Willed Body Programs

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Weather in the Tries:
Yikes! I started writing that this week would be cooler, and checked my phone to be sure I wouldn’t tell a lie. Well, part of the week will be cooler. Monday will be 71, Saturday will be 97. Hmmm, maybe I should consider switching to Celsius? It won’t affect the temps, but the number will be lower. A little psychological magic.

Monday will be 22, Saturday will be 37.Whatcha think? Shall I switch to Celsius until Fall?

Willed Body Programs:
We have two Willed Body programs here in Washington State—the University of Washington in Seattle and Washington State University in Spokane. I want to donate my body to a Body Farm, there are six of them, but none of them in the Pacific Northwest. They are all in the South and East. The original one is in Tennessee, started by forensic anthropologist Will Bass. I wish we had one in the PNW. Alas, we don’t. 

We do have Medical Schools, in Washington State, we have two of which I’m aware. The University of Washington(UW) in Seattle and Washington State University (WSU) in Spokane. Both accept willed bodies provided all the paperwork (oh, yeah, pages and pages) is complete and no next of kin objects. 

The UW accepts bodies from anywhere in the state and will cover transportation, and eventual cremation, with the ashes being placed in an unmarked grave (columbarium?) in their plot at Evergreen-Washelli in Seattle when finished with the body. WSU will transport, free of charge for bodies in a more localized area and charge the estate for transportation from farther away. I don’t know how much they charge.

Links to both schools’ Willed Body Programs are above. For me it boils down to: Do I want my ashes to be turned into mud, or to enjoy the seasons mostly in the sun. And can my estate afford the transportation costs?

Both sites have easily read and understood directions. Some things will disqualify—certain contagious diseases (at time of death) as well as horrendous trauma. If you will your body, there is no guarantee at the time of your death that either school will have need of you. Both strongly urge all donors to have a Plan B. 

If helping future doctors become good future doctors, this may be something for you to consider. This should be discussed with your family, as it will mean if you want a funeral, it will have to be without a body (I suppose you could use an empty casket. Hmm, would it have to be empty? Surely you can think of things to place in the casket to your weight? Those ugly sweaters Auntie Lenora did not give you (use them for wrapping so things don’t rattle), those computers you need to get rid of (especially the hard drives with incriminating letters?), those slick tires you need to dispose of? Well, you’ll think of something, I’m sure). UW will not return the ashes, WSU will, if requested. 

What will your family do with them, anyhow? Why would they want them, unless they’re going to use them for something other than put them in a vase to grace your living room or to use as a door stop? Yes, I know, cremains may be used for several things, but will they really go to go to such lengths?

Anyhow, I will post the links to both in my doula site, in the Resources page.  

Photos of the Week:
Be careful for what you ask! This guy was lonely. He sent out a call.

And this happened in minutes. He was ignored by everyone.

from the desk of Sammy snuggle pup;
my human sits on the bed to put on her socks and shoes. I lie in wait, and as she sits I sneak from behind her and crawl into her lap for pets and snuggles. for some reason, she enjoys it. I’ll have to do this more often, because I enjoy it, too. I also enjoy the warmer weather and sunshine we’re getting. happy dance time in my town.

Ear worm of the week:
Wolf Totem by the HU

Quote of the week:

“In such diffused changes of culture
two factors are necessary:
contact and understanding.” ~Hu Shih

Saying Goodbye to Thomas

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Weather in the Tries:
Oh my goodness gracious sakes alive! A week of sunshine is ahead of us. A tad cooler than yesterday, the temps will mostly be in the 80s until the weekend, when it will drop to the 70s. And the humidity, though higher in the morning and night, will be low enough that the heat will be heavenly.

Saying Goodbye to Thomas:
In case you missed the wee bit in last week’s post about my chapbook being accepted, Finishing Line Press has accepted my chapbook, Saying Goodbye to Thomas. These are the poems I wrote, mostly in the final months of his life, about his dying. No, they are not all doom and gloom, you know me better than that. At any rate I think I’ve calmed down a wee bit from the excitement. It will spike again, when I get the contract. Then it will be really real;-) 

Here is their acceptance. Well, a small portion thereof, I’m sure you don’t want to read the whole thing. This is the important part:

“Thank you for submitting to us. Your manuscript has been accepted for publication. We would love to publish your book.” Every time I read those three sentences I just get giddy all over again 😉

Please check Finishing Line Press out and consider buying a book. Small Press publishers are a mainstay for poets. Not sure which one to buy, get Finding Her by Kristie L. Williams. It’s a great book.

I’m a writer, I’m used to rejection. But sometimes, when enough come with no breaks, it’s hard to remember that editors aren’t rejecting me, they are rejecting my work. And they can reject it for a myriad of reasons. Maybe I used a word they don’t like, or I wrote about peace instead of war, or I wrote it in this form and they really love another form. Or, as so many rejection/pass letters state, my work just didn’t grab them. Any and all of those reasons are valid, plus the plethora I didn’t list.

It’s really nice when acceptance letters come in like rejections usually do. Within a month, I had something like 8 poems accepted/published. Huzzah! for editors 😉

Depending on your frame of mind, you may or may not want to download the WeCroak app. They will send you 5 messages a day to remind you, you are not a permanent fixture as a live person. It’s inspired by a Bhutanese folk saying: to be a happy person, one must contemplate death five times daily. I just went to the computer one, and they have “the final word on advice columns” you can ask Death for advice on current events, relationships, etc. and so forth. I’m enjoying it very much, but then, I’m weird. However, should you get it for your phone or ipad or watch or whatever, let me know what you think of it. They have both ios and android.

I keep hearing Johnny Mathis singing Chances Are. Yeah, I’m wearing that silly grin, but it’s not because I’m in love with some guy, it’s because my book about my Elder Brother of Choice is being published. Oh, happy dance, happy dance. Oh, wait. Yeah, I am in love with some guy. He’s a spoiled rescue dog!

Speaking of being a spoiled dog, he’s finally taking treats from my hand! That’s huge. I used to have to set them down and walk away, or gently toss them near him. Even the one that looks like a stick to him. Especially the stick one. Now he takes it from my hand. Sometimes it takes a bit. I’d sure like to know how badly he was abused. I think it’s worse than I imagine, which makes me want to hold him and cry and then go find the abuser and abuse him the same way he abused this poor puppy.

Photos of the Week:

Thomas loved watching the bunnies in the yard.

And he loved tossing peanuts out for the crows. One was fairly tame, Thomas called him Podjo, Old Friend.

This Rosemary plant is huge, and was right next to the outside door to Thomas’s area, and when the sun shone, and it was warm, we’d open the door and enjoy the perfume.

from the desk of the big chihuahua;
my human seems tremendously happy i am now taking treats from her hand. i wish i could tell her why it took so long, but she has been patient. sometimes, i still can’t do it, but she doesn’t seem upset when i want it tossed to me. 

Earworm of the week:
Need you wonder? One of my girl-hood heart throbs, Johnny Mathis sings Chances Are. 


Quote of the week, compliments of Good Housekeeping:

“Live out of your imagination, not your history.” ~ Stephen Covey

New Title: Happy Dance! Happy Dance!

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Weather in the Tries:
Days in the coming week will ge as high as 95F, or higher. In fact, we have 2 days scheduled in the 70s, 1 in the high 80s, with the last four in the 90s. I believe the swimming pools will be crowded 😉 We have two pools. This complex used to be large, and then the owners divorced and one got Clearwater Bay, the other got Herron Lake (sic) but about the time we moved in, they went back to one complex, but maintained the two names and two addresses. And each complex has their own pool. Isn’t that just a fascinating bit of trivia? Not.

Holidays and… New Title: Happy Dance! Happy Dance!
Yessiree Bobcat, last Monday was a holiday and I took it. For those of us who used to work for The Boeing Company, it was our first 3-day weekend of the year. The company and our union negotiated trading the week ends until Memorial Day for the days off between Christmas and New Year. Having those days off in the winter were marvelous. If the days fell ‘right’ we could take a couple days of vacation and get two weeks off. It was worth the price! It gave us workers a great break, and the company a chance to do annual maintenance without us underfoot!

Last Thursday (30 May) was the first Deathversary for Thomas. I went back to the Dark Side and spent some time with my Bonus Sister. On Friday, we took some of Thomas’s ashes down to Golden Gardens Park. Bonus Sister Sheryl found a nice tunnel of greenery we walked through to the beach. It was quite windy on the water, but my Bonus Sister found a large, flat piece of seaweed and put the ashes in it, rolled it, and tossed it into the water. Sadness accompanied us, for a short time, but once he was back in the water, his beloved Puget Sound, we wore far more smiles than tears.

On the way back home, she stopped by the Nordic Museum, where we took photos of Frankie Feetsplinters, the resident troll, then went inside to the snack bar and had a very good Ginger Beer (Reed’s Extra—look for it) and a cookie. Then back home for happy hour with the two across-the-street neighbors who were so good to Thomas and Sheryl and me. It was so pleasant, we sat on the patio! There are trolls all over the western part of the state. Or at least Puget Sound area. All made from reclaimed wood. All made by Thomas Dambo.

On Saturday, we were invited to a good friend’s houseboat on Lake Union, where we were feted with salmon grilled on a cedar plank. OMG! It was marvelous. cooked to perfection! We ate on the deck, watched the water traffic and had a marvelous visit. Thomas used to love going to the houseboat to visit and eat. We sat outside and after the other guests left, we watched the sunset, and dropped some more ashes into the lake, followed by a tequila toast to Thomas. Hope the fish appreciated that very good tequila! Sheryl found one of his poems, Water Remembers, one of the last ones he wrote, read it aloud, and then we left.

On Tuesday morning, I tried to post this blog, but as I discovered this morning, Word Press has gone in and changed things that weren’t broke and… Yes, Auntie Lenora got very frustrated, so she went to lunch with a good friend who used to live in the Tries, was forced to move to the Dark Side for personal reasons, and is looking at apartments to rent here, so she can move back. She thinks she found one, I hope so. It will be great to have another friend close by.

Got home from a great gab fest and then had some pooch time and a nap. Woke from the nap to an email that Finishing Line Press has accepted my chapbook, Saying Goodbye to Thomas. What a fantastical addition to the blog, eh? So, prepare yourself for updates. I do know one of the things they require are pre-sells, and when I find out more about it, I will be asking you all to buy a book. Or two or more. When I do ask, there are two things you should consider: 1. No, is an appropriate answer. (You won’t have to see me cry.) and 2. Remember, I am making no money off this book. All royalties will be divided in half, with half going to the ALS Association and the other half to End of Life Washington. Both of which brought a lot of help and succor to Thomas.

Pictures of the Week:
Sheryl walking through the tunnel to the Sound

A sloop, as seen through the tunnel. Thomas had a sloop. The mountains in the back are the Olympics. They used to be white all year. Amazing what a hoax can do, isn’t it?

Frankie Feetsplinters, Troll

Crossing Lake Washington on one of the floating bridges with Mt. Rainier in the background

Sunset on Lake Union, Seattle

from the desk of the not lonesome anymore dog:
my human came home. my human came home. she was gone like forever. i didn’t think she would ever come home, but she did. housemate dan said she would, but i wasn’t sure. it was so lonely, especially at night. it wasn’t warm, she wasn’t there. but she’s home now. see me do my happy dance.

Quote of the Week compliments of Good Housekeeping:

“Life is a song – sing it. 
Life is a game – play it.
Life is a challenge – meet it.
Life is a dream – realize it.
Life is a sacrifice – offer it.
Life is love – enjoy.”  ~ Sai Baba

Spring Cleaning of Poetry

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Weather in the Tries:
Well, it’s gonna be a bit cooler this week, hi 60w to low-mid 70s, with a chance 35% of us will get wet. Or is that a 35% chance it will rain? Or will we only get 35% of the raindrop? Sammy doesn’t know any better than I do. Oh well, it’s all gonna change anyhow.

Spring Cleaning of Poetry:
I decided to finally tackle the small mountain of papers stacked haphazardly on my desks. Yes, I have two. The one on which my computers sit and the one behind me that collects the overflow. I decided to deal with all those papers (really, it was an organized mess, I pretty much knew what was in each pile) yesterday. And then I became concerned when developers started calling me to inquire about the view property. So I now have no view property and a couple of well-organized piles of paper, most of which will be filed later today. 

All of which is to try to explain why I’m late.

I found a stack of poetry I need to go through and sort. A lot of it seems to deal with Thomas, I may have enough for a real book. Found a snarky one I totally forgot I’d written. Read it to my Sunday Group, and they loved it. 

This morning, I hit the deck running, as they say somewhere, got to my computer and first thing up, was I was asked by an editor to submit a poem! Well, that, obviously had priority. It went out before I’d had more than a couple sips of coffee, and then there was Word Jammin’ I had to connect with to get my tickets to tonight’s show.  Love this zoom program! It’s not an open mic, but four poets and the hostess, reading. High energy. Not the kind of poetry I write, but oh, do I love to watch. I’d say it’s like a Slam on Zoom, but I’ve never been to a poetry slam, so I can’t do that. And it may be way off base.

Another nice thing about Word Jammin’ is they’re on NYC time. Three hours ahead of us! I can watch them, then go to my writing meeting.

And then, just as I finished my first cuppa, my four-legged friend came in and asked for breakfast and a walk. So, we are back, and my second cuppa has been steadily emptying. 

Photos of the Week:
These are the honeysuckles outside my office window. I was going to put them up last week but am glad I didn’t. The lower blossoms, closer to the window I look through, have finished blooming. But, I have photos to look at whenever I want 😉

from the desk of the happy-dancing dog;
my human takes me walking in the sunshine, oh can you see my happy dance/ that’s supposed to be a question mark, but my paws can’t hold the shift key. my human says you can handle that. thank you. and dance your happy dance every day. after all, if you’re looking down at the grass, it’s a good day. besides, as my human says, it will make people wonder what you’ve been smoking, drinking, or eating.

Earworm of the Week:
Would you believe I’ve got Tevya worming his song, If I Were A Richman through my ears. Actually, it’s Topol singing. This clip is from the movie.

Quote of the Week comes from https://www.quotes.net/mquote/31597 and of course, it’s from Fiddler on the Roof:

Perchik:
In this world it is the wealthy who are criminals. 
Someday their wealth will be ours.

Tevye:
That would be nice. 
If they would agree, I would agree.

A Fantabulously Wunnerful Week!

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Weather in the Tries:

Would you settle for Sunny and warm to hot? I will. Mostly in the 80s, some 70s. Aaaah, Paradise. The Brave Dog is delighted, and so is his human!

A Fantabulously Wunnerful Week!:

A day late, but Happy Mother’s Day whether you’re a Mom or an Auntie of a Really Good Friend. All women, at sometime and for some time, become Moms. 

I am now a volunteer in training for End-of-Life Washington. As well as an 11th hour volunteer for Heartlinks Hospice. On Friday I “worked” at a Senior Health and Wellness Fair. The lady who set it up asked me to come. She thinks Death Doulas are great people and who am I to argue? Several people came by my table, asked questions, and left with a couple fliers and business cards I put out. Two of the women were retired hospice nurses, so we had slightly longer conversations.

And, of course, there were the people who came by, and decided they didn’t need or want anything to do with the subject. As if discussing Death would hasten his arrival. If they ignore it, it will go away? Alas, Death is not someone/something that will go away when ignored. The motto of End of Life Washington is: “Your Life. Your Death. Your Choice.” Wish I’d thought of it.

By the time I got home, it was ready for the poetry prompt group I belong to. We get two prompts, and time to start writing two poems. Sometimes only one gets written, and sometimes people read an older one. We also have an opportunity to read what we’ve written. It’s a great group, and one of my favorites. Then it was time to see if there was anything new going on in the world. There wasn’t.

I turned on YouTube and in scrolling through some of the music offerings, found an old black and white tape of Van Cliburn – Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1, B-flat minor. It was taken in Moscow when he won the award. Oh. Em. Gee!!! I was in 9th grade (maybe 10th) and I fell hopelessly in love with him. Van Cliburn, not Tchaikovsky. Anyhow, I think that record album was the first album I ever bought myself. 

 After my discharge from the WAC (Women’s Army Corps) in l969, before the birth of Favorite Daughter, he came to Portland and a friend and I sat in the nosebleed seats and were enthralled by his virtuosity. He started with the National Anthem. Having just come out of the WAC, it took maybe three notes and I was standing and feeling some embarrassed as no one else in the audience was. As I started to re-sit, remembering I was once again a civilian, and a few more notes were played, it dawned on them, and I had company standing. 😉

 (An aside: I tell people one of the main reasons I enlisted was to see a live Bob Hope show. I did. AFTER I came home from the WAC, and before Favorite Daughter made her debut.)

Anyhow, I watched the video Friday night, and again Saturday morning. Never did I think I’d see him play the winning piece in Moscow. His fingers moved so fast they blurred. I read somewhere online (so it must be true, yes?) that from his wrist to his fingertips measured twelve inches. There was something about Van Cliburn that in watching him this weekend, he reminded me of Jerry Lee Lewis. The hair? I don’t know, but I looked it up and nearly fell off the chair when I saw Jerry Lee Lewis is related to Jimmy (Lee) Swaggart! Why, bless my little heart. 

I think I was in fifth grade, possibly fourth, when Mom started taking me to the Portland Symphony. On school nights! We would meet downtown when she got off work, go to Kress five and dime, and eat a hotdog sandwich, then walk several blocks to the symphony hall. I have been so fortunate. I’ve seen Yehudi Menuhin play the violin and got his autograph, Victor Borge (I think I met him, but not sure), and a host of other marvelous musicians whose names I can’t remember at the moment. 

I don’t know if Mom took me because she wanted me to hear “real” music or if it was cheaper to buy me a hotdog and a cheap seat in Symphony Hall than pay a babysitter. I don’t care. I treasure those times. And after rock n roll came out, I’m sure she was very happy I’d been exposed to the classical sound and dumfounded I loved rock n roll. I still love the classics and the HU and everything in between.

Photos of the Week:

Remember a few weeks ago when I posted a picture of Buzz Lightyear? Well, his buddy Woody, finally found him. Woody is not used to rocket speeds, let alone truck speeds, so he’s hanging on for dear life, but at least they are together again.

from the desk of the big chihuahua:

my human says we must have a few new geese here this summer. they seem pretty tame, but if they are in our way when we walk, they hiss at us. they may be taller than me, but i just ignore them and their cute, fluffy babies. but i growls and barks if another dog on a leash comes anywhere near my human. it is my job to protect her, and i take my jobs very much to heart. and every time she leaves me home, she leaves me with a stack of chores to do while she’s gone. it’s hard, sometimes, but she gives me a treat when she gets home and tells me i’m the best dog in the whole world and gives me loves to go with the treats.

Earworm of the Week:

Whadda ya think? Yep, it’s Van Cliburn’s performance in Moscow.

Quote of the Week: From https://www.bookey.app/quote-author/van-cliburn

“Music is for people. The word ‘virtuoso’ literally means
‘ethical hero.’ It doesn’t mean ‘show off.’ ~ Van Cliburn

“Explanation 

“Van Cliburn’s quote, “Music is for people. The word ‘virtuoso’ literally means ‘ethical hero.’ It doesn’t mean ‘show off,'” beautifully captures the essence and purpose of music. Cliburn emphasizes that music is meant to be shared and enjoyed by everyone, rather than being a mere display of technical skill. He draws attention to the true meaning of the term ‘virtuoso,’ which is often misunderstood as someone who flaunts their abilities. Instead, Cliburn suggests that a virtuoso should be seen as an ethical hero, someone who not only possesses exceptional talent but also uses it to serve and inspire others. This quote serves as a gentle reminder that the true essence of music lies in its capacity to touch hearts, uplift souls, and create connections among people.”

 

Muscovy Rise! (I wanna see you fly)

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Weather in the Tries: 
Wahoo! it’s gonna go from 56 & wet on Monday to 82 and sunny on Sunday. The sun is going to play peekaboo on Tuesday, then shine all day the rest of the week. I’ve been told it even shines all night, too. Just not on our side of the blue marble of space.

Muscovy Rise! (I wanna see you fly)
It’s been a great week. Every morning when I’ve gotten up, I’ve looked down at the pond. Oh, our pond—it’s filled to where I think it is supposed to be, and it’s delightful. Last year they kept turning it off and it was only half filled.

We have more ducks and geese, and a Muscovy came by tonight (Sunday). I think she’s a hen, photo below. But no babies. We have several cross breeds between Muscovy and Mallard. I think the duck is a she/hen but not sure. I haven’t seen this one before, and except for her eyes, I think s/he is gorgeous. The eyes look like holes, kinda creepy. 

Did I mention last week that one of my poems won Honorable Mention in the Yakima Coffeehouse Poetry competition, and three of my poems have been selected for print in the Shrub-Steppe annual anthology? I will get them recorded and posted soon so you can listen to them if you’re so inclined.

Photos of the Week:
I think she’s about 24 inches long, but not sure. Check out this site for more photos and information. Most of the ducks and geese that summer here are pretty tame. The ganders will hiss at me if they have their babies near and I’m walking by. I always compliment them on their family. Sammy ignores them.

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I want to see her on land. I’m not sure her feet are webbed. At least the Muscovys down south nest in trees…webbed feet might not be all that handy to have?

from the desk of the brave dog;
the sun is coming out in a couple days. the sky is going to quit crying. it’s going to be warm. can you see me do my happy dance/ unfortunately my little paws can’t type the shift key and a letter so you get no caps. unless i put everything in total caps and my human says that’s like yelling and is impolite. happy, happy, happy dance.

Quote from Dune, Part 2:

“You cannot see the future without seeing the past.”
~ Lady Jessica, Reverend Mother

Spring Has Sprung!

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Weather in the Tries:
Today our high will be 60F with wind and maybe some sprinkles with Grandfather Sun on schedule to appear around 5pm. The temps will mostly be in the 60s during the days and in the 40s during the darkness time. Also, mostly cloudy with now and again chances of wetting. Sammy hates getting wet. At least his hair doesn’t curl and frizz!

Spring Has Sprung!  
Our winds come, primarily, from the south and west. They bring a delightful mixture of fertilizers from the farms, dust—also from the farms, and pollens and seeds from the world. And we do get our share of winds, and then some. The shrubs and trees are blooming, the geese have their first hatchlings they so proudly parade around the area. I admit, I love the flowers (ah-choo) and love the baby geeselings and ducklings. 

The good thing about our web-footed friends is they eat all the ‘yard bugs’ and larva for same. We have few bugs outside. The bad thing about them is what goes in, comes out, and the enthusiastic way of gossiping. No quiet whispers of ‘shhhh, don’t tell, but have you noticed Mabel…?’ Nope, they just belt it out, all caps and loud. Starting when the sun opens an eye to start shining on us.

I presented some information at our Reflection Café (a discussion group with different topics each time we meet) on how/why I became a Death Doula. It is a very safe place to talk about just about anything, and the group seemed to like the presentations. At least they laughed at the humorous parts of my talk and asked a lot of questions. And yes indeed, there is often humor.

Photos of the Week:
My phone says these pink flowers are Twinberry honeysuckle, and the white ones are Yarrow. I question the yarrow, because it looks like yarrow grows on stalks, and this was from a shrub. Whatever it is, it’s pretty and makes me sneeze.

from the desk of the big chihuahua;

happiness is having warm sun outside, and just a slow breeze, not these rushing winds. 

Music of the Week:
Munir Bashir – Mesopotamia. He plays the oud, which I believe is related to the lute, anyhow, it’s a stringed instrument, and I find it quite enjoyable to listen to as I type, read, sew, etc. Check it out. He has his own channel. Another oud player I really enjoy is Naochika Sogabe. He is Japanese, and also plays the Lute. Another channel to listen too and enjoy. 

May April kiss you goodbye and May dance you amayzing days!

Once Again, I am the Late Auntie Lenora

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Weather in the Tries:
Yeah, it’s still out there with sun sometimes and either dark or cloudy the others. No more freezes, but still breezes.

Once again, I am the Late Auntie Lenora:
It was a week. Last Monday, I drove Favorite Daughter and Favorite Grandcat Bruce, to the WSU Veterinarian Hospital for tests and a sleep over. Because Favorite Daughter has other cats at home, we drove home Monday to sleep in our own beds and then back to Pullman and WSU on Tuesday to collect Favorite Grandcat Bruce. He said the food was awful, and the sleepover ok, but he doesn’t want to do a repeat.

Actually, I don’t think I want to do a do-over, either. My allergies went bonkers and I’ve been fighting a sinus infection. Housemate Dan even went shopping for me and brought back some Afrin and some Nasocort. I do feel like I am actually coming back to feeling like a human. At least the sinus headache is down to a susurration. 

Other than walking the Beast (aka Sammy) I haven’t been outside much. Did meet a friend for coffee yesterday and have a networking social this evening.

Did make my poetry critique group on Saturday, and finally have a long poem ready to be abandoned. (Poems are never finished, merely abandoned.)

I also woke at 3:00am and realized I hadn’t written, let alone posted, this week’s blog. I am dedicated, but not that dedicated. I rolled over and went back to sleep.

Listening to the music of Dune by Hans Zimmer. Dune are my ‘thumb sucking’ books, at least the original 6 by Frank Herbert. And try as I might, every time I’d get the litany against fear memorized, I’d mess it up somehow, and yet it was, and is, one of my favorite things. In one of the books, Reverend Mother Odrade said it took long to say, so she shortened it to: “Face your fear or it will climb over your back.” Yep, that one I can remember for more than two days running. The original, for those of you who may not remember it, is: “I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.” ― Frank Herbert, Dune

But, back to the music, there are several parts of it on he www, not something I would want to listen to all the time, but great background for reading, writing, or sewing.

Photos of the Week:
Not sure what this is, but it’s in the Vet School complex on the second or third floor. Break room? Lunch room? Reading room? Just thought it was an interesting picture.

This is the first of two bas relief (?) curved glass panels that greet one when entering the small animal clinic. The represent the wetlands, and the floor, which I did not shoot, was set with the foot prints of 17 animals who would be found in the wetlands and wave lines. There was a coffee pot and hot water pot with teas and hot coco available. Very nice set up. (There are three entrances—wildlife rescue, small animal, and large animal. Mostly in the small animal, we saw dogs and cats, but also bunny and ferret. The bunny people came from Seattle. The school has a very high reputation.)

from the desk of the spoiled beast;
my humans spoil me. if housemate dan gets up early, my pestering him will get me breakfast and a walk earlier than if I pester mom. she thinks my tummy is on a schedule. well, I guess it is. the schedule is when it’s hollow and empty it needs food. or when I’m up and see my empty bowl. she’s always saying she ordered a cat and got me, so I don’t understand why she doesn’t love me more when I act like a cat. humans are really strange.

Quotes from Bill Nye:
“Television isn’t inherently good or bad. You go to a bookstore, there are how many thousands of books, but how many of those do you want? Five? Television’s the same way. If you’re going to show people stuff, television is the way to go. Words and pictures show things.” – Bill Nye

“If the Earth gets hit by an asteroid, it’s game over. It’s control-alt-delete for civilization.” – Bill Nye

Dune: Part Two | Soundtrack Cut | Hans Zimmer

I regret to inform you…

5 Replies

Weather in the Tries:
The highest day will be this coming weekend, in the mid 70s, the lowest is scheduled for tomorrow at 60. Most will be in the upper 60s. The nights will be down to a comfortable low 40s, with a couple in the high 30s. There will be no more three dog nights for a few months.

I regret to inform you…

It is with sadness I tell you, your dearly departed uncle has left you the entirety of his estate valued at xxxxxx amount of Dollars, Pounds Sterling, Won, Yen, Whatever. It has taken us some time to find you, as he left only your name and possible location as you’ve recently moved, and there are several people with your name, and we had to ascertain you are the correct recipient of his vast fortune in currency, jewels, and land. yadda, yadda, and more yadda.

Several years ago, my favorite Brother of Choice Dave, told me how to set my computer so the entire sender email is shown (se below). That has saved me no end of hassle and the possibility of embarrassing loss of funds 😉 And, yes, I have sent it on to Phishing@visa.com

This guy is so bad at this, I almost want to edit his letter and send it back. This is his whole letter:

*

Solomon Williams jeorgekennedy011@gmail.com

hello

To: undisclosed-recipients:;,

Reply-To: cbi.customerservices10@gmail.com

 Attention,
I send you this message previously without hearing from you,
Today we received an appropriate letter from the treasury department of the
Executive Board of Directors to continue with the transfer of his
Fund deposited in our bank. We have established all
transfer documents behind your full amount.

1) Through a VISA CARD based on a personalized PIN with a
maximum withdrawal limit of ($10,000.00 USD) per day till
receive your full amount.

(CBI Customer Service)
[cbi.customerservices10@gmail.com]

*

Photos of the Week:
First up, a photo of my new bookcase. On the left, nonfiction—top shelf is Native American, in the middle are poetry books in the angled shelves, the top middle is my Morgue, in the right is my fiction. Someday I may have to swap location of fiction for poetry 😉 I buy very little hard copy fiction, but all my poetry is hard copy. 

Remember my talking about the quilt for my Sister and Brother of Choice’s pet python? Well, as you and I both know, they don’t have a pet python—they have a furry, and claw-bearing cat who likes to sit on the top of their bed’s headboard to look out the window. Here is a shot of the “python quilt” in its new home. And it has been approved!

And here are their new place mats, with the center piece. I drew a circle around the center of the center sunflower in the center piece and used a pale yellow to radiate out from the circle and continue down into the mats. The radiating rays are a stretched out ‘S.’ I was going to use a nice bright yellow, but the backs, or other side, is a soft sage green, and the brighter yellows did not play well with the softer green. Photos of quilts by my SOC, Lee W.

from the desk of the brave dog;
the sun is coming out more and more every day. my human likes it almost as much as me. the days are warmer, and so are the nights. my human still has a heavy quilt on my bed, woof—our bed. but it won’t be long before she will put a summer quilt on it. and then just a sheet. oh, hot weather comes. bark, bark, bark… my human won’t want 2 more dogs to share my, woof, our bed.

Earworm of the week:
woke this morning (Sunday) with Ghost Riders in the Sky by Sons of the Pioneers. Talk about an earworm. And Roy Rogers was still with them at the time. I remember that song from when I was a step above being a toddler. My folks played it over and over. Was I dreaming of them? I don’t know, but my first conscious thought was “Yippee kai yay, yippee kai yo ghost riders in the sky.” 

And a quote or two on this national day of poverty, courtesy of romper :

“Isn’t it appropriate that the month of the tax begins with April Fool’s Day and ends with cries of May Day?” — Robert Knauerhase
“Death, taxes, and childbirth! There’s never any convenient time for any of them.” ― Margaret Mitchell
“The income tax has made liars out of more Americans than golf.” ― Will Rogers

Bookcases &c

3 Replies

Weather in the Tries:
Highs this week will all be in the 60s, mostly higher 60s. The los will be in the 40s. We’ll have sunbreaks Monday and Wednesday, and winds on Tuesday. Can’t we have wind and sun at the same time? Who knows, and he’s not telling.

Bookcases &c:
My old and well used bookcase finally said it was tired of holding 3,002 pounds of so of books on it, and the little pins you put in your choice of holes broke the wood enough to fall out. If I raised or lowered the shelves (2 of them misbehaved) my books wouldn’t fit. So, I put the white book case I’ve never been truly happy with on the patio, and will get someone to help me move it up to the dumpster tomorrow (Monday) with a ‘Free to a Good Home’ sign on it. Moved my old and well used bookcase into the living room area now devoted to sewing/quilting, and got a lot of fabric &c stored on it so it has neatened up that area somewhat. And then I went to my favorite ‘has everything I’ve always wanted and didn’t know it’ store and ordered a new bookcase.

My old bookcase that is now mostly a fabric case, was 6 shelves (including the top) 6’ x3’. I ordered this bookcase, which is 72.8” wide, 79.5” heigh, and 11.8” deep. It is surprisingly easy to put together, and take apart, and put back together. The iron standards are each 3 pieces, a bottom, a middle, a top. They have holes in them. Did I pay any attention to hole placement? Of course not, I just put the pieces in however the farkers would fit with H on the top, I in the center and J at the bottom. Guess what, the holes are different on one side from the other. This morning (that would be Sunday) is deconstructed three of the four, and reconstructed them, and am now putting the shelves in. They are using engineered wood rather than compressed sawdust & glue. Each shelf is 23” long, give or take a tenth or two. I will have to get Housemate Dan to help me with the higher shelf. One is supposed to put them on the floor, but I can’t get down and back up. I laid one of the shelves (paying attention to the holes) on my chair and got the screws in the top shelf, and managed to get the second standard attached to the other end of the shelf, then stood it up and am now putting the rest of the shelves in. Photo next week when it’s together and populated with its books. I think all my books or poetry will go on the center ‘library cart’ style shelves, nonfiction on the left side and fiction on the right side.

I have one section finished. I’ll have to have Housemate Dan help me with the second section. I’ll hold the top shelf, if he’ll screw it in, then I can put the rest of the shelves in on my own, then build the tilted ones, and connect the hip bone to the leg bone and the leg bone to the ankle bone, or whatever. Once the three sections are connected, I’ll know how far I need to move my desk so they will fit the space. I think it’s 5” but will know for sure soon.

I can’t get a copy of the picture but this may help if you’re really curious: IRONCK Bookcases and Bookshelves Triple Wide 6 Tiers Industrial Record Player Shelf, Large Etagere Bookshelf Open Record Player Shelves with Metal Frame for Living Room Home Office https://a.co/d/hUmZhFw  The record shelves are what will hold my poetry books. I don’t have any vinyl anymore, not a place to put a player.

Well, I wanted to use the picture from the Amazon page, but couldn’t get it transferred, so if you want to see it, you’ll just have to click the link above. Or wait until next week when it’s done and populated with books;-)

My new website is up. We’re still dusting, and polishing, but it’s there. Check it out: https://foragooddeath.com. As stated, it’s still being tweaked, let me know if you have any ideas for improvement. Thanks

Sammy is surveying the work from his bed in the other room 😉

Video of the Week:
Ever wonder how a stone is cut? YouTube is full of all sorts of stuff. This guy has a 1000carat piece of clear quarts and is faceting and polishing it. The computer truly is a thing of wonder—as long as you don’t watch news all day;-)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xr-UNlOWS3Y When he finishes it, it’s gorgeous.

from the desk of the big chihuahua;
we have sunshine and warmth even if the breeze is a little cold. my human complains, i think it’s because she’s bigger than i am and more wind hits her. im happy with it. more new smells as new people move in and out and bring and take more dogs n cats. i don’t care. the sun is shining and summer is coming.