Catty Fantastic

Friday was a holiday for us but as I work from home on Fridays it didn’t really *feel* like a day off. Just less attention to email? Regardless, I’m leaning harder into my idea of Summer Fridays. There are no holidays in August so I think I might see if I can take every Friday off. I accrue 16 hours of vacation month so if I take 4 Fridays off I’m only losing 16 hours from bank.

Our 4th was pretty quiet. We were lazy, played Pathfinder and watched “Project Hail Mary.” a perfectly perfect day. Until sundown and then the fuckery began. VERY LOUD bangs setting off car alarms up and down our street. Assholes. Pretty sure we’ll be in for similar tonight.

Hot dogs and coleslaw. Got A&H Kosher hot dogs — delicious! And made the Bon Appetite creamy coleslaw, with lime and cilantro, and had the (brilliant!) idea to add sweet corn to it. Sofa king good! We finished it off tonight.

If you’re looking for a book to read, I recommend “Sweetness in the Skin,” by Ishi Robinson.

Appointment with oral surgeon this coming Friday. Please let this be the last one.

My birthday is a week from today!

Playing Pathfinder!

You are not crazy — this is a do-over as previous was mislabeled by the blue hellsite.

Work thing meant I had to be “available” all evening yesterday. Missed my spin class and, of course, nothing happened. Then this morning, woke to late-night emails and early morning texts. Did some stuff from home then got myself to the office — thankfully traffic lighter than usual due to upcoming holiday. I’m already tired and day barely begun. Will ask to leave early today.

Am reading a book set in Jamaica and it’s hitting all of my West Indian heritage feels. There are many similarities to my Bahamian roots — eating guineps, sayings like “jeesum peas!” And the subtle differences that signal that not all Caribbean islands/cultures are the same — rice and peas (in The Bahamas it’s peas and rice), gizzadas, not coconut tarts, etc. Oof, but the status stuff … that’s universal.

Next 3 weeks are 4-day work weeks for me: Independence Day and I took Friday and Monday of my birthday weekend off. Coworker is taking “summer Mondays.” He has every Monday off from now till the end of September. I could do “summer Fridays” but I like to have more vacation days in my bank for end of the year. Although, just counted and that would only be 8 days more than I’m already taking if I end it Labor Day weekend. Hmmm …

Stolen from @wanderingweatherwax because books!

book you’ve reread the most times? I think Busman's Honeymoon, by Dorothy L. Sayers. But I'm sure there are others.

top 5 books of all time? Without thinking too hard about it: Busman's Honeymoon, Circe, Demon Copperhead, Good Night, Irene, The Care and Management of Lies, The God of the Woods

what is your favourite genre? Mysteries

what sections of a bookstore do you browse? Fiction/Literature, Mysteries, Popular Fiction (whatever that means), with a dip into SciFi

where do you buy books? Independent books stores, chain bookstores and on my Kindle.

what books have you read in the last month? Books 2-5 in the A Court of Thorns and Roses series, A thriller/romance by Nora Roberts - The Target (?), The Correspondent, On Beauty, Saving Myles, and the latest 2 or 3 in the Bunburry cozy mysteries series.

is there a series/book that got you into reading? Besides the Dr. Seuss for Beginners books when I was little? The Sweet Dreams books -- they were Harlequin romances aimed at teens.

what is the first book you remember reading yourself? I think a Nancy Drew or a Hardy Boys.

when do you tend to read most? When I'm awake. Seriously -- any spare time? Will fill with reading.

do you have a guilty fav? I don't subscribe to the idea of a "guilty" pleasure read. I read high and low and anything in between and don't fee guilty about any of them.

what non-fiction books do you like if any? I've liked a few but I have a hard time with most, especially memoir. Some that I've enjoyed: Empire of Pain, My Life in France, Radical: My Journey Out of Islamist Extremism

did you enjoy any compulsory high school readings? Several!

do you have a goodreads? Nope. Too much work.

do you ever mark/dog ear books you own? Yup.

recommend and review a book. I highly recommend my top 5; and see the answer to goodreads as to why the second part is not forthcoming.

how many books have you read this year? Erm ... a lot?

top 5 children’s books? The Nancy Drew series; The Hardy Boys series; The Fantastic Five series; Where the Red Fern Grows; can't think of a fifth one

do you like historical books? which time period? Sure! From ancient Greece, Rome or Britain to recent history (Good Night, Irene, and The Care and Management of Lies are two amazing novels about the two world wars)

most disliked popular books? Could not get through first 1/3 of Twilight and I will never read anything by Colleen Hoover ever again. *shudder of horror*

Welp. Got an alert from America Airlines that my flight out of Maine was delayed for maintenance. This would have given me 30 minutes to make my connection in Philly and that’s with everything else going perfectly.

Instead of a guaranteed overnight stay in Philly, I’m now on a later flight that connects through Dallas. Will be getting home about 3 hours later but I’d rather that than be stuck in an airport.

And, since delay was airline’s fault, no change fees and the service agent was super friendly and helpful.

Stephen King is from Maine. A friend and colleague who is also a native Mainer always likes to say that Stephen King writes nonfiction.

Heading back home tomorrow and leaving mom in good hands. My aunt is getting the knack of the sling and I’ve written out the routine. Sleeping at night is still the roughest part of the day — well, night — but mom can get in and out of bed on her own so not having someone sleeping in the same room no longer necessary.

I cannot wait to be home. Two weeks is too long. Also, this wasn’t a vacation. I’m happy to be able to be here for my mom but I’m also exhausted. From worry, from caretaking, from sleeping on an inflatable bed, from being outside of my usual routines. It’s a lot.

Also? I’m having the “I’ve been gone from work for two weeks” scaries. Vague sense of unease that’s probably just my brain creating drama. Because I’m on FML, I cannot read or respond to work emails. Of course, I dipped in a bit — we got notice about raises and union bargaining. And I was accidentally included in a work text. Ah, well. Monday will arrive soon enough.

Good news : HOA finally pulled their collective thumbs outta their asses and have approved the fix to our window. Pretty sure my photos and threat to consult attorney over negligence goosed their resolve. Bad news: we’re having a plumbing issue that’s affecting the unit below is. The issue is whatever. But these are the people we had to send a cease & desist letter to years ago. They refuse to take responsibility for anything, especially if it might cost them money. So there’s that.