Eagles Over the Kennebec

What went before, short form: So, yesterday morning I discovered a new and disturbing discoloration on the back of my calf, about the size of my palm. I spent some time thinking about that, my inclination being to Just Ignore It. Had it be Steve, now, I would have nagged him to go to the clinic, or at least call his doctor, and finally I decided that -- in all fairness and in the spirit of While One Stands Both Live -- I should do the same for me, so! to the clinic I went.

Examination, measurements, conversation, and ultrasound later -- nobody knows what caused the broken blood vessels, but the discoloration is not a sign of a DVT -- that's a blood clot -- and that's really all that interests me.  Oh, and the disturbed area may be treated with warm compresses, elevation, and Tylenol.

It was not a very productive day, otherwise. I rewarded myself with ice cream and going to the local Reny's to buy socks. Because buying socks is always in order.

Thursday. Sunny! Going to be warm(ish), though not so warm as it eventually got to be, yesterday. The windows are open. For now.

Breakfast was oatmeal with cranberries (a fat free food! it says on the package) and walnuts. Lunch with be a sweet potato.

Consumers for Affordable Health Care called me back as I was at breakfast and they too! gave me the number for Legal Aid for the Elderly, which is on my list to call as soon as I have my second cup of tea to fortify me. I can't wait to hear how they can't help me, either.

I have more things to do than I have time to accomplish, but I'll see what I can make happen.

Window wash/gutter cleaning scheduled for noon. ASL at 5:30. Cat bowls have been refreshed.

Rookie came up into my lap after I finished my oatmeal -- we have this thing where he visits me after breakfast (and after lunch, if his schedule allow), and this morning, Tali came by, saw the lap was occupied and jumped up anyway. She snuffled Rook's ears; he snuffled her cheek. She stood there on my knees, a little uncertain, but unwilling to get down -- so Rook got down and strolled off to have a bite of cat food. Tali turned around a couple times, bumped my chin with her head, tried to eat the blood pressure cuff while it was doing its thing, then bumped me again and jumped down.

So -- progress.

What's progressing in your vicinity?

Oh -- Proof of sunshine, and! How many cats are in this picture?

Notice:  Today's blog post is picture-heavy.  Some days are like that, Mrs. Miller.

What went before ONE:  So, here in Maine, where it's snowing, the US Government has pulled the funds that pay for school lunches in Maine, because there are trans students in school sports, and! it has just pulled correctional funding because there's a trans prisoner in a women's prison.

This, according to the US Government's Speaker to Animals in the service of "protecting women."

What fun.

What went before TWO: This of course makes it very easy to type...

What went before THREE: Snowing harder. Hands still hurt.

1260 new words today, and that's the end of the new scene.

Trooper is yelling his head off, which is going to get tiresome RSN, and won't make Happy Hour happen faster. It's just -- clocks, man. SO unobliging.

I was able to schedule a mammogram at Thayer in September, and therefore cancelled the one at Sebasticook. There were a couple of confusing points, such as -- Where do you want the report sent. Which, given my PCP has gone or will shortly go, poof! was a puzzler. I finally recalled to mind my surgeon at the cancer center, so that's who will receive the report. The other one was -- Have your records sent over to us. Oh, yeah, sure. How? Oh, just call their file room, they do this all the time. Uh-huh.

I ended up calling the women's health department, explaining what I was told and they were able to send the electronic files on while I was on the phone with them.

I also signed a service agreement, which will take care of my lawn mowing and the upcoming winter's snow removal.

So, yanno -- progress made on several fronts. Go, me.

Speaking of progress -- I did wash the sheets, but now I have to fold them. So, I guess I'll do that, and let Trooper yell out here all by his onesie.

Everybody stay safe; I'll see you tomorrow.

Wednesday. Sunny and cold. About 2.5 inches of snow on the front step; trees coated with white. Ref pic below.

The Weatherbeans are calling for sun and 40F/4C today and warmer tomorrow. Already, the snow's falling off the trees. Friday should be quite pleasant. Saturday and Sunday, you ask? Mixed snow and rain. What else?

Given Conditions, today will be more writing, lucky characters; also ASL homework. I should also Scrutinize my travel arrangements, and nail down an appointment in Corning to make some glass.

Breakfast was cream cheese on rice crackers, with a side of grapes; second mug of tea to hand. Lunch will be soup and salad, because I'm lazy.

On the Fashionista Front, the pearl studs worked out well yesterday, so I may put in the sapphire studs today. They'll look nice with my green-and-black-check flannel shirt.

It appears that the morning wrassle-and-scream session is now a Tradition for Rook and Tali. They have at it mightily for, oh, six minutes? Then Rook rolls over and shows his belly, Tali licks his head and they go off to their morning nap spots. Cats, man. They passeth understanding.

Oh, another thing to do today. I'll be attending AlbaCon remotely, if I can figure out how to tell Zambia that.

. . . and that's really all I've got. As a spectator sport, writing is even more boring than chess. No, I misspeak. Chess isn't boring at all, to an informed onlooker. So I've been told. Golf, then. Writing is more boring than golf. There's a tshirt.

What are you doing today that's boring?

Here, have a picture of Trooper the Wise. And Grumpy. Can't forget Grumpy.

Today's blog title brought to you courtesy of Mr. Glenn Fry, "The Heat is On."

What went before: So, Northern Light Hospital in Waterville is trying to refer all its patients to Maine General. I know this because the office of a Maine General Spine Surgeon called me to tell me that I had been referred by someone I'd never heard of for neck pain. In the course of sorting that out, I actually spoke with someone at my PCP's office, and she did confirm that, not only the hospital, but ALL the clinics, and specialty offices attached to the hospital (with the exception of the continuing care facility on the hospital's campus) are closing down dead on May 27. This means, among other things that I will be driving 120 miles, round trip, to see a PCP, if one can be found at Eastern Maine Medical. Inland will also happily fix me up with Reddington Fairview, in Skowhegan, which is chronically overworked, or, oh MDI Hospital, which is very nice, but -- it's on Mount Desert Island.

The FAQ on the We're Abandoning You Page (it's not called that; it's called The Transition Page), chirpily informs us that making sure any on-going prescriptions are up-to-date is very important, because the hospital realizes that it may "take some time" for people to find a new PCP.

The hospital also acknowledges that one of the several reasons it's shutting down is because of staff shortages, so one wonders where the hell they think the people its abandoning are going to find doctors, since a bunch of them are BEING FIRED, and probably moving out of state.

What a freaking mess.

Well.

I guess I'd better make some lunch, hey?

Some time later: Got some reading of the WIP done. Will do more tomorrow while Ashley is here, and I've pulled back to Steve's office to give her room to wield her equipment.

One of the Afternoon Thoughts was that Steve's cardiologist is going down with the hospital, and that I was glad Steve didn't have to stress through that. Of course, he's also my cardiologist, but that seems much less of a *particular* blow. I'll miss my PCP more. That Thought led to the subsequent thoughts, that I'm glad Steve is missing, oh, yanno, the dissolution of Democracy, and the general demise of the world. I kinda wish I could miss it, too, but -- I told the characters I'd do this book for them.

In other news, Trooper is telling me that it's Coon Cat Happy Hour and he's pretty nearly right, so I'd better go see if I have enough plates and cocktail napkins, and little paper umbrellas.

Everybody stay safe; I'll see you tomorrow.

Thursday. It's...raining, and the temps are just above freezing. Supposed high temps for the day in the upper 40sF.

I had taken all the cat toys up from the living room floor and piled them up on top of the ball racer, and put the pile on the sofa so Ashley's vacuum has a free run. Rook has cleared all the toys off of the ball racer and is playing with it. So, there, Mom! Oh, and now the girls are interested. Photomentary at eleven.

Again! I thank everyone who has left a review for Diviner's Bow. Keep 'em coming! Also? You guys read hella fast.

Breakfast was sausage gravy on whole wheat/multigrain toast. Kettle's on for my second mug of tea. Lunch will be -- eh. I'll check the freezer and see if I have any soup. If today's weather has a Theme, soup is what it's good for.

Ashley texted that she might be a little late, which, given the weather, is prudent. I'm here until 5:00 anyhoot.

I? Am never going to learn how to count in ASL. Or maybe I mean to say that I'll never learn how to count fast in ASL. Which is OK. I mean, I don't particularly count fast in English. I count slightly faster in Spanish, because it became music for me somewhere along the line, and more about matching cadences than counting. Also, it's my contention that you don't need to count in sign. If somebody asks you how many kids you have, and you have three, you pat three invisible heads. If somebody asks how many cats you have, you make the sign for "cat" until you're done.

As soon as I dispatch this letter, I'll be pulling my work back to Steve's office, where I've activated the heat pump, so it ought to be nice and toasty.

How's everybody doing today?

Today's blog title is brought to you by The Star Fox by Poul Anderson.  I attribute the quote to Cynbe ru Taren, but it's been at least 60 years since I've read The Star Fox, so I could be wrong.  Great quote, though.

What Went Before: So, I'm kinda tired, which I attribute to having been woken up and terrified before the day properly began. The heart monitor is all wrapped up with a note detailing its slide into insanity and ready to be dropped off at the UPS store. I've written a note to my cardiologist on the portal, explaining what happened. I've done some ASL homework, and some writing, by which I mean thinking and also writing 750-ish new words, bringing the total words thus far to +/-21,260.

I'm done for the day. I may monkey a bit with Steve's Chromebook, but it will be from the corner of the sofa, and under my comfy blanket.

Sunday. Cloudy and cold, but not precipitating. We are now under a Severe Weather Alert, but the probable accumulation of snow has been scaled back to 2 inches. There's still ice in the forecast, and ice must never be discounted, but the accumulations there, too, have been reduced.

Woke to find two turkeys making an inspection of The Long Back Yard. It's been years since I've seen turkeys in the yard.  . . . and I've been living here long enough now that I can say years . . .

Breakfast was three little leftover Chinese sweet potato piergoies, with sour cream, and an orange. Finishing up my first mug of tea. Lunch will be leftover drunken noodles (yes, again).

My plans for the day are to perform my duty to the cats, study ASL, and write new words. Also on the list was getting the kitchen trash bagged up and into the garage before the weather started, but that's been done.

So WAZE. You tell it where you want to go and it decides on the best way and that's it? There's no negotiation, other than the really broad AVOID TOLL ROADS and such like? Because while I will happily take 295 out of Maine, I am allergic to taking 95 around Boston, and would rather head west on smaller roads to gain my overnight in Cooperstown. I know this can be done because I have done it, but ship and pilot had a navigator then, and I do not have the route in my head. There was a reason Steve was our navigator. For instance, I know I can get out of Maine via Routes 2 and 4 and pay my respects to Mount Washington, as I did on my trip to Vermont, but I'm not at all certain of my routes beyond.

At this rate I may have to buy a road atlas.

The generator has just come on for its weekly systems check, and my mug is empty.

Whatcha all doin' today?

Update:  It's begun snowing

Today's blog title brought to you by Gaelic Storm, "I'll tell me ma"

Sunday morning census below:

Big wind tiny void
curls in safety, softly warm
Big wind dies, void sighs
--Haiku off the cuff, Sharon Lee

What went before ONE: And the bread's out. Not a bad looking loaf, though I got a little carried away with the dusting.

Recipe here

TWO:  Big wind blowing. The Teeniest Void Kitten climbed into my lap when it started, and curled up into a knot the size of Rhode Island.

This of course makes it very easy to type.

Ren Zel and Anthora are an ... interesting couple.

THREE:  What went before: So, I thought I was waiting for a box of bookmarks today, but it turns out that what I was really waiting for was a box full of Ribbon Dance mmps! Coming out on April 29!

In re BaltiCon: People are asking if there will be a Friends of Liad breakfast and/or a Teddy Bear Tea.

The Friends of Liad breakfast, which is not a con event, but a gathering of the clan to share a meal, and to catch up with each other, is definitely possible; the hotel restaurant is able to accommodate a group. I can't tell you when, because I need to find what my schedule will be.

Teddy Bear Tea: is traditionally a con event, and therefore vulnerable, as all events, to the necessities of the program.

Bottom Line: I don't have any information to share until I get together with BaltiCon Programming, and their schedule is finalized.

Summing Up: Watch the skies.

Saturday. Sunny and gonna get warm. Monday, say the weatherbeans, it will snow.

Breakfast was naan, hummus, and a mini-orange. Second cup of tea to hand. Lunch is on the knees of Zao Shen.

This morning, I need to change the strip that keeps the heart monitor stuck to my chest. No, I am not happy about this.

After that -- we'll see. Maybe I'll go for a ride, being as it's gonna be so warm and all. I haven't been to Belfast since forever. Maybe get lunch at the coop. That could work.

In other news, and in the spirit of saving the best for last -- it comes about that the anniversary edition of I DARE will be published by Baen in December. Here's the new cover; art by Sam Kennedy.

What went before: 1,266 new words -- not too bad for a woman who thought she was going to sit down in the comfy office chair, open the laptop and -- fall asleep.

I b'lieve I will be ordering in a Garmin tracker. The insurance may pay for it, and even if not, the stress of the sporadically working FitBit is -- stressful. And it's something I can do something about.

The insurance bill for the car and the house has landed, so I'll be writing that check before I use the money for something foolish, like buying a dozen eggs. Couple other pieces of snail that I need to deal with came in, too, though nothing particularly urgent.

Tomorrow, I need to go visit the cardiologist so they can glue one of those heart monitors to my chest for 30 day. Yes, yes; I did do this before. The doctors are bored. Or fishing. It would be nice if they got bored of fishing.

I note that I am Out of Cookies. That was careless of me. OTOH, maybe I'll make scones tomorrow morning, so I'll have something nice to eat with my tea when I come home from the cardiologist.

And that? Is all I've got.

Until. . .

Tuesday. Glowering and cold at the moment. Beans are calling for a high of 51F/11C. We'll see.

In the meanwhile, breakfast was homemade wheat bread toast, cream cheese, grapes. As I remarked to Rook, who was sitting on my lap at the time, "These grapes ain't nothin to write home about, so it's a good think we're already here.'

I'll take the trash and recycling to the curb as soon as I finish my first cup of tea and find my shoes.

Oven heating for scones.

My arm that received the booster shot hurts. I realize belatedly that it is my left arm. I'm usually more careful than that, but -- can't really get a re-do. And thinking about it -- I kind of ache all over, which I ascribe in equal portion to the COVID shot and fifteen trips up and down the cellar stairs in service of getting things to where they needed to be.

After I put the trash out, get the scones in the oven, and do my duty to the cats, I'll look over what I wrote yesterday, and add in all the names that I had forgotten since the last time I used them.

The cats felt that 5 hours and 10 minutes of not-particularly-restful sleep was enough for me. On the one hand, I would have liked more sleep. On the other, I was having some very anxious dreams, which makes me feel like that guy who complained the food wasn't very good and the servings were too small.

All that said, I'm angling to go to bed early tonight, given that the Things I have to accomplish are inconveniently timed for fitting in a nap.

It's good to have A Plan.

How much sleep did you get last night?

____________
Right before he started chewing on my head -- that's head, not hair -- Trooper gave me to understand that There Was No Food In the Bowls. As we see here, Trooper was exaggerating slightly:

Oh, today's blog post title brought to you by Odetta and Harry Belafonte, "There's a Hole in the Bucket."

What went before:

Yesterday, I went first to the Verizon store on behalf of my phone. Having called Murphy's attention down upon me by packing for a Day at the Verizon Store, I was -- the first one there, and had three reps at my beck.

The first was newish, but told me that my screen protector was cracked. I said I thought it was the screen and would be grateful if she could prove to me that it was only the protector.

This was a little too assertive (sigh), and the second rep came over to explain that I could request a protector from Corporate, or buy one at the store I was standing in and they would install it for me.

I thanked her for the information and once! again! asked if it could be demonstrated that it was the protector and not the screen that was damaged.

She looked at the phone, with the cracks radiating out from the chip, and said, "Oh, yeah; that's the screen protector."

I invited her to remove it and assure us all that it was not the screen that was damaged.

...what I tell you three times...

She shrugged and peeled the protector (which itself is some kind of glass, who knew?) off. Indeed, the phone itself was intact.

The second rep installed the new protector, I paid the first, and exchanged farewells and keep-warms with the third rep, who had wisely kept herself aloof in case somebody else came in the door, and went home, richer by an uncracked screen protector and poorer by 50 small.

My trip to the dentist was more expensive and more nerve-wracking, but all's well there, and I don't have to do it again until November.

Moving on. . .

Tuesday. Cold enough for me. Sun's an orange ball behind the trees. I'll get the trash out when it's warmer than -1F/-18C.

Waked before my time for a Cat Clean Up Emergency. First cup of tea is here at the desk with me. Breakfast will shortly be sausage and cheese on an English muffin and the rest of the pineapple, assuming it's still edible. Lunch will chicken breast and -- A Vegetable to be Named Later.

Worked past coon cat happy hour, getting my credit reports frozen, and Steve's (because I never got 'round to doing that other thing. Honest, the few things that are turning up to be dealt with now drag at me like the stuff I had to do Just After Steve left didn't. 'course then, I was laboring under the delusion that I was finishing up a few chores before I got on the road to join him at the new place. Brains, man; what will they think of next.)

Anyhow, the credit freeze is nailed down. I should probably lock down the cards I don't use often (or at all. BOA, I'm looking at you.), but that has to wait until I get the cats' chips refiled.

I ought to go to sewing today; it's been basically forever. Also I need to pick up the papers from my lawyer, and make? A phone call!

Last night, after my labors with the credit agencies, I made a cup of tea, and betook myself to my bed to read. Tali understands reading in bed, the rest of the guys, not so much, though Rook gave it a try. It worked out pretty well for me, until I had to actually, yanno, go to sleep and had to be shifting pillows out of the way so I could lay down, and by that time, I was awake again.

I think that's all I've got, and I really ought to get with breakfast.

What've you got going today?

Today's blog title brought to you by Laurie Anderson, "Sharkey's Day."

Well.  Where to start?

Ah.  Thank you to everyone who read and kindly donated to "Core Values."

If you haven't read the story yet, here's your link to the introduction, which itself includes a link to the story.  You may read the story for free.  Those who wish may also donate, to the story, to the site, to the Coon Cat Food Bank, or to the author. A donation is not required to read the story.

Now we can get to the Important Topic of Tali.

Tali found the Guest Parlor too small.  Because I have a Very Weird House, I was able, after yesterday's breakfast, to close off the hallway in which the Guest Parlor is located, closing the door to Steve's office at one end, and the rest of the house, at the other end.  This gave Tali the Guest Parlor, a short hallway, a cul de sac which is glorified as the Laundry Room, and a big window overlooking the Long Back Yard.  I also put Trooper in with her, thinking he could share some more pearls of feline wisdom.

This is what that looked like, when I peered in a couple hours later.

After lunch, Trooper and I traded places.  I took my laptop back to the laundry room, and sat in the chair I'd moved in from Steve's office, and finished inputting corrections to "Core Values."  Tali several times leapt into my lap -- she gives epic head bumps -- and tried her paw at editing the story.

Firefly was still being hissy, and Rook was taking his cue from her, so I visited Tali once or twice on the evening, but my intention was to leave her in Steve's hallway until at least Thursday afternoon (I had a doctor's appointment this morning, and Ashley is coming tomorrow morning to do the cleaning).

At 5am this morning, Trooper opened the door to Steve's hallway, and let Tali out.

I got up, turned on all the lights, and prepared myself to run interference (Tali does not like to be picked up.  She will jump in my lap, but she Does. Not. Want. me to pick her up, and I had ... reservations about allowing a cat who will not allow me to pick her up roaming the house.).  Trooper, however, had appointed himself Tour Guide.  He took Tali downstairs, where the Accommodations are (she has a litter pan in the Guest Parlor, but apparently it's not the best arrangement), he showed her the food station and the cat fountain.  He walked her right past Firefly, who was hissing, and Rook, who was likewise.

Since he had it in paw, I got dressed and put the kettle on for tea.

Tali eventually went back to her hallway.  I followed her in, closed the door, and sat down.  She jumped into my lap, and we had a cuddle while chatting out her first impressions.

I let her out again when I got back from my Annual Wellness appointment (spoiler:  I'm healthy).

I must say Tali's being very smart about integrating herself.  She spent some time in the bedroom, and has explored the rest of the rooms once or twice, entirely unfazed by hissing sillies. She offers no aggression, nor does she hiss back; it's merely nothing to do with her, what those cats are carrying on about.

Occasionally, she goes back to her hallway for a breather.

And that's where we are right now.  Trooper, Firefly, and Rook are in my office with me, and Tali is exploring the living room.

What went before:  I worked on taxes yesterday, which was more challenging than I had expected.  It's not like Steve did the taxes, after all. But, in a normal year, this is the place where I would have started nagging him to get me those items and expenses that I did not have through doing the general house and business accounting. This would have gone on for . . . a while -- there was some math involved in how long he would put me off before he believed that I was serious -- and then the info would appear.

It just feels really wrong that I -- have all that information in hand. Right now, and can proceed with adding/subtracting and filling in the blanks.

Onward!

Wednesday. Sunlight an orange glow behind the trees -9F/-23C. Weatherbeans calling for a high of 18F/-8C.

I'm evaluating my need to go out today. I don't need anything from the grocery store that can't wait until tomorrow, and while I really *do* need a haircut, I'll not be receiving today. I haven't been to the post office in almost two weeks, but I'm not expecting anything urgent, and the post office lobby, where the mailboxes are, is toasty warm, comparatively. On the other hand, tomorrow's high of 25F/-4 isn't going to be *that* much warmer. And on the gripping hand! I do *have* a Big Coat. Heck, I have TWO Big Coats -- Steve's parka, and my knee-length puffer coat.

It may come down to a coin flip at 10 am.

But, first! Breakfast. Which was! Cottage cheese with a side of muffin. And tea. Lunch will be leftover split pea, lentil, and ham soup. Kettle on for second cup of tea.

Cat search update: Three inquiries written; 1 answer in the negative received.

I feel -- well, and am theoretically TNC (Theoretically Not Contagious). Hoping to stay that way.  Though I will be masking when I go out.

If I don't go out and do errands, then I'll finish what I can of the taxes with the information in-house, after which it will be the long game of waiting for other people to get their acts together and send me paperwork.

If I do venture out into The Elements to accomplish my errands, then I'll possibly take the rest of the day off, or maybe see if I can discover that last scene for the story that's been in progress far too long so I can put it up on Splinter Universe.

. . . one of the things that's been coming around on the guitar, as the vernacular has it, is the realization that I have wanted to be a writer since I was aware of "wanting to be" something. This predates Steve and cats, and I got to wondering how common that is, that people have known for their whole lives what they "wanted to be."

So, I'm throwing it out to y'all -- when did you (if you did) realize what you "wanted to be"?

Today's blog post brought to you by Bill Morrissey, "Birches"

Rook joined me for breakfast. Not that he had any of my breakfast; he likes to sit on my lap while I finish my tea, and take a bath, because, yanno, bellies don't clean themselves.

What went before:  Yesterday was reading, and noting, and diarying, and playing with cats.  I transcribed some handwritten documents from the Revolutionary War for the National Archives -- which was interesting, as well as relaxing in its way, and also feels like I'm doing something useful.

Moving on. . .

Monday. Cold and said to be getting colder. Snowed on the overnight, but not the 4-8 inches the 'beans had called for; there's maybe 2 inches on the front step.

Breakfast was eggs scrambled with potato, tomato, and onion, toast-and-jelly, and tea. Lunch will be ham and pea soup, starting with a can of split pea soup, and some of one of the little canned hams that Steve laid in -- yes, I do have Plans to build on that, and will likely wind up with soup for the freezer. The kettle's on for second cup of tea.

I'm feeling OK -- like I'm just getting over a cold. Looking for the plowguy to come by eventually, because I don't want to have to shovel snow. I do have to do some laundry today, and I want to look at my notes, and also the short story I was trying to write, to see how far I actually got. I have some phone calls to make, but, as it's a holiday, maybe tomorrow for the phone calls.

I should also review the accountant's letter, to remind myself of his deadlines, since I have obviously not been working on the taxes this while.

And that's it for me.

Over to you.