The quiestest afternoon I've spent in weeks



Larry's back without the dogs he thought he was driving down to pick up. While he was out, I spent some time fiddling around on eBay, doing some clean-up, and surfing around looking at nothing in particular on the internet. Found one of the brand new 05 Bonnevilles lurking about. Wrote a review of same on eBay.

Picked up the dry cleaning. Didn't yet clean up the car, which I intended to do.

I'm enjoying this very peaceful day.

Why is it that men are just so focused on one time hits? And that they're just so wanting to talk about this one time hit, and not about anything else?

I was thinking today that it is easier to deal with human behavior the older I get. It's not such a surprise, and it's not as hurtful. The guy I met early last week who was SO interesting, and SO talkative - BRYian was giving me grief about it the next day. Here I am nearly a week later, and not a peep out of him. He did say (as he rode his horse off into the sunset) that he didn't have much personal time on the computer. But, I think it's easier to manage the expectations of how that could all turn out.



I'm really getting excited about how this house is going to turn out. REALLY excited. I want to get started.

Been twitterpated about Sean Lamont, who plays Rugby in Scotland, and adorns my wall on the Dieux de Stad calendar.

He "regrets" having done the photo shoots. Aw. He's a gay icon, and hates it?



"The problem with beauty is that it's like being born rich and getting poorer."
Joan Collins



Don't spend it all in one place.



Thoughts of a fagulized casa

So, Larry and I hung out last night, watched some BBC programming, talked about this and that. I had another allergy attack - what FUN! We talked about this house, and how strange it was for him that I was back here.

All things being equal, we talked about what I wanted to do to the place, the solarium, the new garage, etc. And, I mentioned that I wanted to fagulize the kitchen, but didn't see myself doing the traditional granite counters/stainless appliances, etc.

Larry had a phone call, and while he was handling that, I thought to go look at an appliance line that I had seen in Genre magazine - Elmira stove works. They looked pretty nifty, but I'd never investigated. Well, hold the phone, Mattilda! They're HOT.

They have a 1950s retro line that's particularly enticing - here are a few photos:



And the matching fridge -



Which, as you can see is quite modern inside -



So, I have about 40% of the kitchen re-designed in my head. New cabinets, adjustments to the appliance placements, smaller dishwasher with higher efficiency, and based on this cool 1950s buttercup color. I love it!

Anyway, this morning, I've been cleaning up while Larry and I nattered. He's tottered off for a while, and I'm going to run and pick up my dry cleaning, grab a few things at the Food Town and then come back here. He's asked if I'll be up for a night out tonight - so, we'll see what develops.

Rain, rain ...

My little desktop weather widget is telling me we're going to have thundershowers today, and it seems to be lining up with reality.

I kind of like the rain. Mostly because here in Houston, when it rains, it's serious about it, and then when it's not raining, it's not raining. Even if it's overcast, it's pretty much not going to rain on you.

I'd like the rain here at the house better if my new windows were installed, if my garage and courtyard were re-made into the new garage and solarium that I've envisioned, and if the house had rain gutters again. Right now, the rain is splashy in the back, and the car is getting wet, even though parked in the garage. The splashing out back is quite loud, and that's contrary to the peacefulness that I wish to have here at home.

The thunder makes Jackie upset, and she's been very clingy so far this evening.

Here she comes again.

The water here at home smells terrible; I've made a request of the City that they check things out, but I was also looking at whole house water filtration systems today. They're inexpensive, but .. I guess I'd have to find someone who could install it for me. I need to have the garage and solarium worked over this summer, also. I wonder if Ben's ready to draw me up some plans for it.

Another new loan today; one each day this week so far. Another one set for tomorrow. Wow.

I'm liking the direction that things are taking at work. And, I'm starting to feel like something did shift the other night in my Psych-K balance. Did it shift quickly enough, though? That's the question.

The other day, I had JPO help me put the cabin air filter into the car. It's amazing, either I'm dreaming or it makes a difference both in air quality and in air conditioning noise level. I think I'll post a little note over on the website and see if other people who had the same experience.

Not very. If you're not sure what you're reading, or what this means, it means that WE'VE BEEN EATING MEAT THAT'S CONTAMINATED WITH THE SAME INGREDIENTS THAT HAVE BEEN KILLING OUR DOGS AND CATS.

Only for the last eighteen months. Not bad.

Nothing like food from China, apparently.

The progression of the flu-like thing that's gradually moving on out. YAY!

Earlier today, I attempted to install the Fram cabin air filter that I purchased for my car; opening up the spot that it goes into I discovered that said space was vacant. "Humph" I said to myself "someone took the filter OUT and didn't replace it. I asked JPO to help, since I couldn't see shit in there, even with a flashlight, and the device looked not to fill the hole under any circumstances.

He came out and proclaimed that the part was the wrong one. Off to the internet, where the part number was cross-referenced and validated. So, it's not just having older eyesight, the part really didn't look like it would fit in there. So, he worked and fiddled, and I hopped back on the web to see if better instructions could be had. I inquired of NowNow, which is an awesome service, and they sent me one answer that was rather half-assed but effective enough. JPO was stymied by the filter having an "air flow this way" arrow that seemed to contradict any way the device could be inserted. Finally, he shoves 'er in, and we decided that no matter whether it was correct or not, it was the only way it was going in there, and it was better than nothing, which was what I had before.

Just a moment ago, I got another answer from NowNow, and it was a link to a Bonneville owner's website, complete with a step by step, an endorsement of the Fram filter (yay me) and pictures showing how the stupid thing looks when correctly inserted (yay JPO.) And, the comments in the thread indicated that most of the Bonnies were delivered sans tenant in the cabin air filter department.

Interesting.

Talked to John (F) on his way home on his bluetooth (tm) phone in his brand spanking new car (yay John!) The sound of his phone's connection was AWESOME. Sondra was by this evening, and she's got an extra Motorola bluetooth gadget for use in the car, but holy smokes, if I get yet one more thing that has to be plugged into the cigar lighter, I may as well start buying stuff from Havana.

Jean came by today and smudged. She's so fabulous at that, and she's so super fabulous for driving nearly a hundred miles to do that for me AND bring me plants to boot. Thank you, Jean (big smoochies.)

And, tomorrow night, I have a balancing appointment with a Psych-K prac here in town. Thank GOD. Hopefully, that's going to help. It's why I went up to Dallas, for Lord's sake.

And opera tickets tomorrow night, with Nicole. That should be fun. Dennis is all twitterpated about this show, so I'm looking forward to it.

Hopefully, by then, I won't be gagging and coughing.

Sticks and twigs

I don't get sick often. When I do, I tend to do a very good job of it. Almost time for a little more non-computer work action - like maybe cleaning up my room or something. I actually need to take some time today and list everything on eBay that there is to sell. That would be an effective use of my sick time.

Also, there's the car, which needs to be detailed, the garage, which needs to be put together, the gas grill, which needs to be checked out and cleaned or put out for trash .. an endless stream of things that could be accomplished.

How many of them will actually BE accomplished? That's the question.

I'm feeling a lot better, just a little fever-y and cough-y.

No replies from my several pings to the universe today about gathering sticks and twigs. Shit.

More are required, sticks and twigs