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Revisiting Myself Through Others

We're at the edge of the snowbelt for the first snow of the season, getting almost two feet here while those to the south have driving bans and those to the north have green lawns. Our usual Sunday visit of "the Daves" to watch old Dr.Who episodes was called off, but it gives me time to finish final editing for my book on Research Lodges -- and this entry. Last week I caught up with Dr. Abbarno, one of my college...

Final Stretch of the Year

My health is fine in spite of scares. I always feel I've been blessed with a modicum of stability in my genes, as much as I'm not without ageing. Mer had a scare (or two) but will not need a pacemaker, and meds seem to be doing their thing. It's funny how long it took us to even have a pill regimen, I suppose. But it still seems like we just can't keep up, around the house, or with other such things. In spite of...

Travels and Dreams

Went to Grand Lodge this year, if only to babysit Marry's cousin who was Worshipful Master of my mother Lodge. He hadn't visited Manhattan before and I was glad to play your guide; he was grateful I handled all the arrangements. We parked the car in Pughkipsee and too the train in, then the subway, and the rest of the time we walked. Everything we needed was right there in Chelsea, and we had fun exploring the...

Nearby Fire

Across the street from us is Linda, our cat-lady neighbor, and next to her is an empty lot where an abandoned house was torn down some years ago. The deer like to hang out there, mostly ignoring those who walk by. On the other side of the lot is (was) a house with various tenants over the years. A few weeks ago, late at night, we heard a band or bump of sorts, figuring it was Hazel crashing around in my office...

Stay-at-Home (Dog) Dad

Starting late last year, Hazel Nut has had much trouble keeping food and water down, to the point of losing weight and dehydration. Possibly being connected to the neurological issue that baffled the vets a while back, she now has megaesophagus and the only thing that seems to work is Viagara -- and sitting her up to eat. It's also cost a fortune in tests and meds (antifungal and antivirals for her chest). Merry...

Dreams, a Feather, and Sandwiches

While finally tending to the ancestral graves in Dunkirk this year, there was a seagull's feather on that of my Grandparents on my Mother's side. This has always been a sort of symbol or sign for me, but this is the only one I've ever seen that was really small. My instinct told me it may hail the rebirth of one of my descendants. A few days later, I found myself sharing on Facebook the following ... It's hard to...

Reunion

Went to the Buffalo River Works to connect up with old classmates from D'Youville. It was the first time I saw more than one person from my class and or someone I knew. It was getting to the point I was remembering alums from much older eras at yearly events like the tea luncheon, but almost never anyone I knew from my actual time as a student. At this one, there was even the husband of an alum who turned out to be...

Parades, Travel, Snuggles, and More

A lot to catch up on, in spite of wasting too much time being addicted to solitaire. The Minecraft update with cherry blossoms finally hit and I spread some in Bab-El and one in Fort Town, but have been uninspired to finish the expansion on the latter or hunt for relics in undiscovered biomes. But I really do have a video game addiction that swallows time even when it shouldn't. Not sure how to deal with it or...

Zig-Zagging into Spring

Not uncommon, the weather has been teasing with warm days, then cold ones. There was less than a week between using the furnace and the air conditioner (and then back again). The big thing I'm looking forward to is spending time outside like in the last couple of years, having tea on the porch and meals on the back deck. The year started with my back out, but not the upper thoracic strains of the past. I seem to...