Category Archives: Auntie Lenora

An odd week, this:

Weather in the Tries:
IF, and that is both an operative word and a very large word, but IF my phone is correct, it will not get down to 32 this coming week. The lowest will be 33 all the way up to 36, and the days will mostly be in the 50s. With three days of sunshine on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday!!!

Maybe next year I’ll auction my shadow off—if I get more money to see my shadow and have 6 more weeks for the skiers to ski, or if the most money comes from the summer people… And all money will go to charity. What do you think? Should I auction my shadow off to the highest bidders???

An odd week, this:
This past week has been a bit odd. I got a couple more books read and have about decided that Lois McMaster Bujold gets one more chance to worm her way back into my Kindle. What? You may be wondering did this fantastically marvelous SF/F writer do to upset me? Well, grab a cuppa, Bunky, ‘cause I’ll tell you.

Housemate Dan got me hooked on her Vorkosigan Series. There are 16 books in the series. The first two I read got me into the characters, who darn well should have been in the next few books, if not all. Well, in Book 2, she killed one of my favorite, okay, my favorite, supporting character. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know that when you get stuck you kill off your darlings. Well, dammit, he was MY darling, and I’m not telling you who it was. Then, in Book 4, which I finished yesterday, NOT EVEN A MENTION of the series people. Not even a wee mention in passing of anyone in the series. Okay, I admit, book 4 was okay, but it was a real let down, because I expected someone to show up and recruit the kids.

All the books are stand alone, so I will try #5 and see what happens.

Photos of the Week:
I was lying down with the Brave Dog the other day—something he demands at least once a day—and while I was reading, he was under the blanket until he got too warm then he squirmed until he was playing people in the bed. And, no, his nose isn’t sore, it’s the way his tongue cleans it, and the light in the room.

We also had snow the other day. Not much, but enough that the Brave Dog, the Big Chihuahua, said, “Walk? In that stuff? Not just no, but uh-uh, not me no!” Sometimes he really hates it when his people is bigger than he is, and had other ideas.

from the desk of the big chihuahua:
my human says there should be no snow this next week, and we are scheduled to have three days of sunshine. that does, of course, mean there is nothing wrong with her phone weather forecast. sunshine! oh, this desert dog is soooo happy.

Sunny Day Quotes:
“Even on a cloudy day, the sun is shining somewhere.” –@WillingToTakeActions

my human says if it’s cloudy you only have to go up thirty-five thousand feet. all you need is a big extension ladder. I don’t know how many feet that is, i’ve got four and she has two, and i’ve never seen an extension ladder, don’t know what it is.

Death Cafe and Other Notes

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Weather in the Tries:
Well, the high’s will be between low 50s and 40s ranging from 41 to 53 in no particular order. The lows will be from 30 to 38 in no particular order. I do truly wish that butterfly in Beijing would face the other way when he waggles his wings. I’m ready for some warm. I think my wee beast is, too.

Death Café and Other Notes:

As you probably remember, I usually write this blog during the weekend and schedule it Sunday night for publication early Monday. I’ve mentioned the Discussion Cafes before, as I attend the Reflection Café twice during the month and beginning this morning, I’ll attend the Death Café. As my new friend and fellow Death Doula writes: “About this Death Café: This is not a grief therapy group. It is a friendly and interesting group of people discussing death, dying, and end of life concerns. Bring an open mind, an open heart, and your curiosity.” Now you know as much as I do, but I’ll learn more this morning (Sunday) and will share tomorrow morning.

Am back from the Death Café. Very interesting. A lot of people, of which I am old enough to be the grandparent of most of them. We sat at tables shoved together, and talked as a group, then because we were so many, eventually started talking in smaller groups. Someone brought a deck of Morbid Curiosity Cards. Some cards have trivia on them, some ask questions. One of the questions asked something like, if you were at a funeral and someone flirted with you, would you flirt back? I said, “Yes. After all, I’m not dead.” Then I thought a minute and amended it to, “Yes, as long as it wasn’t the funeral of my spouse or partner.” I’m not sure what caught the people more by surprise, that I said I would, or my age. The deck reminded me a lot of Cards Against Humanity. One of the few card games I enjoy playing. Alas, I’ve been all over the wonderful world web, and can’t find the deck of Morbid Curiosity cards.

I found it. I was searching for Morbid Curiosity, finally added ‘game’ and voila! If you’re interested, go here. And, like Cards Against Humanity, Morbid Curiosity has younger siblings to expand the game ~ Memento Mori and Postmortem. I can see where these cards could come in handy for people who aren’t sure what to ask, when to ask, how to ask. Great conversation starters.

Spring is definitely on its way. The days are warmer, the nights, while still cool, aren’t as cold. And I’m beginning to wake earlier. Which I think is funny, because my room has blackout curtains, and I don’t get light through them, but I am waking earlier than I was in Nov, Dec, and Jan. I’m sure it has something to do with hibernating. Yes?

If you missed my poetry reading on the 6^th, this link will take you to it. I’m about 30 minutes in for about 15 minutes.

Photo of the Week:
This is a true wee quilt. I think it measures about 8×9 inches. The background fabric is multicolored, and then I cut some scraps up and ‘sprinkled’ them to resemble a photo I took a couple years ago at my adopted Li’l Brothers’ home. The red was a red rhododendron seen between two trees. The sun shone on it, and it was bright red. The trees kept a lot of things in shadow, but the rhodie was gorgeous. The sprinkles were covered with black netting, and stitched about every eighth to quarter inch.

from the desk of the brave dog:
it’s still cold out, no matter what my human says. but not as cold as it was. and the sun is once again shining in our sky. can you see me do my happy dance? now, if the rain will stay away, or only come at night. i think if the rain came while i’m snuggly with my human at night, and was gone when we get up, that would be fine. now that i have access to a computer, maybe i can figure out who to write with that suggestion. my human says we need rain, but not during the day, just at night.

Rainy Quotes:

“Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness
has never danced in the rain.” ~ unknown

“nobody in their right mind would be in the rain
let alone dance in it.” ~ sammy brave dog

Yes, I Didn’t See My Shadow

A Thunder of Dragons

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Weather in the Tries:

It’s farking cold! Indeed, it is. As I write this (Sunday) The hound and I arose from our warm bed to 7F outside. Believe me, he didn’t spend any more time outside than necessary! Mostly, it won’t be above freezing until Saturday next, when it is scheduled to get to 33. And that’s during the day. Nights are, of course, colder. My First Sister of Choice lives in Spokane. It’s even colder there. Fortunately, she has cats who are loving and help keep both her and First Brother-in-Law of Choice, warm. I hope they still have heat!!

A Thunder of Dragons:
Yes, one of the names a group of dragons is called, is a Thunder. Also, a Horde, a Flight, a Clan, or anything else you want to call them.

I have mentioned a time or two before, that when something goes wrong, we just call the office, and they send over the maintenance guru. So, when Housemate Dan accidentally broke the window in our office, the inside glass of a double paned window, the office had a window guy out here toot sweet. Then the office called last Wednesday to say the window man would install our new window any time after noon that day. Today is Sunday. The window has not yet been fixed. Oh, well….

What has me concerned are the Ice Dragons. A few came yesterday, but last night a whole Thunder arrived, all trying to get through the window, at least through the cracks, if not the cardboard. Poor things, they’re cold. The only problem is, if they succeed in gaining entrance to the apartment, they’ll die in the warmth they seem so hell-bent to reach.

I think I would change Thunder to something better. These little guys are cute, delicate, downright beautiful. They are also stealthy. Hey! That’s it, a Stealth of Ice Dragons. The larger dragons thunder when in a group and beat their wings and ‘purr,’ as they did when smaller dragon larvae. The size differential between a dragon larva and a full-grown adult dragon, makes for a much louder and most frightening purr of dragons who love to fly and chase their meal; Ice Dragons are much too dainty to either thunder as they fly, or purr loud enough for mere mortal ears to hear. They also do not chase their prey, for they have none beyond the clouds of winter.

Photo of the Week:
A Stealth of Ice Dragons on the outside of our office window, trying to sneak through the cracks of the inside window. Enough heat must escape they can feel it.

From the Paws of the Big Chihuahua:
I told my human that enough is enough, and don’t wake me again until it’s warmer. Well, unless it’s for food or a very fast trip outside. She even comes into my room and pulls a blankie over me to help me stay warm on my bed. (She and I are still discussing the bed ~ she says it’s hers, I say it’s mine. It’s mine during the day, and at night, it’s hers, but we really share.)

Quote of the Week:

“People don’t notice whether it’s winter or summer
when they’re happy.” – Anton Chekhov

Some Happy News with Which I Begin 2024

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May your 2024
Be the Best 2024
You’ve ever had!!

Weather in the Tries:
The coming week will be low 30s at night and low 40s for highs during the days with a tad bit of sun on Thursday and a slight chance of rain on Saturday.

Some Happy News with Which I Begin 2024:
Yeah, I know, I wasn’t going to write and post a new one until next week. But I had such a wonderful phone call the other day, I just had to share. My publisher and Good Friend called to tell me I’d sold 91 copies of Madame Dorian! Thirty were bought on one day!

Good news indeed, but also slightly puzzling. Oh, I’m not complaining, I’m just curious—why the sudden interest? Did a school buy them? Libraries? We have no idea, but Boy Howdy! are we celebrating!!

I’m truly grateful, but I wish I knew why, so I could maybe replicate it;-)

Update on Family Celebration:
Favorite Grandson has a job he enjoys, and he spent the Holidays filling in for people who wanted the time off. He’s taking his time off the end of January, to cover his birthday. That’s when my Favorite Family and I will have our get together and celebration.

Goodbye and Hello:
I am writing this on the last day of 2023, you will receive it on the first day of 2024. I have no idea when you’ll actually read it;-)

I am attending a New Year’s Eve Party tonight. The first one I’ve attended in so many years I’ve forgotten how long it’s been. Someone finally got an idea for said party I can go along with. We can come, drink how much we want and not have to worry about driving home with a road filled with (potential) drunks–including us. We’re having our party on Zoom!! It should be a lot of fun! Now, do I want wine or tequila? I have all day to reach a decision.

And the good news doesn’t stop!
On February 6, 2024, I will be the featured reader at Cobalt Café, an online open mic for poets from anywhere in the world. Cobalt Café is every Tuesday night, 7.30 Pacific Time. If you want to read, you need to sign in at 7.15 Pacific Time. Go here to read more about the Cobalt Poets series and here to sign up to attend, whether or not you want to read. You will receive two emails a week from Rick Lupert, our host. One on Sunday and one on Tuesday, sending you the link. If you have subscribed to the Email list.

Photo of the Week:
Took this a couple years ago. Not sure if it was windy, or my telephoto wobbled, but it’s slightly out of focus, and l think it looks like a painting. It’s a juvenile Great Blue Heron.

From the Paws of the Big Chihuahua:
My human says it’s time to make a New Year’s Resolution. Whatever that is. She explained that people decide to improve their lives, and make a resolution, a promise to themselves, to do whatever to improve. How can I possibly improve me? I mean, I’m the Big Chihuahua! The Brave Dog! Oh, wait, I know. I hereby resolve to take more naps and get my human to join me!!!

Quote from Jimmy Carter (via Robin Givan and NYT):
“Hospice care is not a matter of giving up. It’s a decision to shift our efforts from shoring up a body on the verge of the end to providing solace to a soul that’s on the cusp of forever.”

My 2023 Ubiquitous Winter Solstice Letter to YOU! Ho! Ho! Ho!

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I know, many of you consider yourself Christian, but there are many more religions out there that celebrate sacred and holy days at this same time of the year, and I don’t want to slight anyone who may be reading this. I hope you’ll click the link above and check it out.

This has been both a very full year for me, and a very empty year. I spent a lot of time in Kirkland WA the first couple of months, and then moved in with my newest Sister of Choice and my Elder Brother of Choice the last 3 months of my EBOCs life. The last few months of his life, I could almost see the decline from one day to the next. ALS is not a disease to live with, and especially to die from. Fortunately, Washington State has medical assistance in dying (MAiD) if desired. My EBOC used MAiD and died on May 30^th. He fell asleep 4.5 minutes after drinking the cocktail. I am honored to have been one of his caregivers, and that I was able to hold his hand for the three hours it took for him to die. I hope it brought him some comfort.

When I came home I was met by a small dog who came as close to crying as I’ve ever heard a dog come. He was sooooo happy. He was my shadow for a couple days, and he did not like it if I left. He still doesn’t like me to go away, but he’s not quite as clingy. But he is so happy when I come home.

I lost two more friends within 3 weeks of my EBOC’s death, then three more friends in the last 7 months. I don’t have that many friends that I care to lose more especially by dying, so NO MORE!! Are you listening? You’d better be!!

Hope holds that the chapbook of poems I wrote about EBOC’s death (and no, they are not all tear-jerking!) will find a home with one of the publishers who now have the manuscript. I’ll be sure to let you know when it comes out.

Of course, I wrote poems about my EBOC’s passing. I shared a couple with some of his other caregivers, and two of them suggested I might consider becoming a Death Doula. A what? I asked. A death midwife, the explained. You know, like the gal who mixed and gave him the drink? The gal who came out and answered all our questions about death, especially EBOCs. I came home did some research, talked to a few people, with the upshot that I am now a Death Doula, having completed the course through A Sacred Passing. I will take the class through End of Life Washington to be able to administer the cocktail myself. That will prove a bit of a logistic problem as I’m required to shadow someone for a few times as they mix and administer. There is no one in the area where I live to shadow. I’ll probably have to commute to the Seattle area.

Grief Brain has struck again. I’m able to get a few things made for gifts, but can’t, yet, handle cards. Which is weird as they are so much easier to do. Maybe it’s self-preservation so I don’t have to see in my mind’s eye, all the people I’ve lost this year. So, this is my card too all of you, my Favorite Readers and Goodest Friends. I should be able to function by next Winter Solstice. No promises, though.

Leaving you with a bit of happiness, I will spend Christmas with Favorite Daughter, Favorite Son, AND Favorite Grandson. Housemate Dan is going to visit his Favorite Daughter and family, so he’ll be with some Favorite Grands, too. I just don’t yet know what day we’ll be celebrating. It depends on Favorite Grandson’s work schedule. But, my family is used to not always being able to being together for the 25^th of December. We’ve actually celebrated on Eastern Weekend. But, we’ll be together, whenever it is.

Photo of the Week:
Pulled the ice tray out for a couple of ice cubes and two of them were constructing a rocket launcher (?) or whatever. They were over an inch in length. (Did they know I bought Margarita mix? Were they going to launch themselves into my glass?)

The Big Chihuahua and Auntie Lenora wish all of you, my Favorite Readers, the Bestest Ever Happy Holiday you’ve ever had. Eat dessert first (who wants green beans baked in mushroom soup, anyhow?), drink your Favorite Libation–responsibly, keep the Pink Bottle close, give out hugs every chance you get, kisses too (if appropriate), and laugh, and laugh, and laugh!

Auntie Lenora is taking some time off to hopefully get a few more things made for the Winter Solstice; she and the Brave Dog will be back January 8, 2024. Wow, already yet and it’s gonna be 2024. How time flies when you get old. It ain’t fair. It should go along at the slow, plodding pace it did when we were young.

May your new year be the bestest 2024 you’ve ever had!!! Auntie Lenora sends hugs and love, and Sammy sends pupkisses to you all!

A World Religion Holiday Season Calendar should be looked at. Be sure to scroll down the page a bit.

It’s so good to be back!

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Weather Forecast for the Tries:
Gonna dip into the high 29-low30s for the next few nights. Probably until the horny hare makes his appearance next spring. The days will all be in the 40s. The rattlesnakes, and others, are by now either in a ball underground hibernating, or on a heat rock in some kids bedroom. Hope his mom is okay with that. We’ll have a flake or two of god’s dandruff, and more than a few hours of his tears. Otherwise, it will just be overcast. There is a possibility, regardless of how slight, it’s still a possibility, we’ll have measurable white stuff for the Solstice and or Christmas. The Pass (Snoqualmie) is getting lots of snow as I write this on Saturday.

It’s so good to be back:
No, I haven’t gone anywhere. Our internet provider did. Or at least the wire that leads from the junction box to our apartment did. We lost service Friday night, had it intermittingly Saturday, and Sunday until about 6 in the evening, and then it left for good. The tech was here yesterday for about an hour, in the afternoon, and got it reinstated. By then I had two zooms and….

It’s amazing how much we use our computers. It’s also pretty amazing (to me, anyhow) how quiet it was without them. Housemate Dan and I share an office, and we’re both pretty good about using headphone so our computers don’t compete, but we’re both guilty of reacting, verbally, to what we watch. With nothing to watch, we were quiet. It lasted 5 minutes beyond our reinstatement, and then he was growling and I was howling.

I’m not big on podcasts, but methinks that’s about to change. When I first discovered MSNBC years ago, I started watching because of Keith Olbermann. I liked his style, but I really liked how on Fridays, he would read us a James Thurber story. He told us about his dad, and how he always read a Thurber story to him. And then he (Keith) was gone, moved somewhere else. When I found him, I couldn’t get the station he was on, so I watched his replacement. Well, the other day, I was listening to some news on YouTube, probably Glen Kirschner, and was in the other room, sewing, when his show was over and the old theme song for Countdown, Keith Olbermann’s old show, and I’ll be hornswoggled, he has a new (to me) show on YouTube. It’s a podcast, but it’s interesting.

Countdown was on last night as I had a few minutes between zoom meetings, and it didn’t take long before I was howling with laughter. Especially the story about meeting Mr. & Mrs. Carlton. And I agree with the Mrs. that I don’t care much for sports but she and her husband watching him every night and thoroughly enjoyed his show. Oh, Mrs. Carlton was a Brit, and that is the name he heard, not the name she gave, and by the time he was through with the story (it comes toward the end of the show) I was almost falling off my chair as I laughed.

Photo of the Week:
This is from last August, the Brave Dog was in our office sleeping on the floor. Doesn’t he look brave? I’ll have you know he hasn’t run from a single Zombie Leaf this season. He actually stomps on them and raises his hind leg! He’s showing them who the Big Chuhuahua is! Grrrrowl!!

From the Paws of the Big Chihuahua:
It looks like the Weather Human finally listened to my human and sent the rain away. My human said we got rain because Seattle got a pineapple express, and some of the clouds made it over the mountains and we got leftovers. I usually like leftovers, but not leftover rain. I don’t like rain at all, it’s wet. Wet only belongs in my water dish! But my human tries to keep the rain away, and I love her for it.

Do Humans Hibernate?

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Weather in the Tries:
I have a new electric blanket. Not sure who loves it more—Sammy or me! He does sleep on top much of the night, but he starts out snuggled to me. Oh, you want the weather? ‘Scuse me. It’s mostly going to be in the high 40s and low 50s. With the lows from 31 to 46. In other words, good sleepin’ weather.

Do Humans Hibernate?
In a word, no. Our ancestors from way back when, may have but there really isn’t any evolutionary reason why we should. There’s a very interesting article on human hibernation here. All quotes in this post are from the article.

Hibernation, or prolonged torpor are not, as of yet, beneficial for humans for several reasons, including:

Isn’t conducive to reproduction.

If we aren’t reproducing, competitor species are.

If your snoozing in deep torpor, you can’t defend yourself.

But since I’ve retired, I’ve noticed something. I live slightly south and somewhat east of Seattle. We are above the 45^thParallel. Once the Fall Equinox passes, our nights get longer, our days get shorter. Noticeably. Not like Canada and Alaska. The closer you live to the equator, the more your days and nights are likely to be about 12 hours light, 12 hours dark. When I lived in Florida, as I recall it was 11/13 then when we went to Daylight savings time it was about 12/12. Or maybe the reverse. I’m old. So is my memory. I have blackout curtains in my bedroom and keep my bedroom as dark as possible. Unfortunately, there are a couple of things that need to be plugged in, and they throw out a mild amount of light, but not enough to disrupt my sleep. So, I get very little light coming in from outside.

In the summer, I get about two hours less sleep than I do in the winter. Around the Fall and Spring Equinoxes, my sleep adjusts about an hour. I go to bed at the same time most nights, and turn my light off about the same time each night. But still I get about 2 hours more sleep at night in the winter than in the summer, in a blacked out room. I know I’m an old fartess, perhaps I’m closer to my ancestors than I thought? Oh, I don’t open my windows in the summer, either. The wind blows the blackout curtains and lets the light in,.

But–what if we could hibernate? Possible torpor/hibernation may increase our resilience during transplant surgery, with some additional medical uses, but what grabbed me was the possible uses in space exploration:

“cut down on the use of life support and other resources
reduce water and food intake by up to 75%
reduce waste production
protect against radiation
ease psychological concerns associated with long-term space flight”

Unfortunately, there are a lot of things that pose problems in people coming out of torpor. Apparently it isn’t just as simple as waking up from a long nap. Possible problems include “blood clots, bleeding, infections, and fatty liver & liver failure.”

But, it seems I’m off to a start. Wonder if I can volunteer for their study….Be paid to sleep…..

Photo of the Week:
Yes, the snowflakes were about the size of a silver dollar. The snow lasted a couple hours then disappeared.

From the Paws of the Desert Chihuahua:
My human made me go out this morning IN THE RAIN! We live in a desert, why is it raining? Water belongs in a dish, not outside falling on humans and dogs and ducks. Shouldn’t fall on cats, either. Doesn’t she know I dislike rain? It’s cold and painful when it hits my furs. I don’t have any fat like other dogs do. But I sure like her new blanket.

Coffee Break Escapes with Auntie Lenora

Short readings for short times

Category Archives: Auntie Lenora

An odd week, this:

Death Cafe and Other Notes

Yes, I Didn’t See My Shadow

A Thunder of Dragons

Some Happy News with Which I Begin 2024

My 2023 Ubiquitous Winter Solstice Letter to YOU! Ho! Ho! Ho!

It’s so good to be back!

Do Humans Hibernate?

HOUSER

Happy Thanksgiving