Haiku Heights - Lunch

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Another haiku contest?  Why... yes.  It is held at Haiku Heights.  Oh, no hosting if you win.  It is permanently there.  If you wish to play.  Oh, Raf and foam talked me into it.  You know how I suffer to make these.  I probably shouldn't snark that way?  Go blind or something.  Anyway...

Pity the Fool

Nothing is free.  Lunch?

Spring for the check, do the work.

You get what you earn.

Haiku Monday - Yield

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Well, she is up.  Over at foam's blog home the contest theme and rules are up.  The theme is as noted, the rules look pretty straightforward.  Yes, yes, I've already put in two.  But Raf and Karl already beat me to the punch!  Nice start, fun topic, go!  Oh, right, while I was directing over there last time, it was because Michael had won.  Okies, so she hadn't just won.  Though she had won recently.  I had been confused on that, a bit.  And yet, if someone wins twice in a row?  Oh well.  :p

 But It Does Work!

When she yields fully

she owns me flat out, only way-

I hate trickery?

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Wisdom or Pain

I wish to push on.

Something says no. Hushutup?

This or that way, truth.

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This Time

Three baskets only hold

half of half of half?  Anyone

want a few peppers? 

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Jealousy?

Ten plants, three tomatoes? 

My planting math is way off!

I wonder...  Neighbors?
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Neener!

 She suggests we dare.
Then says, "Oh but yield to me"-
No fun there, might have to anyway?

Hmm... Thinking.

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The refinancing looks okay.  It is adjustable, but limited.  A worst case scenario leaves me paying having the principle I would be paying on my current loan, as the loan is rebalanced every year (after the first three years).  Meaning the interest is recalculated, but also the balance is recalculated.  The max increase per year is 1%, the max rate is 7.5% (which would take 8 years to reach and could go no higher).  At the maximum rate I would be paying $3 a month more, but paying off the loan more favorably considering the reduced loan balance recalculation. Yeah, it is looking reasonable.  Possibly.  I just have to check some numbers on my own to make sure the thing looks right.  And check on the business.  Well, that is what I am seeing up front.  I'll be looking for holes in the notion over the next two weeks.

On to watering the garden.  I may just start it a bit earlier, being cool as it is?  That will give me a chance to water the front of the lawn a bit better this time.  It's all looking pretty good though.  If I am feeling up to it after that (pffftttt), I might hit the bathroom tonight yet.  The bathroom won't be hard work, I just don't want to be working with fire when I am too tired.  Nor can I do simple thinking well when too tired, and it's best to have simple logic at your fingertips when doing plumbing.  Brainssssss!  :p

Well, on to watering then dinner.  Then maybe some plumbing.  Later.

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Oh, the fellow that went over the loan application told me he had a new .45.  He bought a Springfield XDM.  It hadn't been shot.  It sounds like he ran into trouble finding ammo.  So... hating to think there was a virgin pistol out there somewhere, I tossed him a box, on the provision he give her a whirl as soon as he could.  I offered him a rose to take to his wife, if he wanted, from my rose bush.  He did.  Hey, just being decent.  This is, potentially big business...  A few minor gifts can help keep things... kosher... if that wasn't their purpose.  An unshot pistol?  The thought hurt my feelings!  He couldn't believe his luck.  Stick around, not all is Hellfire near me, sometimes there is manna as well.  The best is when you get both!  Yum!  *duck*

The weather might explain some of it.

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Cool?  It's just 63 currently.  I don't know what it dropped to last night but tonight it is supposed to get down to 41, with a high at 73.  Then temps jump into the mid 80's for four days.  Then into the mid 90's.  Then again they have been revising up every time I look at it while it has ended up being cooler.  Weather reporting isn't exactly a science.  It doesn't matter how "hard someone works" at it, unless it is repeatable and predictive it simply isn't science.  It is guessing, and not the best form of it.  As I have said, for the most part, I look out of my window for an overview and step out the door for a final analysis.  The rest is fiction, if I do use it for general purposes and perhaps a heads up.  I can't even count how many fronts we were supposed to get but didn't, or weren't supposed to get but did.  I don't know how many days they have predicted the right temps but I would like to say far less than half.  Then again I sort of like surprises.

I did look through my paperwork for what sales papers I am supposed to have.  It turns out, unless I missed something in a double check, that I only have one of the papers.  I had thought I received everything, a copy or my copy, of all the paperwork.  I haven't taken a thing out, and won't.  If I need a copy, the whole thing goes to the copier and is kept whole through the process.  Perhaps their version of paperwork, the names they give things, are different though.  Or maybe I just didn't see the name, being confused by a more prominent seeming title to the various pages.  I also can't find my most recent payment stub.  My mom cleaned a little too well I suspect.  I don't know if it has been thrown or if it has just been put somewhere.  I did look through several piles that had been saved to no good result.  I'll look again, again.

This week?  Probably Monday I am hoping to get to swimming, Church, and a visit to my friend.  Tuesday should see me back in the bathroom.  I will work that until it is done and take a day or two off if need be.  Then biking/hiking to the reservoir.  I need to water everything today.  The sprinklers are set for the back lawn and garden, which is fine for now.  I'll run those there a couple of hours, then give the front lawn an hour or so.  Oh, and by the end of the week, I am hoping to have enough going to put in the last two types of peppers, if the habanero are ready, otherwise the Tai will go in.  With the habanero separated, I think they might be tall enough.  Though they may just go in short.  I am thinking perhaps they simply have to have direct, all day, sun?  I could fill in what has died out there, too, and add some tomatoes and other peppers, just to fill it out.  I have quite a few extra plants, even so.  I am hoping my neighbors end up wanting them.  Otherwise, I suppose, I will just try to find a place for them.  If I get a bumper crop I could always see if anyone is into peppers...  I have an idea or two on that.  Forty pepper plants and ten to fifteen tomato plants ought to produce something.

I best get to trying to hunt down a pay stub.  Even if it isn't the most recent.  Oh... something else?  I think I need to get in and do my tax exemption on the cave.  That might give me a bump back to.  I didn't do that last year, so I might have two refunds coming back.  They give you up to two years to apply it, not sure if I am pushing the line or not...  Hup!  Later.

A little rest and one of my goals tends itself?

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Perhaps I had been pushing.  Further, I kept pushing on top of it.  I backed off heavily, but didn't actually back off.  Then I would begin, or plan to, shove more on top of things.  When I get tired, from legitimate sustained effort, perhaps taking a day or even three of rest could really help.  I went to bed pretty late but woke at 8:00-ish this morning.  That's been my goal for a while, but my waking was happening later.  Then again it has been chill (summer cool anyway) these last few days.  That might have been making waking just a bit more complicated too.  Still, I really did need rest.  Another day of it, maybe two.

Oh, that no longer means I just sit.  I will keep up on food, dishes, the girls, a shower every other day, medicines, sitting with Sam several times throughout the day, and tinkering on smaller projects.  Call it more a dialing back and down, not an off switch.  Funny, this lower key approach is more than I used to do when dialed up to maximum output and pushing with all I had.  Some of you have to remember that?  And on top of that, it was rare I could dial it up.  This is the new low.  I am trying to save it for weekends or after longer pushes.  Though even now I don't have anything close to complete control.

Life seems to be smoothing.  Health is improving.  In some ways nothing has changed but some edges have been knocked off.  I still have spooks, I still have memories of things to deal with, I still have reminders of problems.  They are all the same.  From several other angels though, everything has changed.  The severity of the winters I go through is lessening.  The extremes on both sides of the thing, actually, is diminishing.  It's been happening, by degrees, since my arrival.  The climate is part of it, the surroundings, not being in a more corrupted part of America itself is a part of it.  Here laws are pretty much what you would expect, mostly.  You won't be arrested for defending yourself or others, for example. 

You won't be arrested for putting the wrong thing in recycling either... unless you live in one of the more backward cities.  Although with the biggest, most progressive, city politically neutered even that likelihood has decreased significantly.  I don't see all of what they implemented rolling back, but then it usually takes a little time.  I have seen some of the socialist attitude that 'government is right when "we" run it" disappearing.  It's an attitude many state and government workers hold dearly, and try to shove in your face.  Feds still hold it, but... we will see how long that is maintained.  Things, if just attitudes, are changing.  Not in either party, really, outside of them.  Piece by piece, my guess is that the poison from that political infection will be erased.  They still have public unions, for now.  Bit by bit.  The notion that you can be arrested for things that make absolutely no sense, that you are always under the thumb of the law should they decide to look, will go away too.  That IS the progressive model, a lesser form of the terror of Stalin, or the beginning of it.  Cities are rife with it and will spread it if they aren't contained, and further castrated from the power of it.  *snip*

Oh, best feed the girls.  They have been patient.  Hmm... No.  I'll wait another hour.  When I wake late I feed them quickly, since it is my bad.  But if I wake early I wait a bit.  Otherwise they push and try to wake me earlier and earlier in order to be fed.  You CAN train cats, you just have to be willing to put up with their guff.  But if you play fair they do get it, if they don't always like it.  :)  Another hour.  But they haven't been being fed until noon or later, so 10:00 is already early. 

Later.

Yeah, automated can be good.

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I was thinking I was going to have to figure out how to begin paying on one of my debts.  As it turns out I have been paying on it.  So I don't need to push and shove my, currently, mild finances.  As well, some of it was paid that I had thought would still be payable.  Oh, money is on the way, potentially from two sources.  But until it is in my hand, well, it isn't.  I checked what I owe, best I could tell, and compared that to what I have and what is coming, just as a guide.  Only counting what has been told is in my hands.  Looks good.  As it ends up, given that I was being very conservative, it looks like I am financially, now, ahead of where I thought I would be right as BMan started.  So... I am a bit ahead, a lot ahead.  If that means I am slightly behind.  Never mind, just trust that this is a good thing.  The thing is to work it so that I don't just squander, and perhaps have plenty of breathing room all around.  While a camera is a silly thing, to many, to me it would be... something special, something I have wanted for some significant time.  I'll bide my time, looking for sales or scoops, but I hope to have it, and lenses, for next year.  It might be my key to getting out into the hills, mountains, on rivers, and such as well.  It adds another reason.

Bit by bit my life is coming together.  Bits here in the cave.  Parts of a more active and social life.  A garden is going, food is set up, I have an excellent canner and everything but enough jars and lids, if I still have a serious wheat grinder on the menu.  Nothing is perfect.  There is lots of room for improvements.  I could use a side or a quarter of beef, then a hog later this fall.  But I do have a sizable freezer for meats too, and the ability to can some of it if I can just get to it.  And I have enough things on automatic to... not sweat every little bump.  I might still be stuck in the cave, but... even that in changing more than not.  Nothing changes fast, not with my condition.  Hmm, actually, if things work, I might be able to begin charitable, but right, giving.  Two on the mind, my main, of course, the other is local... I just need to check into it a bit.  Well, the remainder might be split between two, actually.

As I become healthier I am hoping to take a little more direct control, cutting what needs to be cut, pushing things around, figuring out expenses and excess, and doing a little more planning.  I am, honestly, amazed.  When I make a mistake now, it is almost $1,700 in my favor.  How long had I been overpaying and how much?  Never mind, I'll take it for the moment.  I do have to be careful though.  People will take everything you have just because they think they need or want it more.  Business to "charity" to just the guy on the street, they are cutthroat.  More so now than even in the recent past.  Still, you have to try to make your way.  You have to look for opportunity.  You just have to keep your head about you.

Good night.

Business, most of it.

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I was moving slowly today.  At least I was moving.  Oh, no dishes to do, I've been keeping up on those, so far.  Last night I transplanted the peppers that needed it but hadn't swept, so I did that this morning.  Bits of dirt don't make it from one thing to the other, or this and that, when working indoors.  Medicines have been taken, the girls were fed early.  I've been out to be company with Sam as well.  Then I remembered I had business to attend.  It was too late to call the V.A.  This particular office closes pretty early on Fridays, but the rest could go forward.

The first was to call and check on the utility.  To make sure, first, that it wasn't me, somehow, in debt.  If my eyes were seeing correctly, then to get a refund on that and set up an automatic payment.  It turns out that there is a refund, it is as large as it seemed, and they will be sending a form by which to begin automatic payments (again again).  Then a call to check on refinancing.  The place works with V.A. loans, there is no fee/cost associated with it, and it will knock two percentage points or more off my loan, I do believe.  On top of that it will skip a month of payments right off the bat.  Yeah, that... could be worth it.  I didn't, and still don't, know what to expect.  I will be doing a bit of research on this, and I know not to go into anything that bubbles, or is dual term interest rates.  Rates, pretty much, can only go up.  No matter how good a short term payment can look, if there is room for interest rate readjustments in the future I am out.  No deal.  Only a lower 30 year fixed, period. 

Still, the fine print can kill you.  I won't make a decision at the meeting.  A loan officer will be here tomorrow afternoon.  There is some potential for a minor windfall, which with the utility refund will erase the recent repair debts and put me a bit in the black...  Uhrm, minus what is going on with BMan...  I best watch my numbers.  It's easy to go crazy.  But I would like a few things to wear that are a bit unique, inexpensive, home-made, perhaps with some of what I already have...  I need to decorate my bike if I can get in the saddle and make it useful.  I think I have most other things arranged otherwise though.  Plus what I already have planned.  Hmm... might just go with the gig I'm planning and a kilt and kit for the kilt to though.  The rest will probably just be plain if I go that way.  If they don't like it they can lump it, I'm not made of gold even if my poo doesn't stink (urhm, in my opinion :)!  Hrumph!  Hmm, I need to find my engineering boots and get those in order.  I think the boots, knee high to me, would work well with both outfits, personally.  Dunno, thinking.

But, that... takes a load off.  Now I can get to things I had been holding my breath regarding, a bit.  Later.

Up at noon thirty.

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No complaints about that, really.  I went to be late and for half of the night just couldn't get to sleep.  Thankfully it wasn't a rough night at all.  It was relaxing.  And when I got to sleep, it was revivifying.  Just that when sleep is late, waking being late isn't a problem.  I am feeling better in a general way.  Perhaps giving the music haunting me top billing after hiding it from others finally just turned the key.  It's been tagging me for quite a while now, mind you, in one form, then a slightly different form.  Oh, I don't think that is necessarily quite done yet though.  Merely it is not bugging me right this morning as it has most mornings since it's progenitor's inception, and before that really, a bit.   The other thing that has been troubling me is a 'heavy chest', the feel that I have liquid in my longs, which are, mostly, the same thing, I think.  Now, my nose is dried to the point that the snotters that collect in there, until I can figure out how to get them out, are shriveld from dehydration almost to the point of giving me a headache.  I have no swelling of anything (save maybe the abdomen, though that may be an artifact from my mother's visit and cooking).  But I have cotton coughs that don't clear anything, a dry throat that seems to suggest I have no phlegm if it only seems scratchy and not truly dry, and a slight difficulty breathing.

I don't know if I pushed it too much and my system isn't clearing without solid rest, if I have something like a chest cold, or if some other problem has filtered in.  What I do know is the more I try to push through, by degrees, the worse it gets.  I haven't tried a complete stop.  Well, literal work stop, some things just have to be done.  I always have to feed and water the girls, and more myself as I can, then on to the lawn and garden and dishes.  When I have thought about it either I or my mother always devised some new mechanical torture which you know as work.  And, I never really stopped since she left.  Reminds me, I did wash the table but I didn't bring it in.  Then again, that is a little thing so I will do that.  And I will do other little things.  Could it simply be that I'm not used to being outdoors as often as I have been?

I'll figure it out or it will pass.  And I have been going out to be with Sam, and just be outdoors, several times a day since my mother left.  She loves it, I need to acclimate, and I keep a better eye on what needs to be done and what could be done, plus lets Sam know someone loves her.  Well, and she is kept better in fresh water than ever before.

Well, on to... something.  Later.

If the NSA wasn't paying attention they are now.

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I tried to hint around about airplane mode and eavesdropping and such, to no good results (on DuckDuckGo).  Finally, I just asked if airplane mode shut down NSA cracking, or something like that.  I got booted to a clear (DuckDuckGo) homepage.  Something about some kind of error.  Sure, right.  As I said, if they weren't looking before, they certainly are now.  I'm still going to dig around.  Now, I am pretty sure that will stop the phone from sending anything out (pretty sure, they might be able to hack that).  But what I don't know if they can have the phone listen and record. 

Some might suggest that testing for memory might be one way.  If I had to guess, I would say that the manufacturers built in memory that I can't use, which is called static to the phone, but which they can use.  I am sure it is filled with *blank*, then fills up to a point, and is sent on, recorded over if it can't send until it has key bits it wants, then put back to *blank* after it is finally able to send.  Text takes very little data storage, and I am pretty sure they have a very small voice-to-text system.  Now, the NSA isn't going to let manufacturers and Google have a toy they want... or at least they don't get priority.  All animals are equal, some pigs are more equal.  Even some pigs are more equal than other pigs.  I guess I don't know if they are doing that, from proof.  From a tech and dubiousness standpoint, I have zero doubts.  If too, I doubt if anyone who does know, exactly, is willing to step forward at this point.  Even all the conservative talking heads I have seen are bashing Snowden.  I can tell, they are owned.  Sad, really.  It's the litmus test.  Most fail.  I wonder how many of them even had to be pressured?  Traitors, the lot of them.  Anywho...

Good night.

Not perfect, perhaps, but not bad.

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Swimming, as I suggested, was out of the realm of possibles.  I am tired in some odd way.  I don't know if this is physical, health issues, or age/mental.  It's real, I just can't see what is causing it or quite yet figure my way around it.  I'll keep trying.  My friend seems a little zapped as well.

I did get in with plenty of time to go plinking.  With bullets and reloading kit becoming rarefied so that even if you can find even the lowly .22 ammunition, it is almost expensive out of means.  My friend has a friend in the business who said they had nearly 1,000 400-500 round packs come in and they were gone in five hours.  I still haven't heard how many buyers are presumed government straw buyers, using up left-overs from the many failed stimulus runs.  Guns are starting to gather dust, so I suppose they are sticking with ammunition and reloading supplies as money dries up, people start realizing what is going on and asking too many questions, or oversight is kicking in elsewhere.  Cheaper and is more useful to cutting down on private stocks or target practice.  Both, I presume, they see as a threat to their intentions.  They might even have just handed this over to liberal groups as a thing to do.  Hard to tell with these types.

Just a bit of plinking.  He shot his two .22 pistols, I had my .22 pistol and rifle.  Next time I'm taking the targets and stand so he can sight his pistol in.  One of them seems to be rather dead to rights.  The other, he suggests, shoots a bit to the left.  Not a bad place to shoot if you must be off-target I suppose.  Still, best to be right on.  We will work on that.  He heard that it will be very hot from now on.  I have heard that the weekend will jump, but that we will get another mild week before the real heat sets in.  I'm hoping I heard right, it's a beast to shoot when it is pushing 100.  We will get out, I am hoping, once a week.  I would like to get swimming in on that day as well, and hiking/biking on some of the other days.  Gotta get to that! 

No sun screen today and no problem.  I had it with, just in case.  I'm going to be wearing shorts much more often now, trying to get arms, face, and legs prepped for whatever, and to a degree.  At some times I will definitely have to slather up.  Atmospherics will greatly affect when I have to wear lotion and when I don't.  When I can even handle the burn out there, too, at all.  The desert, even this one, is a bit tricky.  It works on the mind as much as the body.  I didn't get tired nearly as quickly this time out.  But then I had the canteen of water.  It does have a plastic/rubber taste to it, but not too horribly.  And drinking every 15-25 minutes sure kept me in shape, whether I felt thirsty or not.  As I said, I may keep that with me from now on, even here at home.  The goal is to empty that two, three, maybe even four times a day.  I know I don't drink enough.  In spite of it I am doing better out here in Utah.  Perhaps if I take care of dehydration I will have even more room to play?

Oh, while we were out shooting, I found an excellent place to hike.  It is up in the mountains a bit.  It isn't more than a few miles of a hike, but it is a solid hike.  The slope is downward, ending at the river.  Could do some fishing there for a breather.  The hike up, though, is a booger.  And it is on a ridge that drops into the river, a hundred and fifty feet at the beginning/end.  Losing your footing in there could be catastrophic.  it isn't a sheer cliff, just close enough, perhaps worse as you would be bounding down, hitting every dozen to two feet.  Yeah... I'd be taking my time on that one.  Trout sashimi sounds good though.

Hmm... Not much tonight.  Something is just putting a work stop on everything.  I'll... get to it soon.  Later.

Just awake.

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I don't have what it takes to do as much as I had hoped as quickly as I had thought.  I didn't go hiking/biking and I probably won't go swimming.  Shooting I will do, I promised.  Up quite late, and feeling a bit rough still.  Not sure why or what is up.  I have been taking my medications on time, so that isn't it.  I will keep up on the little things, push for a bit more, and do what I can when I can.  I just won't be getting to as much as fast as I had thought, hoped.

My back aches, shoulders a bit.  I am tired but not grumpy.  I will get to transplanting some of the plants before I head out, instead of swimming.  Perhaps do some dishes, or at least set them to a hot soak.  I prewashed everything I used yesterday, and put it in the sink, so that won't be much of a mess.  It's just a rough day.  But it was nice and cool this morning.  I'm not sure what my problem is.  There is a decent breeze going, and it isn't hot.  Should be a good day for shooting.

Tomorrow is reserved for taking care of some business.  The V.A. hasn't called to reschedule with the heart clinic so I best add that to my list.  And the one thing I couldn't find was the paperwork for getting my eye appointment scheduled locally.  I think they might even be able to set it up for contact prescriptions as an add, so that I can just order those.  Just a few months of daily wear disposables, for BMan and to practice a bit for the run up to it.  Those things are going to dry out fast without a lot of eye juice.

Hmm.  On to my "morning".  Later.

Just couldn't get to much more.

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I'm probably trying to do too much.  I don't believe I will be getting to the bathroom tonight, probably not even tomorrow, depending on how long of a day it turns out to be.  I would like to get swimming in, then some target practice.  It should be decent, not too hot, tomorrow.  There might be a breeze as well.  If, when I return, I can rest and catch a second wind, I will hit the bathroom.  It seems like such an easy thing.  Just some soldering, and waiting, and doing this and that here and there, then hooking everything up.  That would allow for cold water flow, which would then allow for the toilet to be changed out.  All of it is, technically, easy.  It does take a little to a lot of time, even assuming the soldering holds.  And so far my soldering seems to be doing well.  Still, that it might not... is a concern that weighs on the consideration.  Bleh.

The casserole was good.  Dinner did show up.  There seems to have been a family situation.  They should give the number out so that if someone is running long, late, or with problems, they can just call and let me know?  I don't mind, at all, if someone has a life malfunction, just calling is good.  I hate to be an imposition, or more of one?  Eh, well...  Two meals today.  Which works.

I think I may be simply going to bed a little earlier tonight.  I will be setting the alarm.  The hope is to make it up in time to water the back and side lawn, take a shower and get dressed and prepped for swimming and shooting, relax and air dry, perhaps make a portion of my breakfast from the chocolate tapioca, then reset the sprinklers for the garden and part of the front lawn, then make it to town for swimming.  After that picking up my friend and deciding where to unload our pistols the loud way.  I think I'll check my swim bag before I go to bed.  And decide what to take to shoot.  I never have ANYTHING to shoot!  Maybe that little black ditty?  It's easier to sleep with the little things managed.  I hate looking for trunks or swim ipod or particular ammunition or whatever at the last minute.

Good night.

Yeah? No.

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Alright, so I couldn't quite push on through.  I got a bit heated cooking the stuff... which really came out fairly well.  The portions were off, and something was put in too early, I think.  The instructions were poor to be honest.  I had a portion of the tapioca pudding hot.  The rest of it I was chocolate-o'-fied.  It is cooling.  When it hits room temp, I'll cover it and chill it.  It's not quite good enough to share out.  Maybe next time.  Dinner didn't arrive so I am heating a casserole my mother made.  The meat is already cookd, only the tator tots need cooked.  I just couldn't cool down quickly enough to do too much more.

Well, I did get my pack opened, separated out, and refilled.  From warm clothes, to water wear, to a minor first aid kit, plus a shovel and signal mirror and other little gadgets and bits.  It's more than I possibly need, for a trip to the reservoir.  But it is about what I want to carry around at BMan.  Just in case I get caught out, or find something(s) really neat that mean I can't get back in time to change for the cold.  I may add a few things, and I'll have a larger modular pack to monkey with regarding room.  The thing is I have to get used to walking/biking with a pack of any sort.  So...  Well, maybe not today, or tomorrow.  I am hoping to hit it Friday.  I may rinse out the canteen and fill it, then begin keeping that with me, sipping from it once in a while...  I wish my watch would put an alarm on every other hour.  Something to help me get used to sipping on some kind of timer.  It has an hourly alarm though.  Then again, I almost never hear it.  I'll... figure it out.

I haven't hit the bathroom either.  After dinner, and a cool down, I am hoping to hit that.  At least the water.  But I am *cough* dying *cough* to do some work on the electrical.  I also did find the paperwork I need to get going on the business efforts I have in mind.  We will see.  But I am pleased with today, so far.  I am doing things but I'm not killing myself.  Little bits of this and that are going forward.  It isn't as much as I had planned, or hoped, but reality is what it is.  Some things take longer, sometimes I just can't push through always, and time is a tricky little thing.  I'll take it.  I even went out and accompanied Sam a few times...  Might do it again, and wash the table off and bring that back in before the day is done.

Later.

Not a bad start to the day.

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I did get the cardboard and metals corralled, put in the X and taken to where they needed to go.  I also checked the mail.  I received parts and pieces, but no new medicine as I was expecting.  Oh, and I remembered to cut a couple of roses off.  They weren't the finest looking, none of them.  I took two of the best.  Someone ought to enjoy them.  I'll have to look at other blooms when I go into town, or check my mail, to give to the various ladies.  I just water the things, not my gig, so someone ought to enjoy them.  They had milk at the store, so I am starting on that.  Double boilering milk to 'just warm'.  I see I already did something wrong.  I thought the package was the dose.  Nope.  I am hoping that doubling up on everything else will sort of make it right, but I don't think it works like that.  So... I will... make it up as I go along and hope for the best?  Yeah.  I do play by ear, even a tin one, from time to time.  It's sometimes all I have.  Actually, there is more wrong with it than that, but... It's just been too long since I actually tried my hand at something technical and involved.  Still, I suppose I'll just see it through and decide if it is edible.

I need to cool off though.  Between the shower and even the little bit of running I did, I'm hot.  I turned the air on for a couple of hours.  Of course, a double boiler won't help, and cooking over it even less.  Fine, fine.  After the tapioca experiment, and a bit of cooling, I will look over my gear.  I brought my ready pack in from the X'ter and will be pairing that down for a short road trip.  I think one of my collapsible canteens is in there, so I will fill it.  I'll skip the Camelbac for now though.  I am not sure I will actually even make it out of town.  Who knows.  Oh... before I go I should put on the new kickstand.  The old one failed.  China can fail like no one else it seems.  A kickstand failure?  Really?  On maybe 10 uses?  Really?  They will cut their own economic throat if they don't raise that bar.  As I remember, the bike was broken when delivered.  No matter my efforts, I had to take it back to the store.  The mechanic told me several parts were defective and had to be replaced.  Wasn't my fault.  I remember what a pain it was to put that thing together, on top of it.  But I do have a better idea if something goes wrong, and that was why I decided to do the work myself.

My friend called.  I was almost certain he wanted to go shooting today.  I've got too much going, so I preempted his query and suggested we go tomorrow.  It sounded good enough to him.  He is doing better, they found the problem.  It is minor and they are fixing it.  One worry dodged.  He thinks he has enough ammunition, so... tomorrow it is.  I will go swimming before picking him up.  Yeah, I know, pushing it.  But then I have the weekend pretty much off.  This means, too, that I might try to push through work on the bathroom today.  I was pretty sure I could get the water running and toilet in.  But then I need to do the electrical, or at least give it a stab.  Like I said, I will have the weekend, and if need be, I will take it much more down.  If doing good I might start clearing my bedroom for a major clean.  That is still on the menu.

I did call my mother.  She is good.  She sounds fantastic.  She did get her puppy.  I had thought it was a girl, but it's a boy.  So I did know a bit more than I had written.  Forgetfulness, or just too busy?  She was pleased to hear that I am still staying on things.  Sure, it's only a few days.  But a few days creates a pattern.  She is already quite busy herself, urhm, of course.  This, that, the other thing, and such.  But better, it is finally warming in Iowa.  They have had cool and rain right until her return.  She loved it out here, even on the hotter days.  She's a summer girl, all the way.  Actually, you might call her visit a winter escape!  

Sam has been in and out all day.  I ought to go out and sit with her for a bit, while the cooking is happening.  She misses having my mom's company out there.  And... I like being with her in her native, preferred, environment...  I figure, as I am getting more active, I can share some of my time out there with her.  She is definitely a cat, more so out there.  :)  Later.

Midnight to noon.

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Okay, so I'm sleeping a little long.  But I am still active.  I guess I will take that trade, for now.  I would definitely rather sleep a little long and be able to get to some things than sleep 7-8 hours but not be able to stand.

Today?  Well, cardboard and metal, as soon as I shower and dress.  While I am doing that I will see if the store has a gallon of milk.  I soaked tapioca beads last night.  The making of it is rather complex, for my recent cooking skill use, but I used to do much more complex food.  Double boiler, separating eggs, hot mixing items that are delicate... Yum!  Medicines have gone down the gullet.  *gulp*  The girls have been fed, Sam out on the patio to begin enjoying her outdoor romp with a little breakfast.  I cleaned a hairball but I need to do more with it (ended up being two, plus three little blotches).  I got the chunk, but a little 'stomach rust' remains, and it's on the carpet this time, so some of that spray stuff.  If all goes well I may end up gearing up, getting the bike out, and taking a rolling stride toward the reservoir.  Dunno, but it is possible.  Also possible, with or without that, is working on the bathroom.  If i get the water going, and that works, I may stop with the water heater and just install the toilet so that I can use that part and wash in there.  Even if, God forbid, I have to remove the water heater after, with new shutoff valves that won't be a problem.  It's been soooo long since I could use the toilet in my own bathroom!  If not, I will do one of those tomorrow.  We will see.

For now I will take my backpack water skin and a rubberish collapsible canteen, to see how the water tastes out of that.  I think it tastes ok out of the Camelbac, or whatever it's official name.  I'm not sure about the collapsible canteen.  I do prefer metal canteens but they are harder to find.  A metal canteen with 'carpet' sides... if kept slightly damp, used to work wonders at keeping the water a bit cooler, longer.  Or, that is how I remember it.  Not sure if they even make any such now.  I found one, but it was "not for consumptive use"!  Huh?  Why even make a canteen that isn't safe to use?  Unless they made it with gnarly contaminated Chinese metals, thinking to sell it as is, but got clocked?  Still, they shouldn't even sell something like that unless it is rendered useless in several ways.  I have seen metal ones, some stainless some aluminum.  I just don't trust aluminum, mostly.  Blathering...

Well, a shower, a trip to my own up-town, then to figure some other things out.  Hmm, ought to call mom and see how she is.  Probably pretty good.  And she had a puppy waiting for her upon her return...  A little white rag, is all I know.  Good day.

To pick one poem from the rest.

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I have to steel myself for this part of hosting.  Each poem has it's points.  Trying to keep personalities and friendships out and yet maintaining my natural preferences and prejudices while still being open to the novel is a bit of  a balancing act.  With technical skills accounted for, and if the rules are abided, then it simply defaults to what I like.  Unfortunately or not I usually like them all, so even that doesn't make it easy.  Often there are more poems I really like than possible positions in the winners circles.  This time four will be chosen, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th... which will be a huge tie.

Haiku Monday - The Little Things

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Picking a topic can be a difficult thing.  Sometimes something in recent moments has been dying for greater exploration.  Sometimes a notion just seems to fit.  Today it just so happened that the mundane collided with complexity while thinking on recent endeavors.  Just a few little things to be done, and they were simple things, as crows fly black.  But that they were simple did not equate to them being easy.  So the topic is on those easy little, or big, or medium, tasks that consume all of your wit, charm, patience, effort, energy.  The little things, indeed.

Not a bad day at all.

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No, I didn't get to the bathroom.  I just didn't have it in me to muck around with that today.  I did do the dishes, I took care of the cat problems and the cats both feeding and cleaning the litter pans, some laundry was put away, lots of things in various ways were watered, a good dinner arrived so I had to finish that.  It was a bit warm but I managed that well enough.  I just won't complain.  I didn't get everything on my list.  I just kept some things as primary and did what I could where and when I could without stressing myself either.  A nice leisurely work day, really.

Tomorrow?  It depends on how I feel.  What I am, roughly, planning, is to finish the bathroom, to get the cardboard and metal to the depositories here in town, and to check the mail.  Some things, like tending the girls, go without saying.  Perhaps Wednesday but perhaps as late as Friday I am hoping to have a bit of kit together to begin pedal-hiking to the reservoir.  I don't know how far I will make it.  But I think the combination will see me further, faster.  As well I have a impromptu cart if the pack gets a bit heavy.  I will probably just wear shorts and a t-shirt, but slather on the sun screen and take that with.  Every two hours.  I don't mind browning I just don't want to mess with burning.  I am also hoping my friend is feeling better.  A trip to town to swim, then take him out shooting if all goes well, sometime in a similar time frame.  I have some business I need to attend to as well.  I can't forget it, it's vital for a number of plans... if I can find the damned paperwork now!  Ugh.  I love the clean but I hate the... loss of some stuff...

I did look at tricycles, for adults.  I think the biggest tires I could find were 26", which might work.  The thing is it costs nearly $400.  I'll see how the bike works out.  Even so I might consider it if I have the money.  Simply having the cart that goes with it is a distinct advantage.  D.C. or I could use it.  It would be a value-added item, if the money works out.  I really need to take care of that business I've mentioned, maybe two pieces of it.  Could be a minor windfall or two.  Not sure if the data is correct or not though.  I swear, I love eating myself up with doubts and procrastination!  Yum!  Oh, but I wonder if there are tires that would be better for this or the 28" bike I have?  I'll check on that too.  I've not worked with bikes or tires in so long that I honestly don't know what I am doing.  BMan suggests bubble tires, or some such...  My mountain bike, cheapy that it is, might have those stock though?  I'll look.

Next week?  Two charges on the reservoir, one trip to town if just a visit or maybe a shopping trip on top of a swim.  Watering, the girls, and keeping up on the place so D.C. doesn't get grossed out when he arrives, and... tinkering with whatever is at hand.  I could change out the various water cutoff valves.  I need to keep up on things, including medicine... for now.  At least I didn't need to crash after this visit, if I didn't mind.  Then again, I am not restarting medicine this time either, which... played a largish roll in crashing I think... Or the want of it.  Not sure I crashed all that bad, and not really until spring?  Something.

Good night.

Up a bit late and a bit rough.

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I'll get to judging before long, probably.  It might be tomorrow.  Just hold on.  Uhrm, feel free to add poems at your leisure.

I am putting the judging page together.  The last tricks are finding some music and making final placements.  I just want to be more fully awake for that.  I hope you understand.  I take it seriously.  Something I should add?  While I discuss that I judge based on my preferences, it isn't completely conscious.  Sometimes what even I want to win isn't what wins.  I don't know the algorithms completely, but it isn't just "what I want".  There is some kind of a filter system that includes conscious and subconscious.  I do not deviate, and I let that run until the formula is complete.  Oh, if I have to, I just do.  But mostly I like letting that machine run through.  Annoying, at times, like waiting for someone else to do something before you can do your job.  Only it is you yourself you are waiting upon.

Just trying to adjust to being solo.  But I don't want to just drop the ball either.  I have things to do but no one to suggest that I do them.  *grins*  Dishes, the spare bathroom, watering though I missed the morning run for that.  The alarm woke me but I couldn't get up.  Well, and I am tired.  I do need to catch my breath a bit.  I will rest a bit just not at a complete stop.  I almost forgot my medicine yesterday, which probably didn't help.  I remembered it late, very late, and just took it all.  Yeah, yeah, just not two days at a time.  I do that, actually, fairly often... one day loads all at once.  Usually in the morning though.  And, yeah, it does lead to a slower day... and it seems now a harder sleep and difficulty waking.  I won't have to do that today though, took morning doses already.

Sassy and Sam where crazy yesterday.  My mom spoils them something awful.  I don't mind.  Everybody deserves a grandma I suppose.  Or at least a grandpa, as in my case.  

So...  Today?  Dishes, of which there are few...  Tending a few places where Sam vomited.  I think she is acting up since no one is going out with her on the patio, giving her as much attention, and not getting treats instantly upon request.  Oh yes, cats are very much like children.  Sassy actually bit (very light, no blood or even broken skin) the back of my lower leg yesterday.  I didn't tie it to treats until I gave them their (to me) usual afternoon treats and she chilled.  Nutfurball!  If she had kept it up she would have gone outside... it fixes her wagon.  But she calmed when she saw popo beating his chest, howling and growling, and playing the angry gorilla at her.  Brat!  Still, I have some empathy too.

Okay, dishes...  Ah, cardboard and metal to the piles... watering the plants in here and on the patio... perhaps some work on the w.heater... a bit of tinkering in my bedroom... setting up the hoses for watering tonight, more checking though I think they are pretty much ready, looking for water timers that have hours AND days, and just other light things.  Just nothing heavy.  Hmm... a shower would be good, sometime today.  Maybe a bath?  A cool one.  A soak does sound good.

Urhm... just a bit o' music first.  *tinkers with bean*

Later.

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Not too bad.  Dishes are soaking, more to let the water cool.  Yeah, I can handle hot water but a) I don't always prefer to do so and b) on a hot day I have a negative incentive.  Well, not extremely hot.  It is 85 and will probably climb to 88.  Well into the warm region and not of my preferred temps.  It's much cooler in the cave, of course.  But I did go out to set up for watering this evening.  The garden and back yard will be hit first, then the front yard for a bit.  I don't know if I will quite have to time for the side yard, but it doesn't need all that much.  It's been watered both of the last two times and there isn't a lot of grass there in part due to trees, in part due to the hydrant going in last year.  I need seed for that, but before seeding I need to level it a bit.  I am thinking maybe tomorrow.  I watered the plants on the patio and the plants here by me in the cave.  I've been tinkering, just a bit here and there, all morning, on little things.  Including cleaning Sam's two messes and looking for more.  No other was found but it can be easily missed.

Dishes, perhaps some clothes in the washer, and watering this evening.  As well, looking over the haiku, letting it soak in.  I almost hate when my mind is nearly set to judge and I still tangle with the notions.  Okay, I love to hate that part.  It is an angsty pleasure.  What I actually don't like, however, is when the winner isn't who my conscious mind thought it would be, and to a lesser degree getting the rest of the order in line.  I'm almost certain it could reasonably go several ways, but my personal psychic judge has a very particular notion of things and I abide, usually. 

Hrummph?  I don't know, I'm just a pup!  Later.

Just some night rumblings.

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Don't know where it always comes from, don't always care.  All I know is there is no cure I have found and none I would take.  Some poison makes me feel good, as it should.  The price is hellacious, perhaps.  Some contrition I can do.  That's all I'm saying.