The Day in Spikedluv (Friday, Jan 30)
Jan. 31st, 2026 08:20 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
spikedluvI hit Agway and the Bakery while I was downtown. Then I had to hit the pharmacy because the dentist did send in a prescription for antibiotics for Pip’s tooth. I also stopped by the Town offices to pay property taxes and hit the bank drive-thru.
I did a load of laundry, hand-washed dishes, ran a load in the dishwasher, went for several walks with Pip/the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, and scooped kitty litter. We had chicken and gravy on rice for supper.
I read a lot of fanfic and watched 9-1-1 and House Hunters International.
Temps started out at -4.9(F) (and dropped a tiny bit to -5.1 before I left the house) and reached 11.3. There was some sun, but also wind, so it felt so much colder.
Mom Update:
Mom sounded tired when I talked to her. I forgot to mention that she did talk to the Hospice nurse about her energy levels. The nurse talked to the doctor and they prescribed Prednisone for her. (A week to see how it works.) I thought it was odd, but google says it affects the adrenal gland? I’m not sure if that’s what is supposed to affect her energy? She first took it Thursday morning. I don’t know how long it takes to work, but it clearly wasn’t working as of today.
She had some good meals. Sister S was there and mom was expecting Sister A. My brother had called. The aunt and uncle who were supposed to visit never showed and didn’t call to tell her they weren’t coming, so she kind of kept expecting them to show up.
I did a load of laundry, hand-washed dishes, ran a load in the dishwasher, went for several walks with Pip/the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, and scooped kitty litter. We had chicken and gravy on rice for supper.
I read a lot of fanfic and watched 9-1-1 and House Hunters International.
Temps started out at -4.9(F) (and dropped a tiny bit to -5.1 before I left the house) and reached 11.3. There was some sun, but also wind, so it felt so much colder.
Mom Update:
Mom sounded tired when I talked to her. I forgot to mention that she did talk to the Hospice nurse about her energy levels. The nurse talked to the doctor and they prescribed Prednisone for her. (A week to see how it works.) I thought it was odd, but google says it affects the adrenal gland? I’m not sure if that’s what is supposed to affect her energy? She first took it Thursday morning. I don’t know how long it takes to work, but it clearly wasn’t working as of today.
She had some good meals. Sister S was there and mom was expecting Sister A. My brother had called. The aunt and uncle who were supposed to visit never showed and didn’t call to tell her they weren’t coming, so she kind of kept expecting them to show up.
The Day in Spikedluv (Thursday, Jan 29)
Jan. 30th, 2026 07:26 amspikedluvI hit Price Chopper while I was downtown. Yes, again. My meal plans got rearranged due to Pip’s toothache. I already had the pork chops in the oven when he got home yesterday, so there was no changing that, but I decided to do French toast (which he had requested one day) because it should be easy for him to eat. I was not prepared with enough bread in the house, or bacon. o_O
I did two loads of laundry, hand-washed dishes, emptied the dishwasher, went for several walks with Pip/the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, scooped kitty litter, and showered. I also wrote out checks for the property tax (personal and LLC).
I read more fanfic and watched Wild Cards and an ep of House Hunters International. Zoo Tampa was my background tv.
I had more stomach issues today. ( cutting for the gross details )
Temps started out at 7.2(F) (and actually went up a bit to 7.5 before I left the house) and reached 23.2. The lows for the next three nights (including tonight) are supposed to be below zero. *shivers* DNW!! There was sun again today, which was nice.
Speaking of DNW, it appears that the N’oreaster this weekend might miss us this far inland? I hope that continues to be the case. Looks like Boston is going to get hit hard again. (As well as North Carolina, so stay safe down there!)
Mom Update:
Mom was doing okay when I visited. She had some protein drink just before I got there and I made her an egg with cheese for lunch. (One egg with cheese filled her to almost uncomfortable. I can’t believe just how small her stomach is. I know they took about 1/3 of it, and that by not eating it’s probably shrunk even farther, and yet I’m still surprised by it.) I also took her some of the steamed butternut squash chunks so she could do with it as she wished. (I’m sure I would have put too much butter and or brown sugar on it for her taste.)
While I was there she got a phone call from my brother’s long-term GF’s (they’ve been together since high school, so a couple years longer than Pip and I have been together) mother. This woman was a year ahead of my mom in high school and they were never friends, and even just acquaintances after R & T got together, but she recently asked if it would be okay if she called. It sounded like they had a good conversation.
My mom mentioned that my brother calls her every night, which is nice. She also told me she was expecting my aunt and uncle tomorrow morning.
I wrote out a check for her and put it back in the mail.
Sister A and Ian had just arrived when I was talking to her in the evening and she told me that her BFF had been there in the afternoon after I left, so she had some nice company today.
I did two loads of laundry, hand-washed dishes, emptied the dishwasher, went for several walks with Pip/the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, scooped kitty litter, and showered. I also wrote out checks for the property tax (personal and LLC).
I read more fanfic and watched Wild Cards and an ep of House Hunters International. Zoo Tampa was my background tv.
I had more stomach issues today. ( cutting for the gross details )
Temps started out at 7.2(F) (and actually went up a bit to 7.5 before I left the house) and reached 23.2. The lows for the next three nights (including tonight) are supposed to be below zero. *shivers* DNW!! There was sun again today, which was nice.
Speaking of DNW, it appears that the N’oreaster this weekend might miss us this far inland? I hope that continues to be the case. Looks like Boston is going to get hit hard again. (As well as North Carolina, so stay safe down there!)
Mom Update:
Mom was doing okay when I visited. She had some protein drink just before I got there and I made her an egg with cheese for lunch. (One egg with cheese filled her to almost uncomfortable. I can’t believe just how small her stomach is. I know they took about 1/3 of it, and that by not eating it’s probably shrunk even farther, and yet I’m still surprised by it.) I also took her some of the steamed butternut squash chunks so she could do with it as she wished. (I’m sure I would have put too much butter and or brown sugar on it for her taste.)
While I was there she got a phone call from my brother’s long-term GF’s (they’ve been together since high school, so a couple years longer than Pip and I have been together) mother. This woman was a year ahead of my mom in high school and they were never friends, and even just acquaintances after R & T got together, but she recently asked if it would be okay if she called. It sounded like they had a good conversation.
My mom mentioned that my brother calls her every night, which is nice. She also told me she was expecting my aunt and uncle tomorrow morning.
I wrote out a check for her and put it back in the mail.
Sister A and Ian had just arrived when I was talking to her in the evening and she told me that her BFF had been there in the afternoon after I left, so she had some nice company today.
The Day in Spikedluv (Wednesday, Jan 28)
Jan. 29th, 2026 07:20 amspikedluvI had a chiropractic appointment and a pedicure this morning. I chose a pinkish-salmon-y color and she gave me hearts for the design. Very pretty. I hit Price Chopper and the Pharmacy while I was downtown, and then Stewart’s later (for gas and milk).
I hand-washed dishes, did a load in the dishwasher, went for several walks with Pip/the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, and scooped kitty litter. I made shake ‘n bake pork chops with mashed butternut squash for supper.
I read fanfic and watched Best Medicine and Fixer to Fabulous on HGTV. I’ve seen a couple eps where they help out with a build for a St. Jude’s family; in this ep they worked with Habitat for Humanity. It’s nice to see them do that.
ETA: Thank you so much,mific, for the card! It came a few days ago, but I keep forgetting to thank you. It's lovely and I really appreciate it.
Cat update: I’ve already told you the ‘redneck cat door’ was a success as they saw one cat inside the garage. Then there were two. Now there are three. They’re all some form of black and white, so we believe they’re all from the same litter. (There was a farm next door that is no longer a working farm, so it’s very likely they came from that farm.) No rat sightings since the cat(s) moved in! And one cat was seen sniffing around where the rat disappears, so perhaps that will be the brave fellow to eventually catch it/them. So far the cats have remained hidden in the woodshed (still attached to the garage and heated) while people are up there and the dogs remain completely unaware of their presence. Some guard dogs they’d make, lol!
Pip came home with the toothache from hell. He'd already been to his dentist (a local woman who is technically retired but does stuff for Pip because she knows he won't go anywhere else to get his teeth fixed) and he claimed she'd opened an absess and did a root canal, but he was still having A LOT of pain, so she said she'd have to do something with a bridge to make sure she got all the root. He did not have a fun evening. And she didn't prescribe antibiotics, which I thought was weird. Then again, perhaps she no longer ~can if she's not practicing any longer? Pip called, but plans to call her again tomorrow morning (today).
Temps started out at 10.4(F) (and dropped to 9.1 before I left the house) and reached 24.4. It’s funny that we get our high temps before noon, and then they start dropping. There was sun, which was nice. Didn’t heat things up, but helped my mood.
Mom Update:
Mom sounded okay when I talked to her. She said she hadn’t had anything good to eat, but couldn’t really say if it was because it tasted bad to her or it didn’t sit well. Sister S was visiting when I called. Mom got a call from another woman from the village who wants to visit. She kept things pretty close to the vest when she was recovering from surgery and going through treatments (ie, no posts to FB talking about how she was doing; only told close friends), but the word is getting out now.
I hand-washed dishes, did a load in the dishwasher, went for several walks with Pip/the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, and scooped kitty litter. I made shake ‘n bake pork chops with mashed butternut squash for supper.
I read fanfic and watched Best Medicine and Fixer to Fabulous on HGTV. I’ve seen a couple eps where they help out with a build for a St. Jude’s family; in this ep they worked with Habitat for Humanity. It’s nice to see them do that.
ETA: Thank you so much,
mific, for the card! It came a few days ago, but I keep forgetting to thank you. It's lovely and I really appreciate it.Cat update: I’ve already told you the ‘redneck cat door’ was a success as they saw one cat inside the garage. Then there were two. Now there are three. They’re all some form of black and white, so we believe they’re all from the same litter. (There was a farm next door that is no longer a working farm, so it’s very likely they came from that farm.) No rat sightings since the cat(s) moved in! And one cat was seen sniffing around where the rat disappears, so perhaps that will be the brave fellow to eventually catch it/them. So far the cats have remained hidden in the woodshed (still attached to the garage and heated) while people are up there and the dogs remain completely unaware of their presence. Some guard dogs they’d make, lol!
Pip came home with the toothache from hell. He'd already been to his dentist (a local woman who is technically retired but does stuff for Pip because she knows he won't go anywhere else to get his teeth fixed) and he claimed she'd opened an absess and did a root canal, but he was still having A LOT of pain, so she said she'd have to do something with a bridge to make sure she got all the root. He did not have a fun evening. And she didn't prescribe antibiotics, which I thought was weird. Then again, perhaps she no longer ~can if she's not practicing any longer? Pip called, but plans to call her again tomorrow morning (today).
Temps started out at 10.4(F) (and dropped to 9.1 before I left the house) and reached 24.4. It’s funny that we get our high temps before noon, and then they start dropping. There was sun, which was nice. Didn’t heat things up, but helped my mood.
Mom Update:
Mom sounded okay when I talked to her. She said she hadn’t had anything good to eat, but couldn’t really say if it was because it tasted bad to her or it didn’t sit well. Sister S was visiting when I called. Mom got a call from another woman from the village who wants to visit. She kept things pretty close to the vest when she was recovering from surgery and going through treatments (ie, no posts to FB talking about how she was doing; only told close friends), but the word is getting out now.
Wednesday Reading Meme
Jan. 28th, 2026 12:34 pmspikedluvWhat I Just Finished Reading: Since last Wednesday I have read/finished reading: Nothing. This week's meme is exactly the same as last week because I have made very little progress with reading.
What I am Currently Reading: Still working on Husband Material (London Calling) by Alexis Hall.
What I Plan to Read Next: Probably the other library book I have out because I'm running out of renewals on these. o_O
What I am Currently Reading: Still working on Husband Material (London Calling) by Alexis Hall.
What I Plan to Read Next: Probably the other library book I have out because I'm running out of renewals on these. o_O
The Day in Spikedluv (Tuesday, Jan 27)
Jan. 28th, 2026 07:18 amspikedluvI hit Walmart while I was downtown and the bank drive-thru later on.
I did two loads of laundry, hand-washed dishes, emptied the dishwasher, went for several walks with Pip and the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, scooped kitty litter, and shaved. I roasted a chicken for supper, with mashed potatoes and corn. The worst part is picking all the meat off of it after.
I finished rewatching the second ep of Heated Rivalry and some House Hunters International.
Temps started out at 9.5(F) (and dropped to 9.0 before I left the house) and reached 21.7. The sun was shining but it was C-O-L-D.
Irony: I had checked the two week weather forecast and was pleased that we wouldn't have snow again for almost two weeks. Then Pip comes home and tells me about the N'oreaster that's going to hit around Sunday. Snow totals depend on how far out the storm stays, but could be more than we got this past weekend. Really DNW. Also, WTF, TWC app, why is this information not on the front page to give me a heads up?!!
Mom Update:
Mom was just okay when I saw her. She complained that she feels good one day (yesterday) and then not great the next (today). She had an appointment with the Hospice nurse after I left and planned to ask if she was ever going to feel better, or if it’s basically, she’s going to feel like shit until she dies from the cancer. I’m afraid it’s the second, since the nurse basically told her not to worry about eating as she’s not expending much energy (if she was going to get well she’d need to eat) and when mom asked if the nurse could guesstimate how much time she had left, the answer was a very discouraging, ‘not less than a month’. WTF does that mean?!!
I wrote out a check (and put it in the mailbox), made a deposit, and added some tax papers to the folder for 2025. I finally returned the laundry I’d done for her last week. o_O And brought some groceries she’d asked for. There’s little I can do to make her feel better, so doing these tasks for her is something.
When I called her later, both Sisters A and S were there, so that's good.
I did two loads of laundry, hand-washed dishes, emptied the dishwasher, went for several walks with Pip and the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, scooped kitty litter, and shaved. I roasted a chicken for supper, with mashed potatoes and corn. The worst part is picking all the meat off of it after.
I finished rewatching the second ep of Heated Rivalry and some House Hunters International.
Temps started out at 9.5(F) (and dropped to 9.0 before I left the house) and reached 21.7. The sun was shining but it was C-O-L-D.
Irony: I had checked the two week weather forecast and was pleased that we wouldn't have snow again for almost two weeks. Then Pip comes home and tells me about the N'oreaster that's going to hit around Sunday. Snow totals depend on how far out the storm stays, but could be more than we got this past weekend. Really DNW. Also, WTF, TWC app, why is this information not on the front page to give me a heads up?!!
Mom Update:
Mom was just okay when I saw her. She complained that she feels good one day (yesterday) and then not great the next (today). She had an appointment with the Hospice nurse after I left and planned to ask if she was ever going to feel better, or if it’s basically, she’s going to feel like shit until she dies from the cancer. I’m afraid it’s the second, since the nurse basically told her not to worry about eating as she’s not expending much energy (if she was going to get well she’d need to eat) and when mom asked if the nurse could guesstimate how much time she had left, the answer was a very discouraging, ‘not less than a month’. WTF does that mean?!!
I wrote out a check (and put it in the mailbox), made a deposit, and added some tax papers to the folder for 2025. I finally returned the laundry I’d done for her last week. o_O And brought some groceries she’d asked for. There’s little I can do to make her feel better, so doing these tasks for her is something.
When I called her later, both Sisters A and S were there, so that's good.
The Day in Spikedluv (Monday, Jan 26)
Jan. 27th, 2026 07:35 amspikedluvThere was no going downtown today because of the snow. Not a surprise; I’d planned for it.
I did a load of laundry, hand-washed dishes, ran a load in the dishwasher, went for several walks with Pip and the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, and scooped kitty litter. More leftovers for supper. (Leftovers are now gone because they got packed up to go up to the garage with Pip, so I’m going to have to start cooking again. o_O)
I rewatched about half of the second ep of Heated Rivalry, as well as Home Town and some House Hunters International. Dr. Pol was my evening background tv. I took a brief nap again, even though we slept in again this morning. It seems like the more sleep I get the more tired I am. o_O
I tried to upload a photo of this mug but Imgur didn’t like the WEBP file. It’s really cute and made me chuckle. (Link goes to chewy.com.)
Temps started out at 13.8(F) (a heatwave!) and reached 23.2. All the schools in our county (and surrounding counties) are closed. Pip shoveled the deck again and plowed the driveway and our walking paths. Then he went up to the garage to clean out the parking lot there. THEN he ‘cleaned up’ around the house with the tracker and snow blower. He was out there for an hour, stopped for some soup for lunch, then back out for another half hour. He was a popsicle when he was done.
ETA: I forgot to say that we got about 16" out of the storm, so not great, but not as bad as it could have been. Thank goodness Pip has the large equipment necessary to move it all.
Mom Update:
Mom sounded better today. Sister S had gone down to visit her despite the roads not being very good at the time. She also had a call from my brother. And she said she had some good food that sat well, so that’s good.
I did a load of laundry, hand-washed dishes, ran a load in the dishwasher, went for several walks with Pip and the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, and scooped kitty litter. More leftovers for supper. (Leftovers are now gone because they got packed up to go up to the garage with Pip, so I’m going to have to start cooking again. o_O)
I rewatched about half of the second ep of Heated Rivalry, as well as Home Town and some House Hunters International. Dr. Pol was my evening background tv. I took a brief nap again, even though we slept in again this morning. It seems like the more sleep I get the more tired I am. o_O
I tried to upload a photo of this mug but Imgur didn’t like the WEBP file. It’s really cute and made me chuckle. (Link goes to chewy.com.)
Temps started out at 13.8(F) (a heatwave!) and reached 23.2. All the schools in our county (and surrounding counties) are closed. Pip shoveled the deck again and plowed the driveway and our walking paths. Then he went up to the garage to clean out the parking lot there. THEN he ‘cleaned up’ around the house with the tracker and snow blower. He was out there for an hour, stopped for some soup for lunch, then back out for another half hour. He was a popsicle when he was done.
ETA: I forgot to say that we got about 16" out of the storm, so not great, but not as bad as it could have been. Thank goodness Pip has the large equipment necessary to move it all.
Mom Update:
Mom sounded better today. Sister S had gone down to visit her despite the roads not being very good at the time. She also had a call from my brother. And she said she had some good food that sat well, so that’s good.
The Day in Spikedluv (Sunday, Jan 25)
Jan. 26th, 2026 09:20 amspikedluvI slept in again until 7:30am! Though it wasn’t a nice constant sleep because Pip got up due to coughing and he is not quiet when he is up and about. (I, otoh, am very quiet because I want him to stay in bed a while so I have some peace and quiet for myself. o_O) I did eventually fall back to sleep, which is when I had a strange dream in which I could understand Midnight. In the dream I was like, hmm, I guess being possessed by a cat that one time means I can now understand cats! When I woke up I was like, when was I possessed by a cat?!!!
I forgot to keep you all updated on the 'cat door' situation. When Pip told L (Ian's dad) what he planned to do, L said, why don't you just cut a hole in the wall? o_O So Pip took a chainsaw and cut a hole in the wall. I feel like I'm living in a real life episode of 'You might be a redneck if . . .' At least it worked! Pip's sister saw (on the cameras they installed) that a black and white cat had entered the garage! So she took up kitty litter and cat food for it this morning before the storm got too bad. I will keep you updated as more animals make the garage their home or the cat meets the dogs. o_O
I did two loads of laundry, hand-washed dishes, emptied the dishwasher, went for several walks with Pip and the dogs, baked chicken for the dogs’ meals, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, and changed kitty litter (it’s Sunday!). It was another no-cooking day because of all the leftovers; today it was leftover meatloaf.
What’s a girl to do on a snowy day but rewatch the first ep of Heated Rivalry?!! I also watched some House Hunters International and took a brief nap.
Temps started out at 3(F) (according to Pip; I didn’t see it because of sleeping in) and reached 5.2. The snow started nice and light about 8am. Pip was like, I hope it stays this light, but we didn’t think that would happen as the snow was supposed to start coming in heavier around 2pm. It didn’t seem to get any heavier, and yet, it still built up like crazy.
I didn’t have to do any shoveling (Pip said he’d do the sidewalk with the blower), but he was out there twice, shoveling the deck, then plowing (he brought the plow truck home, so used that instead of the blower because it is warmer inside the truck than outside on the tractor getting snow blown on you), plus he went up to the garage to clean that out so there wasn’t as much for tomorrow.
Mom Update:
Mom didn’t sound great when I talked to her. Sister A visited her early in the morning because she had to take Ireland to her BF’s house, then pick her up again, but mom was feeling very blue. She hates this kind of weather, even though she couldn’t go anywhere anyway, it make her feel more isolated. My brother also called her, and she thanked me for calling her. I was almost afraid she was going to start crying. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.
I forgot to keep you all updated on the 'cat door' situation. When Pip told L (Ian's dad) what he planned to do, L said, why don't you just cut a hole in the wall? o_O So Pip took a chainsaw and cut a hole in the wall. I feel like I'm living in a real life episode of 'You might be a redneck if . . .' At least it worked! Pip's sister saw (on the cameras they installed) that a black and white cat had entered the garage! So she took up kitty litter and cat food for it this morning before the storm got too bad. I will keep you updated as more animals make the garage their home or the cat meets the dogs. o_O
I did two loads of laundry, hand-washed dishes, emptied the dishwasher, went for several walks with Pip and the dogs, baked chicken for the dogs’ meals, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, and changed kitty litter (it’s Sunday!). It was another no-cooking day because of all the leftovers; today it was leftover meatloaf.
What’s a girl to do on a snowy day but rewatch the first ep of Heated Rivalry?!! I also watched some House Hunters International and took a brief nap.
Temps started out at 3(F) (according to Pip; I didn’t see it because of sleeping in) and reached 5.2. The snow started nice and light about 8am. Pip was like, I hope it stays this light, but we didn’t think that would happen as the snow was supposed to start coming in heavier around 2pm. It didn’t seem to get any heavier, and yet, it still built up like crazy.
I didn’t have to do any shoveling (Pip said he’d do the sidewalk with the blower), but he was out there twice, shoveling the deck, then plowing (he brought the plow truck home, so used that instead of the blower because it is warmer inside the truck than outside on the tractor getting snow blown on you), plus he went up to the garage to clean that out so there wasn’t as much for tomorrow.
Mom Update:
Mom didn’t sound great when I talked to her. Sister A visited her early in the morning because she had to take Ireland to her BF’s house, then pick her up again, but mom was feeling very blue. She hates this kind of weather, even though she couldn’t go anywhere anyway, it make her feel more isolated. My brother also called her, and she thanked me for calling her. I was almost afraid she was going to start crying. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.
The Day in Spikedluv (Saturday, Jan 24)
Jan. 25th, 2026 10:52 amspikedluvI went back to bed after Pip left for work and I got the dogs in (for once they were both very eager to get inside!), and slept for another two hours. It felt good.
I did two loads of laundry, hand-washed dishes, ran a load in the dishwasher, went for several walks with Pip and the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, and scooped kitty litter.
I watched The Pitt, several eps of House Hunters International, and an ep of Lottery Dream House. Dr. Pol was my evening background tv.
Temps started out at -6.9(F); two hours later when I got up the second time it was -10.5. It finally got above 0 at 10am. Temps reached 6. There was some sun, which helped.
Unfortunately, the snow totals have once again gone up. 8-12" Sunday, 5-8" overnight, and about an inch Monday. So much DNW!!
Mom Update:
Mom sounded really good when I talked to her. But I’ve learned that she can fake it for the few minutes we’re on the phone, so I’m hoping she was actually feeling as good as she sounded. She had eaten a couple meals; one of which was better tasting than the other. Sisters A and S both visited (with bonus Toddler A) and my brother also called her.
I did two loads of laundry, hand-washed dishes, ran a load in the dishwasher, went for several walks with Pip and the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, and scooped kitty litter.
I watched The Pitt, several eps of House Hunters International, and an ep of Lottery Dream House. Dr. Pol was my evening background tv.
Temps started out at -6.9(F); two hours later when I got up the second time it was -10.5. It finally got above 0 at 10am. Temps reached 6. There was some sun, which helped.
Unfortunately, the snow totals have once again gone up. 8-12" Sunday, 5-8" overnight, and about an inch Monday. So much DNW!!
Mom Update:
Mom sounded really good when I talked to her. But I’ve learned that she can fake it for the few minutes we’re on the phone, so I’m hoping she was actually feeling as good as she sounded. She had eaten a couple meals; one of which was better tasting than the other. Sisters A and S both visited (with bonus Toddler A) and my brother also called her.
The Day in Spikedluv (Friday, Jan 23)
Jan. 24th, 2026 09:31 amspikedluvI hit Price Chopper, Tractor Supply, and the Bakery while I was downtown. (I had to look for a cat door for the automotive garage because there are stray cats that come around when Pip puts out food. He thinks they’ll take care of his rat problem if he allows them in the garage, as well as give them a place to go when it’s cold out. I think he might be opening himself up to ~other problems, such as skunks getting in that door. o_O I did not find one, so he’s having his sister (garage receptionist/book keeper) order one. Update: she couldn’t find what he was looking for online, either. Hmm.)
I did a load of laundry, hand-washed dishes, emptied the dishwasher, went for several walks with Pip and the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, scooped kitty litter, and showered. I placed an online order and paid a bill online. We had the meatloaf for supper.
Today’s tea was English Breakfast. I’m not a huge fan of this tea, but I drink it when I’m at Panera because they got rid of my preferred tea (Earl Grey) when they downsized to having just three types of tea bags.
I managed to write ~2,000 words on my SFBB fic! There’s light at the end of this tunnel. *g* I also watched Wild Cards, 9-1-1 and some House Hunters International.
Temps started out at 19.4(F) and reached 23.7. It got windy in the afternoon which made it very cold. I wore four layers for the walk when Pip got home from work (a pullover sweatshirt, a hoodie, a jacket, and another jacket over that), not counting the double layer of pants and the ski mask and scarves, etc. On his after-dinner walk with the dogs, Pip wore his Carrhart overalls in addition to the coat, so you know it was cold out there.
As if that isn’t bad enough . . . Tonight’s overnight low is forecasted to be -6 with a high on Saturday of 6. There’s a warning for wind chills of -23 “over the next 48 hours” so thanks for not being specific of when I’m going to become a popsicle on walks. I’m really not looking forward to this PLUS snow.
I promised to share a photo of the sunflower tea bag coasters I bought. The angle I took the photo at makes it look like some are larger than the others, but they’re all the same size.
Mom Update:
Mom sounded okay when I talked to her. She was able to eat the meatloaf the other night, though it was one of those not bad but not great situations. Her new normal, basically. She had several visitors today: my aunt and uncle in the morning, the Hospice minister, and her BFF in the afternoon. She said it was nice, but that it did tucker her out. That’s worrisome.
I did a load of laundry, hand-washed dishes, emptied the dishwasher, went for several walks with Pip and the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, scooped kitty litter, and showered. I placed an online order and paid a bill online. We had the meatloaf for supper.
Today’s tea was English Breakfast. I’m not a huge fan of this tea, but I drink it when I’m at Panera because they got rid of my preferred tea (Earl Grey) when they downsized to having just three types of tea bags.
I managed to write ~2,000 words on my SFBB fic! There’s light at the end of this tunnel. *g* I also watched Wild Cards, 9-1-1 and some House Hunters International.
Temps started out at 19.4(F) and reached 23.7. It got windy in the afternoon which made it very cold. I wore four layers for the walk when Pip got home from work (a pullover sweatshirt, a hoodie, a jacket, and another jacket over that), not counting the double layer of pants and the ski mask and scarves, etc. On his after-dinner walk with the dogs, Pip wore his Carrhart overalls in addition to the coat, so you know it was cold out there.
As if that isn’t bad enough . . . Tonight’s overnight low is forecasted to be -6 with a high on Saturday of 6. There’s a warning for wind chills of -23 “over the next 48 hours” so thanks for not being specific of when I’m going to become a popsicle on walks. I’m really not looking forward to this PLUS snow.
I promised to share a photo of the sunflower tea bag coasters I bought. The angle I took the photo at makes it look like some are larger than the others, but they’re all the same size.
Mom Update:
Mom sounded okay when I talked to her. She was able to eat the meatloaf the other night, though it was one of those not bad but not great situations. Her new normal, basically. She had several visitors today: my aunt and uncle in the morning, the Hospice minister, and her BFF in the afternoon. She said it was nice, but that it did tucker her out. That’s worrisome.
The Day in Spikedluv (Thursday, Jan 22)
Jan. 23rd, 2026 07:26 amspikedluvI hit Walmart while I was downtown, but only because they were running out of dog treats at the garage. (Pip’s father has taken on the task of providing treats for the dogs at the garage ever since we had our first dog, Shiloh, and Pip started taking him up as a puppy. But his dad was sick with bronchitis and missed a whole week and didn’t bring in anything this week when he came back, hence the need for me to pick something up.)
I did a load of laundry, hand-washed dishes, emptied the dishwasher and ran another load, went for several walks with Pip and the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, and scooped kitty litter. We had spaghetti for supper. I also mixed up a meatloaf for tomorrow’s supper.
I got some more writing done! ~800 words today. I’m currently at ~8,000 on this fic and will easily make the 10,000 requirement for SFBB. I watched Best Medicine and some House Hunters International.
Temps started out at 34.3(F), which was a huge surprise! (The TWC app said it was going to be 18 for the overnight low and 33 for the high, which we’ve already exceeded.) It dropped a bit to 33.1 before I left. and reached 38.7.
The forecast for the snow storm has changed, but not for the better. Now they’re calling for 5-8" during the day Sunday, 5-8" overnight, and 1-3" on Monday. Really DNW! *cries*
I’ve heard that this storm is supposed to be massive and hit the south pretty hard, as well. I hope everyone in the path of this thing stays safe and warm.
Mom Update:
Mom was doing okay; tired, as usual. The slightest effort tuckers her out, which is really sad to see. We ate our lunch together. A friend of hers showed up while I was there and even stayed after I left. (She had to move her car so I could get out of the driveway, and sometimes she would take that as an excuse to leave, but she didn’t today.)
Sister S called while I was there and told mom she was bringing down supper for her. Meatloaf, which mom loves. She was looking forward to it, but afraid she wouldn’t be able to eat it.
I did a load of laundry, hand-washed dishes, emptied the dishwasher and ran another load, went for several walks with Pip and the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, and scooped kitty litter. We had spaghetti for supper. I also mixed up a meatloaf for tomorrow’s supper.
I got some more writing done! ~800 words today. I’m currently at ~8,000 on this fic and will easily make the 10,000 requirement for SFBB. I watched Best Medicine and some House Hunters International.
Temps started out at 34.3(F), which was a huge surprise! (The TWC app said it was going to be 18 for the overnight low and 33 for the high, which we’ve already exceeded.) It dropped a bit to 33.1 before I left. and reached 38.7.
The forecast for the snow storm has changed, but not for the better. Now they’re calling for 5-8" during the day Sunday, 5-8" overnight, and 1-3" on Monday. Really DNW! *cries*
I’ve heard that this storm is supposed to be massive and hit the south pretty hard, as well. I hope everyone in the path of this thing stays safe and warm.
Mom Update:
Mom was doing okay; tired, as usual. The slightest effort tuckers her out, which is really sad to see. We ate our lunch together. A friend of hers showed up while I was there and even stayed after I left. (She had to move her car so I could get out of the driveway, and sometimes she would take that as an excuse to leave, but she didn’t today.)
Sister S called while I was there and told mom she was bringing down supper for her. Meatloaf, which mom loves. She was looking forward to it, but afraid she wouldn’t be able to eat it.
The Day in Spikedluv (Wednesday, Jan 21)
Jan. 22nd, 2026 07:26 amspikedluvI switched my morning around and left home an hour later than usual. In that hour I put a chuck roast in the crock pot and did some online fandom things. I went with the Cinnamon Orange tea again this morning. Downtown I hit Price Chopper, then went to my chiropractic appointment.
THEN I went to McD’s and got some writing done; ~700 words, which is less than the last couple days, but it’s not nothing, so \o/
I picked the dogs up on my way home (my winter schedule for picking up the dogs has been different than usual because I tend to not want to go back out and get them if it’s cold or snowy), where I put groceries away and walked them (I had on so many layers!).
I prepared lunch for all of us (including Midnight who was howling for more food – he’ll sometimes eat very little on a day, then be starving the next day, and apparently blaming me for it), though I planned to take mine with me.
I hit the post office and filled my gas tank on the way to visit mom (where I ate my lunch). When I got home I took the dogs for another walk (and fed Midnight yet again; apparently today was a day when he wanted all the food *g*).
I also did a load of laundry, hand-washed dishes (why does it seem like dirty dishes just sort of keep appearing?), checked on Midnight’s dry food and water dishes (this is where I normally say ‘scooped kitty litter’, but there was nothing to scoop, probably because yesterday was a day he didn’t eat much), and paid a bill online. When Pip got home we went for another walk.
One nice thing was I received a set of tea bag coasters that I’d ordered. With sunflowers on them!! (I tried to link to them, but apparently they are sold out so it won’t even link to the item so I can show you.)
ETA: Forgot to mention that I watched one of my fave HGTV programs, Fixer to Fabulous!
Temps started out at 9.0(F) and dropped exactly 2 degrees to 7.0 before I left the house. The high I saw was 25.5. We had a tiny bit of snow late afternoon, big fat flakes, but not enough to accumulate, thankfully.
The bad news is that I’ve been concentrating on the low temperatures we’ll be having (overnight lows in the negatives and highs in single digits) and Pip informed me that we’re in for a big snow storm Sunday. 3-5" during the day, 3-5" overnight, and an additional 1-3" Monday. DNW!!!
Mom Update:
Mom was doing okay when I saw her. She was tired. And cold. She used a heavy blanket when she’s in her recliner, but I suggested she turn her heat up. (She has it set at 70, but her living room felt cool even to me, and I generally overheat.) She ate lunch while I was there. I got her mail and wrote out a check that I put back in the mailbox, stripped her bed, and brought home her laundry. I also opened one of her protein drinks, because I’m handy that way. *g*
She’s looking forward to company tonight, a woman she knows from the village who just recently found out that mom was sick. She called her yesterday to ask if she could come visit. So that’ll be nice for her.
ETA: I later learned that Sister A and Ian also visited her.
THEN I went to McD’s and got some writing done; ~700 words, which is less than the last couple days, but it’s not nothing, so \o/
I picked the dogs up on my way home (my winter schedule for picking up the dogs has been different than usual because I tend to not want to go back out and get them if it’s cold or snowy), where I put groceries away and walked them (I had on so many layers!).
I prepared lunch for all of us (including Midnight who was howling for more food – he’ll sometimes eat very little on a day, then be starving the next day, and apparently blaming me for it), though I planned to take mine with me.
I hit the post office and filled my gas tank on the way to visit mom (where I ate my lunch). When I got home I took the dogs for another walk (and fed Midnight yet again; apparently today was a day when he wanted all the food *g*).
I also did a load of laundry, hand-washed dishes (why does it seem like dirty dishes just sort of keep appearing?), checked on Midnight’s dry food and water dishes (this is where I normally say ‘scooped kitty litter’, but there was nothing to scoop, probably because yesterday was a day he didn’t eat much), and paid a bill online. When Pip got home we went for another walk.
One nice thing was I received a set of tea bag coasters that I’d ordered. With sunflowers on them!! (I tried to link to them, but apparently they are sold out so it won’t even link to the item so I can show you.)
ETA: Forgot to mention that I watched one of my fave HGTV programs, Fixer to Fabulous!
Temps started out at 9.0(F) and dropped exactly 2 degrees to 7.0 before I left the house. The high I saw was 25.5. We had a tiny bit of snow late afternoon, big fat flakes, but not enough to accumulate, thankfully.
The bad news is that I’ve been concentrating on the low temperatures we’ll be having (overnight lows in the negatives and highs in single digits) and Pip informed me that we’re in for a big snow storm Sunday. 3-5" during the day, 3-5" overnight, and an additional 1-3" Monday. DNW!!!
Mom Update:
Mom was doing okay when I saw her. She was tired. And cold. She used a heavy blanket when she’s in her recliner, but I suggested she turn her heat up. (She has it set at 70, but her living room felt cool even to me, and I generally overheat.) She ate lunch while I was there. I got her mail and wrote out a check that I put back in the mailbox, stripped her bed, and brought home her laundry. I also opened one of her protein drinks, because I’m handy that way. *g*
She’s looking forward to company tonight, a woman she knows from the village who just recently found out that mom was sick. She called her yesterday to ask if she could come visit. So that’ll be nice for her.
ETA: I later learned that Sister A and Ian also visited her.
Half A Moon 2026
Jan. 21st, 2026 02:34 pmspikedluvLast year I participated in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
halfamoon for the first time. I enjoyed it and have been looking forward to this round. The prompts for this coming round (beginning Feb 1) have been posted HERE.
Per the mod, this year is all about archetypes. So I've listed the seven feminine archetypes on the odd number days and then something that plays against that on the even number days.
I’m including the prompts here because I need to think about them some. Yes, I’m thinking they’ll all be Jessica again, but that’s not set in stone.
( prompts )
halfamoon for the first time. I enjoyed it and have been looking forward to this round. The prompts for this coming round (beginning Feb 1) have been posted HERE.Per the mod, this year is all about archetypes. So I've listed the seven feminine archetypes on the odd number days and then something that plays against that on the even number days.
I’m including the prompts here because I need to think about them some. Yes, I’m thinking they’ll all be Jessica again, but that’s not set in stone.
( prompts )
Wednesday Reading Meme
Jan. 21st, 2026 02:11 pmspikedluvWhat I Just Finished Reading: Since last Wednesday I have read/finished reading: Nothing! I’ve watched a lot of tv and did a lot of writing in the last week, which didn’t leave much time for reading.
What I am Currently Reading: Still working on Husband Material (London Calling) by Alexis Hall.
What I Plan to Read Next: Probably the other library book I have out as I've only got one renewal on it.
What I am Currently Reading: Still working on Husband Material (London Calling) by Alexis Hall.
What I Plan to Read Next: Probably the other library book I have out as I've only got one renewal on it.
The Day in Spikedluv (Tuesday, Jan 20)
Jan. 21st, 2026 06:18 amspikedluvToday was an actual no-shopping day!
I did two loads of laundry, hand-washed dishes, did a load in the dishwasher, went for several walks with Pip and the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, scooped kitty litter, and showered.
I watched the final three eps of Heated Rivalry. (I know I said I wasn’t going to comment until I did a re-watch, but why did no one tell me how emotional I was going to get over the final eps?!! Also, Christina Chang makes one guest appearance on Numb3rs and I remember her for the rest of my life, apparently.)
Despite spending so much time on that, I also found time to write! I added ~1,400 words to my SFBB fic! I had some tea in the afternoon, and chose Afternoon tea, which seemed kind of tasteless to me. Since I like my tea weak, I didn’t think that could actually happen.
ETA: I forgot to mention that I watched HGTV's Home Town! I liked this ep. They did a reno for a couple where the wife has fibromyalgia. Also, interesting how many people moving to Laurel do so because of the show!
Temps started out at 10.7(F) and dropped to 9.5 before I left the house. The forecast called for a high of 13, but it reached 19.9. It was windy, though, so it felt much colder. So freaking windy! There was some sun, which helped with my mood, but didn’t make it feel any warmer.
Mom Update:
Mom sounded okay when I talked to her. She’d had some company throughout the day; my aunt and uncle were there earlier and Sister A was there when I called. The Hospice nurse visited today. Mom said eating was going well, so that's a bonus.
I did two loads of laundry, hand-washed dishes, did a load in the dishwasher, went for several walks with Pip and the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, scooped kitty litter, and showered.
I watched the final three eps of Heated Rivalry. (I know I said I wasn’t going to comment until I did a re-watch, but why did no one tell me how emotional I was going to get over the final eps?!! Also, Christina Chang makes one guest appearance on Numb3rs and I remember her for the rest of my life, apparently.)
Despite spending so much time on that, I also found time to write! I added ~1,400 words to my SFBB fic! I had some tea in the afternoon, and chose Afternoon tea, which seemed kind of tasteless to me. Since I like my tea weak, I didn’t think that could actually happen.
ETA: I forgot to mention that I watched HGTV's Home Town! I liked this ep. They did a reno for a couple where the wife has fibromyalgia. Also, interesting how many people moving to Laurel do so because of the show!
Temps started out at 10.7(F) and dropped to 9.5 before I left the house. The forecast called for a high of 13, but it reached 19.9. It was windy, though, so it felt much colder. So freaking windy! There was some sun, which helped with my mood, but didn’t make it feel any warmer.
Mom Update:
Mom sounded okay when I talked to her. She’d had some company throughout the day; my aunt and uncle were there earlier and Sister A was there when I called. The Hospice nurse visited today. Mom said eating was going well, so that's a bonus.