this morning. She’s talkative and actually ‘eating’ her lunch (beef broth and Italian ice – still on liquid diet). My sister said she’s much more herself today, which is great news! She’s getting a roommate, which is not good news as we were hoping for a private room, but what can you do. They didn’t get her up to walk at all, so that must’ve been PT coming around yesterday, not just the nurse. It’s ridiculous that the patients get zero PT on the weekend. Seems like they'd lose some of the progress they made.
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The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Saturday, June 14

Jun. 14th, 2025 11:06 pm
veronyxk84: Editor icon for su_herald (_Herald Editor#1)
[personal profile] veronyxk84 posting in [community profile] su_herald
GILES: Quite extraordinary really.
BUFFYBOT: Thank you. But I really think we should be listening to the other Buffy, Guy-les. She's very smart and she's gonna help us save Spike.
GILES: Guy-les? Spike didn't even bother to program my name properly.
BUFFY: Listen, skirt girl, we are not going to save him. We're going to kill him. He knows who the key is, and there's no way he's not telling Glory.
BUFFYBOT: You're right. He's evil. But you should see him naked. I mean really.
BUFFY: Okay, guys, split up and spread out. Check the priciest-looking places first. Xander, you come with me. Willow, Anya, stick together, and Guy-les... Giles-you can watch... it.

~~BtVS 5x18 “Intervention”~~



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Saturday

Jun. 14th, 2025 08:49 am
susandennis: (Default)
[personal profile] susandennis
Protests, graduations, COVID - they all got together and decimated our volleyball turnout. But four of us lamely tried for an hour. It was ok. It would have been more fun had not the asshole been one of the four and he decided to leave after 30 minutes. Four worked. Three didn't. We gave up.

Elbow coffee is still an hour away.

The other day when I was at Trader Joes, I got some heirloom tomatoes, an onion and some Persian cukes and yesterday I chopped them all up into biggish pieces, added salt and pepper and a little balsamic dressing and popped it into the fridge. Dinner from the buffet was turkey and dressing and mashed potatoes and I added my chopped concoction and OMG was it all delicious. PLUS there is enough left of everything for another entire meal and then some.

But it won't be tonight. I got a text from Ethel asking me if I could join her and Gary and Jan and Dick for dinner tonight! YOU BETCHA!! They are all the best friends of Myrna. Gary plays volleyball with us (and was one of the four this morning) and Ethel is his wife and they are both delightful. Jan and Dick are the couple planning to move into Myrna's apartment. All four of them have been so kind to me and are just fun, nice, people. I'm delighted to be their fifth wheel. Plus, I want an update of the moving situation. And they are early birds so dinner will be at 4:45 which suits me just perfectly.

Periodically, I check on my cousin's house in Oklahoma City. BUT Google hasn't updated the street view since before he died. And, of course, the real estate sites have no info. I'm sure the people who bought it will tear it down or already have. So I keep checking. This morning I got the bright idea to check Reddit. Yep, there is an OKC sub so I posted an ask for someone who's driving by to snap a photo. I already got a response from some who who says they work very near there and can do it! Very cool.

My New Zealand friends sent me a video this morning of a bear and two cubs crossing the road in front of them on their way west to Whistler. I do love that they saw them. Love that she was fast enough to whip out her phone and capture the video but most of all I am so grateful to live in a time when that is not only possible, it's normal!! (the video not the bears)

Ok, now I need to get dressed. Ingrid may go to elbow coffee in her nightgown and robe but not me.

Hiroshiga Exhibition

Jun. 14th, 2025 03:49 pm
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[personal profile] kazzy_cee
Yesterday, we went to the British Museum to see the Hiroshige: Artist of the Open Road exhibition, which was spectacular. It was a warm day (29C/84F) in London, but not an unpleasant walk from Charing Cross station to the museum as we could keep in the shade.

Utagawa Hiroshige (1797–1858) was a very prolific artist and the exhibition contains examples of his landscapes, natural world studies, and studies of all walks of life in Japanese society at the time.  A memorial portrait by Utagawa Kunisada.
IMG_2109.jpeg

Hiroshige was orphaned at age 12 and inherited his father's title of fire warden. A superior in the fire department taught him to paint in the Kano school style. By the 1830s he was focusing on his best-known subjects, tranquil views of famous places, city life and the natural world.  Living during the Edo period when there was urban growth, but also famine, social crisis and foreign military incursions, HIroshiga concentrated on the positive side of life at the time.

There were a LOT of examples of his work (it's a large exhibition) and so there are many photos under this cut as I adored far too many not to share.

( Read more... )


It was a fascinating exhibition and we enjoyed it very much.
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The Day in Spikedluv (Friday, June 13)

Jun. 14th, 2025 07:24 am
spikedluv: (summer: sunflowers by candi)
[personal profile] spikedluv
Visited mom again at 11am. I didn’t go downtown, but did manage to get some chores and computer stuff done before I left the house.

I did a load of laundry, the usual amount of hand-washing dishes, and scooped kitty litter. I made it to the library to return and pick-up a book. I started a new book (the first Lily Adler one), watched the current ep of Murderbot, and sent mom another message. I hope she enjoys them when she’s home and sees them.

I picked up my car from the garage this morning when I dropped off Grant. I forgot to mention it in yesterday’s post, but just when I pulled out on the main road to head to the hospital it started acting up. (Thank goodness I leave early to make sure I can find parking. And thank goodness Pip has a used car he can lend me.) It bucked and sent the dreaded ‘reduced engine power’ message, along with the ‘service stabilitrak’ and ‘service traction control’ messages I’ve gotten before. This time Pip replaced the gas pedal, of all things. He said there are two sensors in the gas pedal and they weren’t lining up. It drove well today, so hopefully that’s the fix.

I also haven’t mentioned that a bird, a killdeer, built a nest in our driveway. At first we spotted the male dancing around trying to attract a female. Then the male chased Pip one day and we joked that he might have a nest nearby. Then we saw the female sitting in our driveway forever, and it turns out, they did have a nest in the driveway. Seems like a weird place to build a nest, especially with cats and dogs living here, but what do I know, nature is weird. I got photos of the female and the eggs when she was off the nest one time.


Photos
~*~


Additionally! On the drive to the hospital I pass a house that has a bunch of irises on their front lawn. Solid dark purple and solid pale yellow. They’re gorgeous and they look so pretty together.

Temps started out at 54.1(F) and reached 73.6. It was hazy most of the day. We’re supposed to have more rain tomorrow.


Mom Update:

Mom was much better today. ( not long, but cutting for those who don’t want to read it )
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