Gray January Days: 2020 Diary

 

1/15/2020: Much the same. Made Kam biscuits today, to go with his eggs and bacon. Bus at about 10:45 AM.

Has my Microsoft expired? Is my new program working? Let’s find out. Seems to be doing alright. Rest of the day, sort of a gray blur, as I hopelessly watched myself NOT do any writing, instead a lot of naps and just huddling in bed.

 

1/16/2020: Up at about 5 AM. Prayers, catechism, Bible, and rosary. After reading the Catechism on prayer, took extra care with my rosary and I think I got more out of it. Swept the house.

By 11 Am I had made Kam’s breakfast (eggs, bacon, and biscuits, with orange juice), made my ramen (with an egg), written up to 10 pages on Philo (which leaves me 10 pages to do by tomorrow, if I want to get paid), did a few little side-quests, and penned the Rottweilers up so that the exterminator could lay some mouse boxes. Now that I’ve finished eating (ramen in two goes, parted by getting Kam ready), I think I’ll lay down till 1 PM.

I got up a little before 1 PM, and lo and behold S&A turned up, having gone to see Kam working at HEB this afternoon! I had leftover cabbage and taters for lunch. About 2:30 PM (I estimate) John unexpectedly shows up, and he has brought me, not only $20 ahead of time, but an abundance of goodies! He said he figured out my radio silence probably meant some distress and had come to relieve me. I brightened up at once, just seeing him. To add to my happiness, Amy turns up, having gotten off work and seeing that John was nearby. We had a good visit, then John headed for work and Amy headed home. It was early 4 PM then, so I went in to grass dogs and start supper (corn on the cob and chili; later I made the noodles I had forgotten at the time, fuddled no doubt by my visitors and the rain starting up). I took my bowl of chili in and ate it with bread and ate some of the bacon and cheddar crackers John had brought. A bit before 7 PM Andy told me about the noodles, which I then cooked. Then I had canned ham sandwiches. At 8 PM I went in, made Kam his supper, then came out. I wrote a couple more pages; I just have 8 more to go. It’s now 10 PM.

 

1/17/2020: Got up about 4:30 AM. Showered, dressed, prayed, catechism, Bible, and rosary. Started writing, with writing a page and then taking a break until the top of the hour and writing another page. Did this until 11 AM. Had a can of stew for breakfast. Went in, made Kam’s eggs and bacon and toast. Bus came at about 10:30 AM just as it was starting to rain. Nap at 11 AM. About 12:30 PM Andy calls to tell me to make shrimp stir-fry, but later in the afternoon changes it to chicken thighs on rice and broccoli. Start thawing the thighs. Ramen for lunch.  About 3:30 PM make rice, grass dogs, start cooking thighs. Wait for Kam to get home until 4:30 AM. Make a can of beef and gravy with chicken ramen for my supper. Susan calls and asks for my SS# so they can write me up as a dependent (which God knows I am) on their taxes. Finish the 20 pages. Check through it at 8 PM, then again at 9 PM, then clean up. Rainy on and off all day. 10 PM, and ready for bed.

 

1/18/2020: Up betimes at 5:10 AM. Mind much occupied with finishing Philo. Dressed, prayers, catechism, Bible, rosary (with a decade for Christopher Tolkien, [who died on the 16th]). Now 6:18 AM.

I spent much of the day avoiding writing, thinking about what I was going to write, and eking out an actual page or so. The rest of the time: Movies (Godzilla), TV shows (House), and YouTube (American Dad). Also eating a lot of the supplies and going to DG in the afternoon for some staples (soap, tea, sweetener) and snacks. Resisted the Lottery so far.

 

1/19/2020: Up about 4:30 AM. Prayers, catechism, Bible. Got dressed and wrote a page or two. Watched some kung fu; not the greatest ‘contemplation’ before church. Left for church a little before 7 AM. Rosary. It was calm weather in the morning, but windy and clear when I got out. Home, ate, and then in bits and pieces I picked up writing, and in between eating and movies I finished off 10 more pages by 9 PM (these should go towards my next quota, in a pinch) including the dramatic ending. In the meanwhile, Andy brought me two bananas, a junior Whataburger, and a chicken garippe. Sent the chapter off to John, and now nothing stands between me and bed.

 

1/20/20: Up about 5:30 AM, wrote down a dream, then spent some time (because I was at the computer) just pootling around. Then I got a hold of myself, said my prayers, read catechism and Bible, then prayed my rosary. MLK Day today, so no school. Ran the garippe out to the garbage and so saw a glorious morning, with the sun gilding the tops of the oak trees under silvery-blue clouds, and the smell of a cold green mowing fresh in the air. Ready to review my Bob’s Books materials, and at least set up the stuff for Chapter Four.

A pretty usual day all round. John got back to me a little before 4 PM; he hasn’t had a chance to read it yet. Started reading “Smoke” by Turgenev.

 

1/21/20: Up about 4;30 AM and couldn’t get back to sleep. Prayers, catechism, then 3rd chapter of Acts, then the rosary. More looking around the internet. In at 9 AM, made Kam bacon. How ironic that my house smells like bacon but I never get to eat it – but I do use the grease in my ramen. Got Kameron off to school; bus at 10:45 AM. Some Deep Space 9 today.

About 2 PM sent John the Notes file on Philo. About 3:30 PM grassed the dogs, fed the pets, and started supper (Sausage, cabbage, and taters), finished about 5 PM. Watched more House and Flintstones, and Kam came in to hang out a while. I brought him an ice cream, and later when he went in I made him some grilled cheese. While I was doing so Kelsey asked me via Facebook how to make meatloaf and chicken and dumplings soup. I gave her the quick overview, then went in to clean up. When I came back out, I spent about an hour writing the long instruction about the soup and sent it to her. Then I read John’s observations on Chapter 3:

John: I see what you mean about the philosophical aspect - it is present, but perhaps more can be punched up in there, as long as it stays entertaining and doesn't become too much of a "think piece." I quite enjoyed this chapter - Philo was a fascinating creation, and the way the individual kids approached him well illustrated their various approaches and outlooks.  I was glad that there was no "suddenly a transfigured Philo rose majestically from his box and spread his glossy new wings out above the baying dogs" type twist, which I was half expecting.  The more realistic misfortune was a surprise twist in this case! Still a bit of a capper might help the end seem less of a downer- something, perhaps along the lines of - Rank- "I'm sorry I've failed my first responsibility, sir." Rosemary - "WE failed our first responsibility," she corrects. Bob  - "We failed poor Philo!"  Mr. Williams- "Yes and no - some things we encounter can never be explained or understood - only dealt with. This isn't hanging drapes. That is a lesson in itself. Now, learn from your choices - what might be handled differently, etc..." 

I spent a good space reading over the chapter in the light of this, and found it read smoother than I imagined. I remember thinking earlier that I might have made a minor sort of ‘Charlotte’s Web’ situation for Philo, a tragic if somewhat grotesque cutie, or a Fry’s Dog.

Notes

What is ‘pootling’? Well, it is minor tasks not important enough to note, watching little things on YouTube, picking up and then setting down things to read, maybe washing one dish or making minor adjustments around the house or writing a single paragraph or reading an old file.

It is hard to realize that it has been five years since I finished Philo the Frog Boy, the last whole chapter of ‘Bob’s Book Two’. I became bogged down on the next chapter and never took it up again.