the only survivor of the National People's Gang

[the_siobhan]

18 – Quilting Day: The oldest known quilting dates from 3400 BC! Has anyone ever made you a quilt or have you made your own? Have you ever bought a hand-made quilt?

You know, I've thought I would like to try my hand at making a quilt. I would really like to learn to sew. It also seems like it might be a good way to use of the 50 million black tshirts I have kicking around here.

19 – International Read To Me Day: created to boost literacy this day isn’t just for children. When was the last time you read out loud to someone? What was it you read? Did someone read aloud to you when you were a child? Some couples read to each other – if you have a significant other, is this something you do?

I was a voracious reader as a kid and was reading way above my level of understanding in a lot of cases. (Especially when i discovered where my dad hid his porn.) My sister, on the other hand, has dyslexia so reading was slow and painful for her when she was young. I sat down with her one day with the intention of helping her but she begged off pretty quick and I finally said ok fine I will just read to you. I ended up reading the entire Narnia series to her. [1]

We would have been maybe... 8 and 6? I think? Not much older than that. I had completely forgotten about it until my sister mentioned it to me one day as her clearest memory of me doing something nice for her when we were kids.

And then when Darrell was in the hospital for so many months I read to him. We went through every Murderbot book that had been published at that point and went from there.

So I guess reading is one of my love languages. Kind of ironic that I've read maybe 10 books in the last six months.


[1] For the life of me I cannot move the commas in that paragraph to a spot where they look right.


***

I have a box! With a lid and everything!



Roofers were here this week and laid down all the membrane and flashing that will solve that little weather-in-the-kitchen problem we've been having. Project Manager texted me asking if it was OK if he comes by this afternoon and has a look at it. So far so good.

I keep looking at spreadsheets of numbers and having minor palpitations over the cost. I am going to eat nothing by rice and beans for the rest of my life.

***

Old Man is back in the hospital. He's been having trouble swallowing for a long time and that has progressed to actively spitting up his food. They ruled out Covid, thank fuck, and now they are running all the tests to figure out what might be the actual problem.

He has been entirely lucid through the entire process which is a really good sign. Hopefully he won't be in there long, since being stuck in bed really sets back his physio and is terrible for his mental health as well.

I am still croggled over the fact that you can't get a TV or a phone in a hospital room any more. There are a ton of really shitty things coming out of all the health care cuts, but way to make a hospital stay even more miserable and boring than it already is.

***

Spring hit Toronto pretty much exactly on the equinox and we have had a few really nice days this week. We have also had a shit ton of rain. I have been tentatively leaving the house just to walk around. Every year I forget that the official flower of spring in Toronto is thawed dog poop. I don't care, it's just nice to see green again. And open the windows, holy crap this house smells terrible after being cooped up with three animals all winter.

I feel like I am slowly starting to come back to life.

Comments

[china_shop]

Yay for the box! And yay for leaving the house and going for walks. <3

*hugs*

[brainwane]

I second this!!

[dissectionist]

I am just about to start the first Murderbot book, after a friend mentioned it to me!

I’m so glad that you’re feeling a bit better with the oncoming spring. <3

[the_siobhan]

I loved those books. Murderbot is such a great character.

[greylock]

A box!
I assume you might see rapid progress now?

I am going to eat nothing by rice and beans for the rest of my life.

I have some great recipes of you need them. Whatever you mean by beans.

very year I forget that the official flower of spring in Toronto is thawed dog poop.

Picking up here is such a socialised thing for dog owners. Not there?


And open the windows, holy crap this house smells terrible after being cooped up with three animals all winter.

Wow. I keep my windows open most of winter.
Of course, snow isn't an issue.

That is a lovely story about your sister.
I actually have the Narnia books next to my bed to re-read.

[the_siobhan]

I assume you might see rapid progress now?

That is the hope.

I have some great recipes of you need them. Whatever you mean by beans.

I will take you up on that. As soon as I have a kitchen.

Picking up here is such a socialised thing for dog owners. Not there?

99% of dog owners do. The remaining 1% still builds up to being a lot of poop.

Wow. I keep my windows open most of winter.

Definitely not a thing you can do here. We get days where it's warm enough but so much of the winter is life-threateningly cold.

There is also the fact that I can't easily get at the windows. I have to move boxes and climb on top of wobbly furniture. Not a smart thing to do for somebody with vestibular issues who is alone in the house.

[elusis]

Congratulations on your box!!

[the_siobhan]

It is a fine box.