Tag Archives: Anne Bishop

What is Violence?

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Weather in the Tries: Wow, I don’t unnerstand, not one little bit. I moved south, toward the warmth, and it’s colder! Yeah, okay, I only moved 3.1 miles, but still… Does Ma Nature really have to give Winter an encore? Couldn’t she do it someplace else? The lows are going to be from 28 to 35, and the highs from 43 to 57 (next Saturday, mostly right around 50). 

What is Violence?

First off, a note about the move. Probably 90% or more boxes are emptied. A stack of stuff grows to make a trip to my “shed,” and there are other things on horizontal surfaces waiting for something necessary to be unpacked before they can be put away. But it’s going, or coming, whatever.

Second off, I just had three poems accepted by the delightful people who put together the Shrub-Steppe anthology every year! 

Third off, I really give a shout-out for Charter/Spectrum. Their part of the move went very smoothly. I plugged in a tv at the new abode, grabbed my clicker, and voila, I had my program. Dan set up my router, etc. and it, too went as promised. Yeah, they irritate me somewhat, especially when I call and have to go through what seems like 30,000 computers that only understand six words (and never the same six words) to finally get to a human (they are, after all, a Communication Network!) but when I finally get a human, I’m usually very pleased with their demeanor and knowledge. And patience because a by then, I wanna do a Will Smith, even though I know it’s wrong—and I don’t know if Karma affects computers.

Okay, legal disclaimers plus: I did not watch the Oscars, and I’ve barely read more than the headlines of most of the articles about it. I did read one article. But here is my question, perhaps it is a rant? I’m not sure. I remember it was about Will Smith defending his wife’s honor (Jada Pinkett Smith) against the host of the show. Rock? Rocky? Rocky Squirrel? Sorry, I don’t remember him or his name. Will Smith I know. No, I don’t know him, but I know who he is, and enjoy the movies I’ve seen with him.

Anyhow, Rock? Rocky? Rocky Squirrel? made a thoughtless comment about Jada’s baldness due to alopecia. Will slapped him. Personally, I hope Will slapped some manners into him. Will has taken full responsibility for his actions, resigned from the Oscars, has been banned for 10 years. (Bet that just breaks his heart/snark/). Why? Because he chose, however unwise, to counter violence with more violence. Yes, you read that correctly.

I am against violence, of any sort. And I’m not necessarily condoning Will’s actions; however, I think Rock? Rocky? Rocky Squirrel? who so generously did not file charges or a complaint, should also be banned from the Oscars for 10 years. We all know Karma takes too long, so maybe that is why Will Smith slapped him. It was his verbal violence that started it. When a comedian goes for a laugh out of someone else’s pain, it’s violence. Whether the pain is physical or emotional doesn’t matter. Pain is pain and it hurts. And if Rock? Rocky? Rocky Squirrel? went after one of my family, I might have suffered a sudden onset of uncontrollable raising of my knee. (That Karma thing, you understand.) Full stop. Run credits. Close curtains. The end.

Thank you for allowing me to rant. Oh, wait. This is my blog. Thank you for reading my rant. What do you think?

Photo of the Week:

We had some strong winds the last few days. Looked out of my bedroom this morning and saw this bleached skeleton of a bird, with a couple feathers sticking to it. Of course, I grabbed my phone and braved the cold winds to shoot it. This was, mind you, BC (before coffee) so I hope I can be forgiven for sharing a semi-floating plastic bag with you. Do you see the bird?

Books: Remember, if I finish a book, I review it at Rainy Day Reads

Crowbones by Anne Bishop. Oh, yes, I finished it. Think it took me 3, maybe 4 nights. I savored it, I mostly only read it at night and then only if I’d done a fair share of unboxing stuff. It made a marvelous “carrot.” My review can be found here.

Earworm of the Week: “A Change Would Do You Good” by Sheryl Crow performed by Paul Mcdonald and The Grand Magnolias

Quotes of the Week: From Wise Sayings

“Crows will fight over a dead man’s flesh and kill each other for his eyes” —George R.R. Martin (What? You expect something soft and genteel from the man who gave us GoT?)

“We heap up around us things that we do not need as the crow makes piles of glittering pebbles.” —Laura Ingalls Wilder

“If men had wings and bore black feathers, Few of them would be clever enough to be crows.” —Henry Ward Beecher

And there we are. Another week, another blog. Auntie Lenora hopes you week was fantabulously wonderful, and the coming week will treat you even better. The Brave Dog sends more pupkisses. TTFN and see you soon. As Garrison Keillor says—”Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.”

ps. I wan’t kidding when I said Winter gets an encore:

Yes, it’s snow. Sammy doesn’t like it!
Out our office window.

We’re Moved!!!!!

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Weather in the Tries: Huh? We got weather? Here? At our new home? I’ve been too busy to notice. 😉

We’re Moved:

It went fairly smooth, operator. I’ve done easier moves but had a couple months to pack and be uber organized. This time I had 20 days. Chrysta, the manager at the new complex, called and said they had an apartment coming vacant the first of April. The lady and her sons who lived in it were gracious enough to allow us to come see it and decide. We decided. I had done a bit of long-term packing but then it was time for the hard part. I had to give notice on my place, and the manager there said they could only pro rate rent based on move in, not move out. I had to pack like crazy. I asked if I could come back and clean, and she said they’d prefer if their team cleaned and billed me. Ya know what? By the time I moved, & etc., I was too pooped to clean. I had done some, and went back and vacuumed, and that was it. Their cleaners will be worth the cost.

For those of you in the area, I used Help U Move. This is the third time I’ve used them, and I’ve never been disappointed in their work. I heartily recommend them.

Dan, my soon to be housemate, was gracious enough to pay his half of the rent this month so I could move in, and he could bring stuff over in bits and pieces. We each took a small bedroom (10×10) and are using the primary bedroom as a joint office. Well, once I get all the boxes out. 😉

I’m guessing these were made in the ’70s with what I call a California architecture. There is a large entry in the center of each building with all apartments opening on it. Gets people out of the wind and rain, snow and sleet, sun and heat, to get in and out of their units. We discovered we can use the patio, it’s closer by a few steps. And is covered by the upstairs unit’s deck. 

I think each building has 10 apartments, 1, 2, or 3 bedrooms. It’s mixed age so there are kids from newborn to second childhood in here. Lots of geeses, ducks, and I think we have a resident heron, too. The ponds are low on water but will be topped off in the next couple of weeks.

I wondered how Sammy would take to the move. On moving day proper, he spent the day at Dan’s. Once everything was moved, I brought him to his new home. He saw ‘his’ boxes, smelled the right smells and was okay with the move. I guess. (Who knows what an animal thinks?) Went for our first walk and he was fine. There are lots of dogs in here, so he got to read lots of messages and leave his own. Looks like it was a welcome wagon for dogs. He loves it here. At the other place there were lots of dogs and feral and wild animals, and he was pretty twitchy, but here, he’s fine. Oddly, he hasn’t met any of the dogs. 

Oh, there is an old and unused tennis court here. The powers that be, are considering turning it into parking. I suggested to the manager they turn half into parking and use the other half as an enclosed doggie play yard. She liked the idea and said she’d pass it on. There are 7 buildings in our complex and our owner just bought the mirror complex next door with another 7 buildings. That complex is called Heron Lake, we live in Clearwater Bay.

Okay, here you go, Photos of the Week:

Entry way. Note patio to the left with blue and red chair showing? That be us.
The entry hall. It appears a tad darker when one walks in from bright sun!
From our entry way which is about as exciting as the photo of same somewhere above this one. Obviously, this is our kitchen and box room. It’s really a dining room, and all those boxes are empty. and I’m still figuring where to put stuff which is why everything is on the counter, stove, etc.
Our living room from the entry. When Dan moves in, we’ll rearrange things, right now, I’m trying to get it livable. And all the stuff put someplace.
My 10×10 room. All my art is over at a neighbor’s until the house is more or less organized. We met when she lived at the other place, and is how I found this place.
My bathroom with my new shower curtain. Had to do something to kill the yellow in the paint. It’s a yellow-brown-beigey color. It’s a good thing I don’t wear a lot of make up, because it will never go on right in here. All the rooms are this color.
Our office. Well, at the moment, it’s my office, but as soon as I get the boxes emptied, or at least moved, Dan can start moving his desk, etc. in.
This is the view from our patio. My understanding is, The Great Invincible They will start filling the pond this month. You can’t really see, it goes quite a ways back. We have ducks, geese, and at least one resident/semi resident Great Blue Heron. He has his favorite rock he perches on away from all the buildings. I’m sure there will be more photos in days to come.

Books: Remember, if I finish a book, I review it at Rainy Day Reads

I have finally started Crowbones by Anne Bishop. It’s the latest in her The Other series. I saved it as a reward for a getting everything packed, moved, and at least a start at emptying boxes. I took it with me Saturday to start while I waited to get my Booster Boosted. Again, I have no reaction to the booster other than it is a teensy bit sore if I sleep on it. Now, if y’all will excuse me, I need to finish Crowbones before I can get back to emptying boxes. I have read several of Ms. Bishop’s books. Reviews are here.

Earworm of the Week: Speaking of boxes (not our new home) here’s an oldie, Little Boxes. For some reason I was sure, absitively posolutely sure that Peggy Lee wrote and performed this. Nope! It was Malvina Reynolds. So much for my infallible memory 😉

How’s this 7:06 video for a “Feel Good” one? Retired Mountain Rescue Search Dog Skye is awarded the PDSA Order of Merit. That is a big deal. 

Quotes of the Week: are from metropolis moving

“If your world doesn’t allow you to dream, move to one where you can.” -Billy Idol

All mankind is divided into three classes: those that are immovable, those that are movable, and those that move.” -Benjamin Franklin

“The world is round and the place which may seem like the end may also be the beginning.” -Ivy Baker Priest (This one sounds a tad like it came from the Reluctant Messiah of Illusions by Richard Bach.)

Sammy wants you to know he’s happy here and sends pupkisses to you all and thanks you for your friendship. And good wishes. He’s not sure how he would have made it without those good wishes. Me, too. I’m getting too old to move every time the windows need washing! 

Lazy Days

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Weather for Monday in the Tries (Richland, Kennewick, Pasco WA):

Monday is supposed to be mostly sunny with a high near 57. SW wind around 16mph with gusts up to 22mph. Monday night is on schedule for a 40% change of rain after 8pm. Low around 43.  the rest of the week is basically more of the same, which highs in high 50s to low 60s with only one night low enough to freeze at 32F. In other words, it’s official, and it’s Spring 😉

Lazy Days:

Yeah, I know. Those are supposed to be in summer. But Anne Bishop’s new book, The Queen’s Weapons came out and I bought it. It really irks me to pay a high price for an electronic book that is really and truly only a long-term rental. If my account is closed for any reason, I lose all my electronic books. When I die, I can’t leave them to anyone. I guess I could leave my eReader to someone, with my passwords, etc. Bookstores charge higher prices because they have overhead, and staff that will dust the shelves, and use power to maintain heat and humidity. And have to cover for people who try to leave the stores with product and not pay for it.

But, I digress. On to the new book. The Queen’s Weapons is book 11 in the Dark Jewels series. I’ve read most of the book in this series, and all of her books in the realm of The Others (Written in Red is the first one of the 5-book series with two others in that world). Anne Bishop has a marvelous imagination and is one of the best world builders I’ve come across. There are lots of good builders out there, but Anne Bishop, Patricia Briggs, and Sara Beth Durst are three of the best. Honest. Trust me.

Jaenelle Satien has immatured into a spoiled and self-entitled adolescent. She is convinced she’s special, but not everyone likes her, and she can’t figure out why. She begins attending a private school for the aristo’s and is wooed into the wrong crowd, led by a bright, intelligent, scheming young woman who is sure she will be the next Queen, when she’s older, and to make it easier, she starts eliminating the potential rivals now, so when they’re all adults, she will be the “winner.” She’s sure she can handle Jaenelle’s father, Daemon Sadi, the High Lord of Hell, that she’s smarter than he is, more intelligent than he is, and, well, if you’ve ever been an angst-filled teen, or raised one, you shouldn’t have any trouble seeing that picture. 

The first time Daemon meets Delora, Jaenelle’s new friend, her psychic scent reminds him of Dorothea, and he even calls her that name. He does not like his daughter’s new friends. Not at all, and doesn’t see why Jaenelle Satien does.

To add to the general angst of the situation, Surreal and Sadi are having marital problems. This is not 541 pages of teen angst. There are even some humorous scenes. I opened the book as my nighttime read and read one chapter then put the book down and turned out the light. I promised myself I’d read one chapter per night. One. Only one. That promise wasn’t even as long-lasting as an ice cube doing the tango on a hot griddle. I spent three hours or so the next day reading, and on day three, I spent more hours than I want to admit reading, but I finished the book. And the Scelties are back. Love those little dogs. Let me expand—I love the Scelties in the books, but I don’t want them in my home. They would upset Sammy Brave Dog.

I have thoroughly enjoyed all of the Dark Jewel books I’ve read. I’ve read most of them, but not all of them. They are a little more violent than many seriess, and sex plays a large role in the stories, but they are well written, and I think very enjoyable. If you haven’t read any of them, I suggest you read the first three, then you can probably skip around without getting too lost. You’ll know who the characters are, and the ‘back story’ will make sense.

Spring Plant. I haven’t a clue what it is, anyone have an idea? I think it might be cannibalistic, though. It seems to want to sprawl and ‘eat’ anything it comes in contact with. Or, maybe, that’s my imagination???

Atlanta:

I wasn’t going to say anything about the shootings in Atlanta, but damn! Those people who keep saying it wasn’t really a hate crime, that he just had a bad day (so, a guy has a bad day and women die?), are surely reading and watching different news sources than I am. It was a double double hate crime. It was a hate crime against Asians and a hate crime against Women. And his excuse that he was trying to eliminate temptation doesn’t fly, either. If he was really trying, he’d have gotten professional help for the problem. (Forgive me if I step on some toes here, but Pastors and their counselling do NOT qualify as professional counselling.) Or he could have followed the biblical injunction (good Southern Baptist that he was) to cut the offending member of his body off and cast it from him. Matthew 5:30 KJV. Bet his pastor didn’t counsel him on that one, misogynist that he is!

Entertainment:

TV? Who watched TV? I was reading a book, see above. /snark/

Books: for complete reviews please see Rainy Day Reads at http://lenoragood.blogspot.com

The Queen’s Weapons— by Anne Bishop. 

Zoom: 

I have been attending various talks, concerts, and poetry readings via Zoom. One of the regular meetings I attended in person before Covid, has been meeting on Zoom, and the moderator has stated she’d like to continue to meet via Zoom even when we can legally re-congregate as she doesn’t have to pack so much stuff; however, she said maybe we could meet for social gatherings. I’ll agree to that. Love the Zoom meetings. No commute time, why, I can even stay in my jammies if I want! And if I want a glass of wine during the meeting, I’m not driving home 😉 Today I attended a poetry meeting from London, in a couple weeks I’ll be in ABQ for some meeting (via zoom), not to mention Yakima. All from my computer. Love it.

CDC Guidelines: You can read them here. There are new relaxations, but best you read about them, and follow them, and still wear your masks in public and avoid large gatherings. If your Governor says one thing, and the CDC says something else, although the Governor’s words may sound like more fun, follow the CDC guidelines. Better a bit more irritation than one more death.

Auntie Lenora and Sammy Brave Dog wish you a Fantastically Mahvelous day, and a super good week.