2020 Diary: Nine Days in November

11/1/2020: Up about 3 AM. Prayers, Bible, and rosary. Posted more ‘What Happened’ (hereinafter WH) on NOT. Found a picture of Mom’s old jewelry box on Etsy. Lay down and slept a little until 7 AM (and since today is the time change, yesterday it would have been 8 AM). Time for YT church (now 7:30 AM).

Went out at 9:25 AM to get a jug of water, and all around my door is a little swarm of butterflies! Just such swarms as accompanied the passing of Mom and Mike; I tend to think of them as messengers, and here on All Saints Day, why not? Just around the door too, not everywhere at the moment.

The day passed along, a little disjointed because of the time change. I made the last of my Taste of Thanksgiving meals and took the pan and can opener back in a little after noon. At one point of the day (about 4 PM, I guess) Andy brought me out some leftover Panda Express, a lot of stir fry and a bit of chicken and peppers. He asked me in about 7 PM to make some dip-dips, and I got an RBFCU deposit slip from Susan so I can deposit the check that came in on Friday. I’m hoping John can take me when he visits. The day trundled along with Kipling until I went to bed (probably before 10 PM).

 

11/2/2020: All Soul’s Day. Up and down all night trying to adjust sleep schedule until I decided I was up at 4 AM (3 o’clock, according to my body). Prayers and Bible. Shaved and dressed. Saw a little Dragnet (1969, and about race relations). Worked on organizing my SSI stuff into a folder. It’s now 5:42.

I decided that I would bag up the 20-year-old docs and whatnot and just put them in the trash bin, then cut up the cardboard box they were in. The house looks definitely lighter.  I went in at 9 AM, started my wash, boiled eggs for egg salad, and made my ramen. At 10:30 AM went out to put my wash in the dryer, just when the pool guy drove up. Swept the kitchen porch. At lunch Andy came over with yet another Treasury check, this one for November. Puttered around until 2 PM, and when it was clear John wasn’t going to call or come over, I hopped over to FD, this time taking the long way round so I didn’t have to watch the traffic so much. I only picked up some cookies and chips and a can opener (my old one having disintegrated) and some magic erasers, but I got caught behind a woman who had $200 worth of stuff to buy, and it took me at least half an hour of standing there behind her, arm twangling. She was apologetic but did nothing to hasten the process, even getting more stuff as she stood there. Got back home about 3:15 PM, and soon thereafter made cucumber salad, fed pets, started supper, and helped Kameron make a cup of green tea. Came out and got involved with a series about tropes. Watched Green Acres and what looks like the first episode of Hogan’s Heroes. It’s now 10:15 PM (though it seems earlier) and I’m about to start my rosary. Bed 12:30 AM.

 

11/3/2020: Election Day. Up at 4:30 AM to write down a dream, then prayers and Bible, then on a whim thought to look up “The Incredible Time Travels of Henry Osgood” and there it was at last, only put on YT on July 19^th this year! Ran some recycling out at 6:30 AM, and Andy was already heading out on a call. 41 degrees this morning, and a red sunrise.

7:25 AM starting to make beef ramen with hot sauce.

Throughout the day it became obvious John wasn’t going to visit. Watched the Daily Wire show with the four hosts and their guests, and for a while it looked like a Trump victory might be squeaked out. Made cabbage soup with carrots and potatoes for lunch, ate half and put the rest in the cabbage and taters at supper; also made sausages. By the time I went to bed there was still no clear winner.

 

11/4/2020: Got up about 5:30. Prayers, Bible, and a rosary to make up for what I’d skipped yesterday. Also made sure I took medicine, which I’d also inadvertently forgotten yesterday. Posted on NOT and at lunch looked up ‘cardboard chimney’ on eBay and told Susan one was available. Weather just glorious today, cool, with a few wispy mare’s tails. Still no clear winner, but it looks like Biden is gaining. If Biden wins, it will not be because of anything the fellow has done, but because more people hate Trump for some reason. They just don’t like the sound of economic growth, support for Israel, the protection of American interests, religious freedom, or respect for unborn human life.

In the afternoon helped Kameron with his homework about shopping, then made supper, chicken breasts, rice, mushrooms, and broccoli. Ate, took a little nap, then rosary, wash dishes, and today’s rosary. When I went to bed, Biden was 7 electoral votes away from the presidency, with Trump trailing behind. Maybe the magical Utopia the liberals say will spring up and be miraculously instituted, with Covid suddenly disappearing (because it was the Orange Man’s fault somehow). Anything bad after that will be the fault of the unenlightened masses who voted for Trump, the Republican Congress, and the new justices on the Supreme Court, which, if they weren’t still around, all would be sweetness and light.

 

11/5/2020: Remember, remember, the Fifth of November. Up at 3:30 AM, with the idiot neighbor barking at the dogs who were barking at him. Tried to get back to sleep, but no go. Got up and caught up diary. It’s now 4:07 AM, and what am I to do?

It is now 5:55 AM, and I had laid down a while after reading a bit more Kipling (having finished his dog stories) but after some restless drowsiness I am up again. Shaved, in case I do decide to go to DG again later. I suppose it is now time for prayers and Bible.

But first I did some research (being led along by some images on Prof. Oddfellows site) on Fritz Eichenberg illustrations and discovered “Padre Porko, the Gentlemanly Pig” by Robert Davis, which looks and sounds like it might just be my cup of tea. Added it to the Wish List. Now 6:47 AM.

Said my prayers, dressed, and headed out at 7:30 AM. Had to wait 5 minutes till open at 8 AM. Out by 8:20 AM, and home by 8:45 AM. Since I bought 3 jugs of Diet Dr. Pepper for $3, my right arm was dying by the time I got back. Opened the house up, read 2 chapters of the Gospel of John (finishing it up), then went in to get ramen. Kam and Susan still there (9:10 AM) as S is taking K to the Dr.’s. Boiling up wienies for breakfast and drinking eggnog. Took my medicine. Wonder what the political landscape looks like? Either way, it won’t be the Millennium or the Apocalypse just yet, I’m guessing.

Ate 10 wienies for breakfast then laid down to rest. Kam called me at 12:19 PM to make him lunch, which I did, with right leg feeling every yard of my morning journey. Must not try to lug such heavy loads over such distances, I guess.

About 2 PM went looking for a Tinker Bell Tree Topper for Susan, and found it, sure enough. E-mailed the link to her. At 4 PM went in and started supper (leg still hurts and hurt all evening). Made chili, rotini, corn on cob (which was really easy as it came already shucked in a bag). Went out at 5:30 PM to talk to Susan who came out into the back yard. Went in at 7:30 PM to wash up, finish off chili, and watched Green Acres at 8:30 PM. Now a little after 9 PM, and ready for rosary. Bed by 10 PM.

 

11/6/2020: Up about 4:40 AM. Prayers, dressed, brushed up shoes with a wipe of a washrag and some Sharpie. Right leg still aching; I should never carry home so much soda from so far away again. Caught a little Dragnet and one was a teen drugs episode; even stiffer than usual. I wonder what Friday would think of our situation today. 5:20 AM now and I’m making some ramen. Bible, starting Acts today.

Spent most of the morning watching Trope Talks on YT and eating more ramen and polishing off the cabbage/taters/carrots from Tuesday. Laid down about 11:30 AM and Andy brought me in a notice from Medicaid about 12 PM. He said he’ll take me to RBFCU tomorrow at 8 AM.

Continued watching Tropes, talked to Yen a bit on FB Messenger, started frying taters at 2:30 PM, made fish, continued frying until almost 7 PM. Dishes at 8:10 PM. Rosary at 9:10 PM. Fixing to hit the hay at 11 PM.

 

11/7/2020: Up at 4:40 AM. Prayers and Bible. Showered, got dressed. Now 5:25 AM. Ready to make out my deposit.

6:10 AM: wasted time taking a test for autism on FB, and at the end didn’t see any results. Made out my deposit. Okay. Hope it’s right.

Went out at 8 AM and Andy took me to Shanafelt Auto first, then we went to get breakfast tacos. I got 4 eggs, bacon, and cheese, with salsa verde. RBFCU wasn’t open yet, so we came home and ate and headed back out at 9:10 AM. John called unexpectedly at 10 AM, and a little before 11 AM he was here and we went to Walmart. Got a few things like socks, Bengal spray, Big Red in cans, and so on, like bread, jelly, Ritz crackers, ramen soup in cups, pasta, eggnog, dip. When we came home S&A were scrubbing the side of the guest house, and we talked about Biden (apparently the winner), Thanksgiving, and so on.

Spent the afternoon watching more Trope Talk and trying to remember an old story I told Kameron about him and me visiting a magical land and a troll eating his hand (as proof, I pointed to the crease in his wrist where I had used magic to grow him a new one).

About 5:15 PM I started watching “My Favorite Year”. It’s 6:30 PM now, and it’s dark (after a day of glorious weather). Rosary at 8 PM, then I just dropped off.

 

11/8/2020: After several wakenings even before midnight, I finally gave up trying to get back to sleep at 4:40 AM. Got up with ideas about ‘Lady Willow’ again, perhaps adding a Lord of the Wood as another antagonist. Prayers and Bible. Shower and dress. Decide to arrange my funds and find I have an astonishing sum for one who was getting by on $20 every two weeks. Must get my affairs in more order, get shoes, pay bills and so on. “Pride and Prejudice” on TCM right now. I shall be on my way to church at 7 AM.

Limped over to church. Had an elderly unknown priest [Father Mike], who was obviously filling in. After a fairly rambling sermon (he had some good points there but was having a hard time bringing his sheep into the pen), started to limp home, thinking the best part was that I’d had the Eucharist. At the corner where I turn down Nolte Street, Andy drives by and picks me up, having got breakfast for them and heading home. I have peach jelly bread for breakfast.

The day spent with Trope Talk and reading Kipling. Right leg giving me the pip all day, although the weather is glorious fall, with cool breezes, bright skies, and falling leaves. At lunch I went to the garage fridge to get the rest of my grapes, and talked briefly to Andy, who was washing the dog-pen side of the guest house (where it had an enormous green stain). About 7 PM they asked me over to make dip-dips, which I did, and borrowed the medium pot to make spaghetti in for my own supper. Tried dipping into the Sunday animations, but blecch. Read GKC’s criticism on Kipling in “Heretics”. Bed at about 10 PM.

 

11/9/2020: Up about 4:30 AM, after dreams about decay and duty. Prayers, cleaning, and caught up diary. Right leg still hurting, knee still crumpling, right out of the box.

In between I drifted off (thinking about maybe finally writing out the story of ‘Lady Willow’ and woke up just before 9 AM. Bathroom, started wash, then made my ramen-with-eggs and boiled eggs and made egg salad. It’s now just 10 AM.

“We must stop treating ‘Science’ like it is monolithic and infallible; it is an ongoing process of trial and error. Nor is it, in medicine, an absolute that works the same for everybody. An operation or a drug that would be fine for a ten-year-old might not affect a mature adult at all and may outright kill an elderly person. This even applies to different population sizes, ethnic make-up, diet, and so on. It must be handled especially carefully when, in the name of ‘Science’, certain human rights are declared to be curtailed or even abolished.”

Old [PS2] game card actually loaded. Names of ‘Hero’ in DQ8: Walnivar, Braden, Leo, Fists, Rhane, Eltrius, Burian, Samuel, Leo, Finn, Guv M’Boy, Kit Sune, Findlore, Hiro, Po, Dragomir, and now Borkim and Taryn.

Made broccoli salad from 12:45 PM to 1:30 PM. About 3 PM had ramen, then at 4 PM started supper (fish, couscous). Rosary a at 7 PM. Kam called me in at 8 PM to make corn dogs and TX toast. Watched Green Acres at 8:30 PM. Pootled around with PS2 for a while. Tis now 10:30 PM, and I think bed calls. Not quite as cool as I want it. 

Notes

I've spoken elsewhere about Taste of Thanksgiving, a not-entirely-satisfactory dish made when I wait in anticipation of real Thanksgiving, of stufffing mix made with a can of chicken and a can of mushroom soup.  It's getting to be souping weather again around here, and a good beef stew might be in the near future.

This will probably be the most you will hear from me about politics. It is a nasty necessity that I hate having to think about, devolving all too often not into facts but 'narrative.' Sure enough, it is neither the Millenium nor the Appocalypse even yet.

The many names I came up for the Hero in Dragon Quest 8 reflect the many times I started playing it from the beginning again, trying different skill sets for all the characters or seeking out obscure story elements. I remember being stunned when I read books in the Trodain library that had the name I had chosen in them, before realizing that it was just part of the programming. 

We had only just started going back to irl church after the lockdown. I had to do a lot of finagling to keep my old pair of shoes going, a necessity that was relieved by my SSI stipend. I did get that copy of Padre Porko eventually, and Susan did get the Tinker Bell tree topper.