Frosty & Foggy *P.S.*

It was a gorgeous sunny day yesterday but I don't think today will be the same.  Right now the grass is covered with frost and it's getting foggier by the minute.  I don't mind, it has a certain, late October creepiness about it that I kind of like.

We got all our errands and appointments done yesterday, and the best thing you can say about it was as we waited in the doc's office to be called in some old pals, G&MK, came out from getting their flu shots so we got to catch up on what they're doing, what their kids are doing, what our kids are up to, and how we're getting on.  It was great to see them and now I've friended her on Facebook so we can keep in touch the modern way.  The second best thing was just being out in the sunny day with Durwood.

Our investment advisor and the others of the same company club together once a year to host a big dinner with a speaker to talk about investments.  Durwood likes to go and this time he needed a driver and wheelchair pusher so I went too.  We got there early enough to get seats at the end of a table so we could collapse his chair and be out of the way.  The food was, once again, Wisconsin buffet food, this time served family style and with the addition of beef tips.  The food was good (it was all I could do not to eat every broasted/fried chicken wing in sight, god, they're good), the speaker was, well, let's just say we decided that she was talking to the brokers, not the clients, so Durwood didn't feel like he got anything out of it and apologized for dragging me there, but I had my Kindle so I had a book to read on the sly and early in the evening I met an old high school acquaintance I hadn't seen in donkey's years.  We were never friends or did things together but it was a small school and we recognized each other.  In fact the reason she spoke to me at first was because I leaned across the table to tell Durwood that I'd forgotten my knitting and she stopped beside me and said, "me too, but since I'm working I'd probably get fired."  I looked up and said, "hey, you're Gretchen!" and she said, "you're Barbara!"  We visited for a very few minutes and then she dashed off but it was fun to see her.  Mercifully the speaker only talked for about 40 minutes and there weren't many questions which made it obvious that Durwood wasn't the only one scratching his head over what she'd said. But neither of us had to cook.

I discovered last night that I had neglected to copy my iTunes library from the old laptop to the new one and that hooking up the iPod to the new laptop doesn't make it suck what's on the iPod into the laptop.  Now I've got "Home Sharing" turned on on both laptops and am trying to make them share nice.  I suspect I'll be taking both computers to work, or maybe I'll wait until next week when my life isn't such a zoo.  Yeah, that's a good plan, especially since now I've got the new audiobook on the iPod so I won't run out of book.  I never want to run out of book.

October 22--Nigeria, Leopard Figure.  The little cat figure stood on all fours, its fangs in full view, and the spots of its carved fur glinted in the weak light.  Zinnia was allergic to cats, even being in a store with a shop cat made her itchy, but she was drawn to this little bronze leopard figurine.  She thought it looked more like a Disney leopard than a true jungle predator but she knew it had been a powerful totem for a warrior or more likely a shaman.  She pictured a nearly naked man dancing around a blazing fire wearing a leopard skin over his shoulders, the gape-jawed skull on top of his head.  She imagined the accelerating rhythm of a circle of drums driving his dance ever faster as the villagers hung back at the edge of the light.

Huh.  The misty fog is gone as quickly as it came, and the first pass of the garbage truck just went by.  It sure is pretty out there with the cold light, colored leaves, some bare trees, and others still green.  Too soon it'll all be covered in a thick blanket of white.  Hmm, better get the snowblower picked up and serviced, or maybe LJ can do it, he did offer... I'll check his rates.  It's a work day and then tonight Durwood and I have to tackle the last few items on our "get ready for carpeting" list because tomorrow after work the muscle men are coming and Durwood's going to the Super 8 since breathing all the dust of the ages that'll be kicked up over the next few days wouldn't be good for his lungs at all.  Plus we'll both get a little vacation from each other, although I was kind of envious of G&MK being both retired but I'm afraid I'd go batshit crazy without a part time job (Durwood agrees), plus I do love me a paycheck.  I'll think about it, I'm young yet, only 63.  (hey, wait, MK's younger than me... oh well)  Toodle-oo.
--Barbara

P.S. Three years ago today Mom died.  Some days it seems like yesterday and some days it seems like a century ago.  I miss her, and in a lot of ways I'm turning into her which is kinda scary.  Miss you and love you, Mom.  Hope there's lots of bridge games where you are.