2/1/2020: First day of
February. Up about 5 AM to write down Chesterton book dream. Straighten up
house and catch up Diary. Now the rest of my prayers and Bible. I prayed a
rosary also.
Went in and made the omelet
at 8:40 AM; finished at 9:30 AM. Took in
a pot and potatoes and started boiling a soup with the caps of the bell peppers
for taste. It takes quite a while to cook taters on a hot plate. Watched a
couple of episodes of “The Owl House”: I fear that show, while
amusing, might actually be accidentally Satanic. What I mean is I think they’re
playing around with spiritual realities that they don’t believe in, thinking
they’re no different than pixies or hippogriffs. Added the pork meat to the
soup and simmered a while longer. Ready at 12 noon, when I ate half of it. By 3
PM it was all gone.
I love pistachios but have no
toothshes. So what I’m doing is shelling them and then grinding them up in the
mortar and pestle to make nut-dust.
Ah, me. Weekends, and
especially Saturdays, have become the most melancholy of days for me. During
the weekdays I have at least SOME regular contact with others; there is much
less on the weekends, and fewer shows, both on TV and on Facebook. I look around
at my undisturbed bookshelves (alas, they seem to have ceased to grow, and
thus, live) and I am loth to disturb their order. The weather was good today,
but there is nowhere satisfactory for me to sit outside. I’m not sad or
despairing, but mostly bored and wistful. I need someone to talk to, on a
regular basis.
Some seem to be in a liberal
rage, no doubt exacerbated by the Democrats being unable to bring home any of
their accusations against Trump. And Brexit has gone through! I’m no
Trump-worshipper, but his support of Israel and anti-abortion stance does seem
to cover a multitude of personality flaws; I can’t help but whisper a little
guiltily, “Winning!” I would much rather have Ted Cruz as President, but last
election it was a choice between voting for Trump or letting Horrible Hilary
in.
02/02/2020: I write the date
thusly because it is a rare ‘palindrome date’; not really significant because
the date wasn’t written like this until recently.
Kameron came knocking at my
door at 1 AM, feeling sick and wanting to lay in here as he does when he’s feeling
bad. I gave him one of my pillows and the purple comforter and tried to get
some sleep, but he was very talkative. I kind of went in and out. Gave him a
pot to spit phlegm into and a couple of my last cough drops. I got up at 6 AM
and got ready for church, at first not sure if I would go, but I did. After I
got home, I made a pork and rice dish. Kam kept me running all day, getting him
a banana, his phone, his charger, tea, a cone, the chihuahuas: each one a
separate trip throughout the day and never letting me sleep, write, or watch
what I wanted on TV. I did see bits of ‘The Maltese Falcon’ and ‘The
Raven’, though. Poor kid uncomfortable the whole day and talking about
maybe staying home tomorrow. I also found out Kam remembers the lyrics of a lot
of my playlist and other old things I wouldn’t have credited. Oh, and his
banana peel magically disappeared. He finally went in about 7:30 PM. Made a
ramen for lunch and tater soup for supper; Susan gave me a banana and a jug of
(expired) cranberry juice, still good.
Speaking of things that I
wouldn’t believe people would remember, Alan asked me about my ‘Blue Tears’ [AKA 'Crystal Sky'] poem; he’s going to try to put it to music.
While I’ve had plenty of
food this weekend, I’ve craved sweet things, even cheap cookies from DG.
Probably hop over there the first time possible after John brings me my $20.
Weather cloudy early morning, then clear most of the day, and cloudy again come
evening. Swept under the loveseat before I found out the banana peel was in the
trash; must remember to ask Kameron where he found it [or if he just left it
there in the first place and forgot about it].
2/3/2020: Up at 6 AM;
prayers and Bible, then shower, dress, and straighten up the house. Started my
wash. Went in at 9 AM and found Kameron was going to school after all. Peeled
him an apple, then boiled eggs and made chicken salad at the same time I made
my ramen (with chicken broth from the can, an egg, and 2 slices of bread). We
went out to wait for the bus, and it was about 20 minutes late (time which I’m
not getting back anytime soon). At 10:30 AM I switched loads and came in to
catch up diary and watch shows. About 12:30 PM I went in and got the broccoli
and came back to cut it up for salad while listening to DW. Took it in [to the
Big House] and prepared it. Made lunch (a ramen with bread). Went out a little
after 3 PM to wait on the porch, then John drove up and gave me $22, twenty for
the twenty pages and two for my royalties from Kris Jerome. We had a good but
short talk; the most unusual fact was that Kenny told him that Berta, Mike’s
old girlfriend, had contacted him and, after talking, was sending him letters,
poems, and stories that Mike had given her, and that she was sorry about Mike’s
passing. John says she has a little girl now, that he thought looked like a
Babel at first, but that the times aren’t right. Made supper (salmon curls and tomato
& basil couscous) then about 5:15 PM went over to FD and got $7.75 worth of
cookies, including Red Velvet Oreos. Took the long route because of evening
conditions. Kam came in a little after 7 PM while I was saying my rosary, then
we watched the MST3K “Sinbad” on YT. He went in a little after 9 PM and
I went to bed about 10 PM.
2/4/2020: Woke up a little
after 6 AM from dreams about a bear. PB, got dressed. Got a call from Kam about
8:30 AM saying he’s staying home sick. Went in at 9 AM and got ramen. Feels
strange not to have to worry about school today. House and DS9 on
all day; dipped in and out. Eventually got him lunch at 1 PM. He said S told
him I could have his taco from Sunday; mostly bean. Had that for lunch. Weather
warm and strangely balmy. As I told John, as I went in and out rolling the bins
in: “The Chinese jasmine have been in bloom, and some of those purple flowers
[giant spiderwort], and Susan and Andy saw there are bluebonnets (not blooming
yet) down at the end of the yard. And I caught a sniff of those bushes that
smell like grape soda, also at the end of the driveway. There was an oddly
timeless feeling around all day, and for a few days here I've found myself
doing things almost automatically, things I usually have to force myself to do
or gin up some enthusiasm for. For some reason that adds to the dreamlike atmosphere.
Odd.”
About 3:30 PM started supper
(sausages and cabbage and taters), grassed dogs. Done by 4:30 PM. In the
evening the wind started to pick up; S said it was a cold front. Kam came out
and we watched the MST3K “The Sword and the Dragon”, (he had to go in
and clean up dog poop at his mother’s stern request: he had forgotten to pin up
the Chis when he came out) then he went back in when the movie was over. I ate
cookies and watched the State of the Union address, said a rosary, then hit the
hay.
2/5/2020: Up about 5:30 AM,
and I definitely caught Kam’s Kosmik Kreepus, with sore throat, hacking up
sputum, etc. That might account for the disconnected feeling yesterday, I
guess, or at least part of it. Prayers and Bible, got dressed, and decided today
I would NOT go to DG just yet. Dreams and Diary. Ramen with eggs for breakfast.
Got Kam off for school just in time. Watched some Nero Wolfe today.
Later:
Me: Well, apparently I
caught Kameron's bug, and now I'm in a world of sputum. Hardly any surprise,
considering how he hung out over here and drooled on my couch and pillows. So I
have a couple of days of blecch ahead of me; hardly a comforting thought. Even
so, work creeps along.
So, Trump triumphs. I'm sure
there will be howls about how he slipped out of their (incompetent) fingers,
the rascally dog, and that it only further proves his Moriarity-level skills
and his fiendish plan of prosperity and progress, and how the American system
is proved to be riddled with rot to the core, with its burdens of proof and legal
procedure. There will be cold comfort that he will have an asterisk by his
name. And there is bound to be another attempt, soon enough. In fact, he'll
probably be impeached over this impeachment. It will be pointed out that it was
all along party lines, but that is a double-edged sword; that argument applies
to both sides, doesn't it?
“That anyone is surprised
that this purely political sideshow broke along purely political lines with the
result that everyone knew would occur seems to be highly unlikely. The Dems
have stepped on themselves these last few days. I think as tempting as it may
be to chalk things up to Trump's having some kind of diabolic genius or luck,
it is more due to the utter intellectual, moral, and pragmatic desolation of
the Democratic party.”
Made pork chops with
sprouts-broccoli-cauliflower and quinoa-garbanzo beans for supper. Forgot to
make the parmesan green beans; will do for lunch tomorrow. Fried myself up some
taters, served with ketchup: it’s the only thing that appealed to me in my state.
Very cold tonight; put on the heater. Will attempt a (silent) rosary; my throat
is so sore. It’s now 9:40 PM.
2/6/2020: After a restless,
uncomfortable night, broken by dreams (some good; but the one I remember is
seeing fire break out in the lower right field in my vision; I don’t remember
ever dreaming of fire so close and so vividly). Vein in my left leg bubbling
irregularly. Hocked up a large green mass of phlegm. Finally, at 5 AM I decided
I was awake (after listening to music who knows how long in bed; about 10
songs, I think). Prayers, Bible, in whispers and a froggy baritone voice that
was rather distracting to hear. Washed my beard. Gargled with water. Put my
shoes on. Now 5:46 AM.
Kind of stumbled through the
day, my timing off. But got Kam off to school right on time. Ramen for
breakfast and lunch, and a turkey and cheese sandwich. Went in and started the
stuffed bell peppers early, grassed Chis. Kam got home about 4:20 PM. Almost
forgot to make corn on the cob. Peppers ready at 5 PM. Throat a little better.
Laid down and napped until 7:20 PM. It’s starting to get cold again.
Went in and cleaned up.
Susan seemed to think I was responsible for those slashes on the counter; they
apparently only saw them today while they’ve been there for weeks. I always use
the cutting board. Dang it, if something goes wrong, I’m always the first
suspect. Anyway, they gave me some cough and cold medicine that Kameron refuses
to take, and that actually helped get me through the night. Up at 2 AM to say
the rosary, which had slipped my mind in my groggy condition.
2/7/2020: Up about 5 AM and
slowly said my prayers, read my Bible, and got dressed. Also straightened up
and washed dishes. Considering whether to go to town now or after I send Kam
off to school, or maybe even postpone it entirely. I’m feeling ‘better’ but I’m
not sure if good enough for a trip. Getting cough drops and something for the
weekend (can I face ramen? this bug is giving me hyper-taste in the back of my
throat) would let me settle in for a couple of days. I think it would be the
prudent and charitable thing NOT to go to church and spread my bug. A shame,
since this would be the first Sunday I’d miss since my confirmation. Going to
the store today would not expose me personally to a lot of people, especially
if I go in the morning. Perhaps by Sunday I’ll be well enough. Mike’s birthday
then, too. He’d have been … 58? Pretty cold right now, but warmer later. So,
earlier or later? Or let it ride?
As it turned out, I let it
ride. Got Kameron off to school, laid down a while, then about 1 PM went off to
DG. I wore my black vest and long sleeve shirt and was a little too warm.
Construction over by the old Post Office. Got to DG and got cough drops, sweetener,
Pringles, ramen, etc. Got home pretty tired. Andy called about 2 PM and told me
to make chicken with brown rice and broccoli, which I later did. Not much else
all day as I continue to recuperate. Went in at 8 PM to clean up, then spent
much of the evening going over some of my Bureau of Shadows short stories, some
of which are already 2 years old or so. I make minor corrections and then
wonder how I did anything so well. Rosary and then bed at 10:30 PM.
Notes:
Of course, my bookshelves
(at least their contents) would grow again. It’s kind of strange to note that
after five years we still have the same sort of ‘family’ meals; in fact, I just
made stuffed bell peppers last week, a favorite ‘cold weather’ dish. Monday is
always fish and couscous. I don’t even go down to Dollar General (DG) anymore,
even though it has better selection than the nearer Family Dollar (FD). Sorry
about the political content. I think if they had left Trump alone, he would
have just faded away. As it was, they kept him the center of the drama. I don’t
wear a red hat or anything and I certainly don’t think he’s some paragon of
virtue, but he seems to get the job done. Well, better than that sleepy fellow.
The Chesterton Book Dream: 2/1/2020:
I am waiting at a medical clinic for someone to finish with their appointment.
There is a little used bookstore attached; I start browsing. Suddenly I come
across one of those Modern Library with the dark green pebbled covers. The
covers zip together like a Bible cover. It is a G. K. Chesterton book I have
never seen or heard about, titled something like “Lillillipor”. It is a rare
lost work, over a hundred years old and illustrated. I seem to know it is about
two friends who go on an adventure to a distant country (in Africa?) called
Lillillipor to seek their fortunes. They both want the same girl; the
difference is that one has motives that are pure (he wants to prove himself
worthy) while the other goes because he secretly knows that the one who returns
most wealthy will be the one the girl’s father will allow to press his suit.
The adventure is woven of the tension of will the second one somehow betray or
get over on his friend, who keeps helping him out of pure friendship. I am
happy to have found this book. I keep looking on the shelves and find more and
more good books (many with the same kind of covers and with authors I like) and
become eager to grab them up. There are others, though, picking the shelves;
there is even one lady looking specifically for the covers. Suddenly I realize
I no longer have the Chesterton. Did I set it down? I start scrambling around
for it.
As an update in real time, I
have been keeping my New Year resolutions fairly well, as well as buying a new
glucometer and a bathroom scale to help me keep track of things.
