Hemlock B Bootsalotta

Achievement unlock!

Storage room was emptied with the help of a friend on the weekend - perfect timing because today was the billing date for the rental. (Everybody should have at least one Ukrainian friend. Every Ukrainian import I've ever met, if you ask them if they have time for a favour, they're immediately, "I can be there in 20 minutes.") This is the last of the big stash to be cleared out and organized. My house is once again full of crap but I've got most of it already sorted into piles to keep, give away, throw away, or incorporate into The Stuff.

Keep: One of the things I inherited from my mother was a tall skinny china cabinet. I cleaned all the dust off and polished the glass and it's now set up on my ground floor - a little dinged up from being dragged around but a touch of paint should fix it right up. She filled it with crystal glasses and clocks shaped like shamrocks. I'll probably fill it with skulls and gargoyles. Maybe dioramas from Hieronymus Bosch. Haven't decided yet.

Give Away: A couple of big bags of sweaters and blankets to go to the drop-in centre, so good timing on that as well. A big bag of shoes that will go to the drop-in next summer because they have no storage space. Neighbours have already called dibs on a few things I posted to the local group. There is also a big box of photos, so I will pull those out for my family to go through as they are conveniently all in my house next weekend.

The Stuff: This is what I call the things where I go, "That is future me's problem" and stick it in a corner. Furniture that will either go into the (some day) finished basement or will be re-homed if it's not needed, boxes of art that's going to get re-hung after I've patched/repainted the damaged walls, boxes of planters and exterior decorations I want to go through for setting up the new deck in the spring, boxes of material and sewing supplies I'm going to dig into mmn, maybe next winter if I'm being completely honest.

The Stuff is... I'm not going to lie, The Stuff takes up a lot of room and my sister likes to pull one thing out of the pile and hold it up and go, "WHAT ARE YOU KEEPING THIS FOR" and she's not wrong entirely, but... also I have been dealing with my own hoarding tendencies for a long time and this I absolutely know, I will throw it away when I am good and fucking ready and not one minute before.

(Also, if somebody stands up and says "EXPLAIN YOURSELF" my immediate instinctual reaction is No, Fuck You. So that doesn't help her get the response she's looking for.)

***

Achievement unlock #2, no hot water this morning. Of course the corridor to get back to the tank was filled with storage room stuff, so I moved that, and then sat on the floor to read the instructions on the sticker that was conveniently located 6 inches from the very bottom of the tank. Last time I had to light a pilot I was much bendier, but also I had to unscrew a side panel and then stick a match into the space under the tank. This just required pressing a bunch of buttons in a very specific order. The technology is much improved, IMHO.

Then I realized I had an appointment in 40 minutes and there was a mad scramble to get out of the house in time and I forgot every single other thing I was going to do today.

(Side Note: And holy crap it was cold outside today! My fingers went numb after about 30 seconds.)

***

I think the cat is losing weight again. I've noticed his appetite has dropped off in the last couple of weeks. I checked the label on his prescription and it expired in December, so I'm hoping that he just needs a fresh batch. He has a date with the vet tomorrow and I'll be picking up a new bottle, but I'm going to bring it up with them.

Other than that, his energy level is fine and he's still playful. And he will still roll me for his treats. So hopefully this is a temporary setback.

***

I don't talk about the news much on here. It's a lot. I've been watching the news and the on-the-ground videos and following my friends and... yeah. I don't talk about it much because I don't have much to say, but I'm still paying attention.

I yell at politicians. My MP can't even be arsed to acknowledge my messages and I'm sure her staff are getting tired of me. I think one day when I have the spoons I'll go to her office, it's not far from here. Then when she calls me a peon and dismisses my opinions, she'll at least have to do it to my face.

(I mostly hate her because she originally got her seat by claiming to be an environmentalist, but she has spent her term defending every decision to to buy a pipeline and subsidize oil sand development. Because her job is more important than her principles.)

***

I've been talking to the gf a lot about retirement. She's pretty much done with her job, and ready to call it a day. Honestly I could say the same. I mean I don't actually mind the job but I think about all the things that I could be doing with my time instead. Taking classes, learning skills, getting involved in community stuff, making things. Working is such a waste of time, never more so than when one can see how much is left.

But first I have to get this house bullshit finished with. Then I can sit down and figure out when I can afford to quit working. Maybe talk to HR, even going part-time for a bit might work out financially.

***

Media stuff:
GF and I finished watching The Morning Show. I love this show so much, mostly because there are SO MANY messy, complicated, multi-layered women. Jennifer Aniston plays a character who is often completely unlikable and yet there are so many times in the story when the viewer is dragged 100% into her corner.

Last week we watched the first two episodes of Pluribus. My take was; I wouldn't want that for myself, but it would make for a much better world to live in for everybody else. I'd probably finally take the opportunity to travel a lot - it's not like any of my family or friends would miss me.

Just started reading This Is How You Lose The Time War. I'm just a couple of chapters in. What a weird and fabulous book.

I've also started reading Wheel Of Time since the series was cancelled. I'm about a quarter of the way through Book 2. Honestly I probably wouldn't have stuck with the series on the strength of Book 1 alone, but already I think I like Book 2 better.

This would get my strung up by the bookcloaks but I can really see why the series changed so much. There is a lot of material in the book that is interesting to read, but it would get in the way of telling the story in a visual format. (And also the series would be 400 seasons long and feature lots of riding through countryside while feeling creepy. So. Yeah.)