2020 Diary
3/1/2020: First Sunday of
Lent. Up at 6 AM, prayers, Bible. Showered and off at 7 AM, on a complete fast
(not even candy). A rather austere
service (the theme on temptation -Adam & Eve, Jesus and Satan in the wilderness).
Gave every penny I have into the collection plate, and walked up to Communion
without my cane, in penitence. Came home, the weather mild, and opened all the
windows and had breakfast. All the movies not too engaging, so laid down and
tried to nap off and on and read some Andrew Lang on dreams and ghosts. I
realized he had written it about 120 years ago. Susan called about 12 and asked
me to check the broccoli for freshness and we talked a bit about preparations
for the week ahead; they leave by Friday. Didn’t do much but watch the
animation line-up, and The Simpsons and Family Guy are just terrible, a string
of gags with no storyline. Bed about 10:30 PM.
3/2/2020: Up about 6 AM, I
think. Prayers and Bible and got dressed. Had a ramen and bread from my inside
stores. Actually got my wash started at 7:30 AM, while the garage was still
open; got 2 loads today. Started writing a bit; had a little over a page by 9
AM, so that’s a start to getting the machinery wound up. Peeled Kameron an apple, then worked on
getting the backyard in shape after the weekend with Jade, picking up wicker
[the dogs loved to chew on the wicker furniture], sweeping the porch, herding
together the dog toys. Rosary. Got Kameron off to the bus, changed the wash,
then swept the guest house’s ledge and the back porch. Listened to GGACP while
I went ahead and chopped the broccoli; I’ll put the salad together later. Wash
done by 11:30 AM, and S&A not home yet (prolly sumpin to do wit her
birthday). I feel on the ball so far this morning.
Well, not quite as on the
ball as I thought. Andy came out to talk to me, and I realized I hadn’t boiled
the Monday eggs or made the chicken salad! As it turned out it didn’t matter
much as they had eaten out for Susan’s birthday. After they left, I made my
lunch ramen, the chicken salad and eggs, and put the rest of the broccoli salad
together. Watched my YT and took my
garbage out. Almost 4 PM, and nearly time for Kam to come home, and I must make
supper and grass dogs. Fish rings, couscous.
3/3/2020: Up about 6:30 AM.
Prayers and Bible, got dressed. Opened the window and turned the fan on and the
wiring smelled funny and it wouldn’t turn in lowest gear, so I walked it out to
the trash, and rolled the recycling bin in. On the porch Andy gave me the
leftover roast chicken, so after I picked that I ran the bones and packaging
out again. I’ve had that old fan since Loop Drive, and I think it even served
to cool Mom, so it’s at least 20 years old. Why do I feel so sentimental about
an old fan? A lot of the morning exploring why I didn’t agree with Kenny’s
contention that Jesus was a socialist, so that took up a lot of real estate in
my head, along with thinking about the Shanafelts going on a trip, Super
Tuesday, the warm spring weather, and Lenten fasting (along with how to fit it
into my diabetic condition). Didn’t write much until after supper (sausages,
cabbage, taters) when I managed to squeeze out a page. [Breakfast and lunch of
course on half my usual ramens and bread.] Reading now in Mrs. Andrew Lang’s
Book of Strange Stories (edited after his death). Got this e-mail from John:
Finally got to read the last
installment- sitting while Joey gets his hair cut! Very active last few days,
for sure. I enjoyed the scene very much, it was a brilliant way to summarize
the progress of the Kingdoms and also sketch in some good character stuff- also
revealing the "stacked deck" of Ferrell, er, Keth family power. Can't
wait to see what you bring next!
Made Kameron toast and a
breakfast biscuit at 8 PM, then at about 8:30 PM Andy brought me out the
leftovers of omelet and cheese and a salad. This after I had taken seconds on
broccoli salad and taters and cabbage! My fast seems to be besieged from all
sides! Biden edges out Bernie, including in Texas.
3/4/2020: Up about 6:30 AM.
Prayers and Bible. Just as I was stepping into the shower, the rain suddenly
struck. Got dressed, straightened the house. Caught up diary, and it’s now
almost 8 AM and the rain seems petering out at last. Got Kameron off to schools. Ramen. Notes on King Korm. Now at 11:30 it’s
sunny, windy, some clouds, and oak leaves finally clattering down in the wind.
After I had a ramen for
lunch, at 2 PM I began the stew for supper. A pork roast, onion, carrots,
potatoes, and celery made a wonderous brew; the meat was very good, and
bountiful. Cleaned up a little after 8 PM, then at 9:30 PM, said a rosary.
Probably hit the hay soon. Only wrote some notes, but about a page, and
invented the Morgish ‘flap’, a vestigial tail rather like a turtle’s or
rhinoceros’s that covers most of the butt-crack. I don’t see any reason to
reveal this anywhere any the stories.
3/5/2020: Got up a little
after 5 AM, prayed some, then wrote down some dreams. Ready to finish prayers
and read Bible. Did so, then started writing, and was able to finish this
section by the time I got Kameron off to the bus. He was really worried about
‘the leprechaun [his nickname for a jobs trainer that he had]’ since he was
working at HEB today. Did a few re-writes and sent it off to John, then
nervously waited all day for a reply. Had leftover stew for breakfast AND
lunch; it is really good! Kam got home after a GOOD day and I made supper:
chili, corn on the cob, and rotini noodles. Talked to S&A about what needs
to be done: the exterminator at 10 AM tomorrow, the cable bill, watch the pool,
etc., etc. Washed up and made Kam supper. Bade them all bon voyage and came
back to the guest House. Worked on “The Physical Description of the Morg Race”.
John sent me this e-mail at 9:05 PM:
Very enjoyable
installment; looks like things will be gearing up now for the big
smackdown! I would press on and follow through with the tale as planned - so
you can get it down, and keep the creative thread - but I think a scene -
however brief - of the Kings directing their armies, and the
relationship, attitude, etc., between them would go a long way in
making the showdown really satisfying - it would be interesting to see how Korm
performs, and perhaps having lukewarm relations with his men while doing
more conventional maneuvers - for character depth. I know this is a short story
and you don't want to get too boggy, but - just a suggestion. I hope to
see you tomorrow afternoon before work - will give you a heads up.
Ready now to lay down at
9:45 PM.
3/6/2020: Got up at 5:30 PM,
said prayers, read Bible. Got dressed. Started to dog-proof the house for later
and began washing the covers; throughout the day I washed the spread, the
comforter, and the pillowcases and sheets. Turned the safety-lights off at 7
AM. Got the mail (there was the Spectrum bill, just as Susan had said) and a
package off the porch. Finished off the broccoli salad for breakfast. Grassed
and fed the Chis. Put the Rotts in the guest house about 9:30 AM; went on the
porch to wait for the exterminator. And waited. And waited. Until 2:30 PM. I
took little 5-minute breaks to eat (lunch was the leftover chicken salad –
MEAT! – but it was already 4 days old) and change wash, always with an eye out,
and said THREE rosaries. Finally, I sort of gave up – always keeping an ear
open – and let the Rotts out. Vader had enough time by himself to take a piece
out of my plunger’s handle and tear some more splinters off the bathroom door.
Then John, who I had been expecting, couldn’t make it after 3 PM because of
washing machine problems. We’re thinking about getting together Sunday. About 5
PM I let the Rotts out again for the night and fed and grassed the Chis. Now
we’ll see if Kelsey and Ryan don’t turn up today, either.
Loverly. The internet is not
connecting, and some TV channels are fuzzing into static. Watched the new
episode of Owl House at 8:50 PM; still can’t make up my mind about it. Sent
John the Morg physical description document. He didn’t acknowledge, but it was
a little later at night and he might be waiting to talk about it the next day.
When I put my bed together
again, I decided it was time to part with the old stars, suns and moons
comforter, another reminder of the old house. I took a picture of it on my
phone, let the Rotts play with the old comforter a while (in hopes that they’d
leave other things alone) then took it out to the bin. Squeezed the grapefruit
for a very pulpy juice; they were very ripe and about to go off (one was black
at the core; I threw it away)
Went to bed about 9 PM,
music playing, and had a fairly peaceful night.
3/7/2020: Up about 5 PM. Got
dressed, said prayers, read Bible. Feel tempted to go to store this morning,
although there’s no real need, just boredom and a desire for sweet or salty
snacks. The room feels better, just knowing the old sweaty oily bedclothes are
clean. Don’t want to write over the weekend, either, but it might behoove me to
get a page or two, to prime the pump, as it were. Ate the leftover stew for
breakfast.
Wrote a partial outline for
the next part of King Korm, where Korm goes through the cemetery and meets the
Watchman, who is Mog Gammoth (not explicitly, but he is). Susan called about
noon (at last) and told me that when they got to Kenny’s he was having plumbing
problems, and they almost immediately went to see a NASA launch. Once after the
phone call, I headed to DG. It was still kind of cold, and I went in shorts.
Got Big Red, and some sweet snacks (pies, wafers, star clusters, cheese
doodles) and came home by 1 PM. Ate the cheese doodles and cherry pies for
‘lunch’.
About 4 PM ate the boiled
eggs (a lot of this eating is necessity eating, before it goes bad; next week
should be easier as far as fasting goes) and fed and grassed the Chis. Tried to
scrape cat-sick off the side bench (I think it’s Ditto, who seems ailing). The
sun is finally showing itself. Tomorrow the clocks spring forward. I’ve already
set my alarm clock. Listening to Mike Nelson (MST3K) on The Babylon Bee; he’s a
Christian! Also doing some wash.
Listened to quite a few
episodes and lay down trying to sleep. Somewhere around midnight I think I did.
Notes
I think I finally figured out where I hit the little hiccup in my Diary postings; I had gone back to 2019, forgetting I had moved on to 2020. No wonder it seemed familiar!
I was reading The Strange Story Book on Kindle, I'm sure. It was this collection that contains a recounting of Pliny's ghost story from ancient Greece.
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