Helenka, Queen of Outer Space

Considering that I stayed off social media all day long, I had no idea of the terror in Barcelona until the 6:00 p.m. news. Sigh.

My day started off strangely. I'd woken up earlier, but fell asleep again. What woke me up was hearing World War Cat. I was in the middle of a weird dream where I seemed to be living in a house with several people including our amazing Music Director. For some reason, my old blue starburst shag rug was under her bed(?) and she was complaining I'd need to vacuum it more carefully because there were tufts being pulled out. Weeeeeird.

After I woke up, I decided to read "Hidden Figures". I even delayed brekkie by a couple of hours because I was transfixed. There was so much I didn't know about segregation and strife in the states (other than what I'd witnessed as a teen from far-away Canada). I'll write more about it in my monthly book report. I kept slogging away at it and finally finished the book. All that's left (not sure) is an interview with the author and I'm in the middle of that.

After the shocking news hour, I watched my usual game show reruns and I'm about to watch the SNL Weekend Update, even though I don't know how whether I'll be in the right mood to appreciate it. There's so little of good stuff happening in the world. Let's make that a really long sigh.

Oh, yes, indeedy. I was faced with those cold, cruel digits staring at me with a veneer of impertinence to boot. So I reached for the iPad and continued reading my Trek novel. Luckily, the pain managed to stay in the background for a while. I finally finished it only to find that it was the MIDDLE book of a trilogy. So I borrowed the other two books.

Once again, citing nausea, sleeplessness, and pain, I talked myself out of doing household chores. Instead I managed to snatch another two hours of sleep just before 2. And woke up in the middle of more vivid dreams. Hmm, I wasn't aware that gastric upsets and sleep deprivation when combined were dream catalysts.

I ventured into SuM's living room after watching the news and my game shows. We watched "The Diaries of Ann Lister" - a fascinating true account of a woman who'd defied the constraints of polite British society to carve out a life for herself on her own terms: refusing to marry, studying a vast array of subjects, hiring men to mine her land, and - oh yes - living with a woman and adopting the role of "husband". She used to write love letters in a special code which was decrypted only after 150 years. SuM wondered whether it might have been solved by a woman!

SuM also graciously made supper: big meatballs (we joked about those), boiled potatoes, and the snappiest crispy peas. Luckily, I managed to overcome the lingering nausea and enjoyed my meal. ::breathes a sigh of relief:: Right now, I think I'm going to drink some soothing ginger pineapple juice and then read for just a titch. I have to wake up early to book my rides for next week's pub night. Yay!

Yeah, right. As if. When I showed up at church at 9:25, there was a TV station van parked next to the church. By the time the 10:50 service started, we had hundreds more people jammed into the Sanctuary, including a former Mayor, the current Mayor, many councillors, other officials, as well as family, staff, and friends of the deceased councillor. And here was our proposed Senior Pastor Elect about to preach. So ... no pressure?

Obviously not. Rev. Jeff did a fabulous job. He employs humour very easily, while not neglecting the message he wants to convey. At the end of the service, I was anxious to get home as there was going to be a quick meeting and voting beginning at 1:00. It was also going to be online. Amazingly enough, my cabbie got me home at 12:57. I rushed in, typed in the church's site, clicked on the special webcast link ... and heard static even though there were people on screen. Thankfully, when the webcast began in earnest, there was sound. Despite a couple of times when I seemed to lose the signal, I was able to watch most of it. The vote count took less time than expected and some awfully clever people arranged to have PINK smoke emerging from our chimneys. Well, you know, WHITE is just so ... boring! Apparently the vote had been overwhelming in Jeff's favour ... though I believe it's still good that there was some opposition, to keep him focused on the ways our church can improve.

While the pink smoke was on screen, I lost the audio portion, so texted church-John to find out what was happening. I'm sure I'll get more of an inside scoop once we get together on Tuesday. After the vote webcase ended at 2:00, I really had to scurry to create my weekly summary. I had to trim a whole bunch of stuff, but finally posted. Then I collapsed. When I watched the 6:00 news, we were pretty much at the top of the newscast, both for the respect paid to the city councillor, and then the introduction to our new Senior Pastor Elect.

Anyway, I have to think about bed (yes, old joke), but I'm off with Brian to the waterfront tomorrow at noon. Can't wait to have the wind in my hair and feeling cooler.

So, which one, blondie? Your cold? Nah, it's still lingering, but I'm improving. I know that copious amounts of ginger beer, yogurt, and hot lemon drink have helped significantly.

Is it regulating your sleep schedule? Hah, I wish. I woke up at 7:30, coughed, went back to sleep. Woke up at 8:30, lather-rinse-repeat. Woke up at 9:30, decided my body needed to be upright to get all the couching out. Sigh.

So, what was this accomplishment? I finally, FINALLY got through "In the Skin of a Lion". I'll write more about it in my monthly book report, but I can honestly say I never want to read another Ondaatje in my life. Mind you, I can't wait to try to see the water filtration "palace", but the downright oddness of the characters left me feeling ... meh. So, I'm thrilled I can now return to my second read-through of "The Martian", as I'll have to return it to the library in a couple of days. It'll be a breeeeeze.

It was a relief to have non-confrontational TV shows to watch in the evening. The season finale of Big Bang Theory was hilarious and then I zipped through the two MasterChef shows. Already making plans for major rewatch sessions through the summer months of my fave shows and movies. Because, right now, I'm not feeling too optimistic about summer showing up. It's just so depressing, even if they're forecasting an absolutely scorching (as if) 70 degrees by the end of next week. My lungs and joints so do not need cold and damp. ::mutters and gets ready for bed::

Apparently, this is a new thing with me. Last night, after drinking my hot lemon and sucking on a throat lozenge, I finally cracked open a sealed bottle of Benylin cough syrup. And then went to bed around 1. With the exception of one brief wakeup, I managed to sleep all the way to 9. I certainly wasn't feeling any better, so the only thing that makes sense is the power of auto-suggestion. ::crosses fingers for a repeat performance::

After brekkie, I did doze off for a while. Had cold things during the day (Perrier, ice cream) and then soothed my throat in the evening with cream of potato & chive soup that I doctored with heaps of crumbled bacon.

Continued reading my Ondaatje. It's as vivid as the previous book but I'm enjoying it much more, possibly because it recalls all sorts of historic events in the province, including the building of the magnificent viaduct across the river on the east. Unfortunately, in order to create a barrier against people wanting to kill themselves on the upper portion (there's a subway running along the lower level), there was a competition and the winning design is absolute garbage, with steel strands supported by rows of (take your pick) telephone poles or crucifixes, with A FEW of the strands adorned by metallic "teardrops". A travesty, if you ask me.

Apart from reading, I only watched the news and my game shows. Well, I think I'm fading quickly. Time for my medicinal routine and bed.

So, I'm recounting my day backwards.

Received an e-mail from the library. The book about 9/11 from the Gander ("Come From Away") experience was available. Yeah, I'm already crying ... and the author has only just left the terminal. For the record, he was brought up Catholic, is gay, and traveling with his partner. The forward is by the mayor of Gander. Both men are characters in the musical.

Jeopardy! was fun in the Final. Ha! It so pays to watch Helena Bonham Carter movies ("A Room With A View" FTW).

SuM dropped by wondering whether Grumpy was a stowaway but - no - he was nowhere to be found. While she was here, I asked about trying to rid the back deck of the yellowjackets (because, seriously, I can not spend two minutes outside in the summer without being ... swarmed). SuM said she'd get some traps for them. ::breathes a huge sigh of relief::

Had a fluffy visitor (Diva, natch) for most of the day. Good when she was sleeping, irritating when she kept winding between my legs and jumping up on the CPU. Was a bit worried about trying to keep tabs on her and read on my iPad, so the book I'd just started didn't get much attention from me.

Had a whole room-full of groceries delivered (well, you should see the pile of cartons) and have enjoyed treating myself. Mind you, putting them away was hot work. In a case of weird juxtaposition, I put the pots of tulips on top of the fireplace! Also thrilled they delivered the best guacamole I love. There's also black bean & corn salsa, regular salsa, and (I hope, 'cuz I couldn't read the label) mango salsa. Yum!

Woke up to the alarm at 9:00, for once not dreaming at all. Good. Also pleased I didn't even hear the garbage trucks rumbling down the street (they usually begin at 8).

Originally woke up at 3:38! Are you kidding me????? No, I was so not a happy camper. But, somehow, I managed to fall back asleep. Still no dreaming.

Traveling back to yesterday, I was thrilled to receive "mail" from the government (I log into my account and read it) confirming that my tax refund had been deposited to my account. Funny thing is that I'd forgotten I'd filed my return 2.5 weeks ago. I thought it had been sooner than that. I guess it's just another example of the days blurring by.

Looking ahead to a spring-like weekend with more relaxing. Hmm. Perhaps a bottle of wine?

Oh ... and terrific sleep, too. I didn't wake up until 8:22. Wow. It's been a while.

Spent much of the day monitoring sites for news and especially photos of the various Women's marches around the world. I can't comprehend the crowds in DC but I found the description from Seattle fascinating. Apparently, there were people still waiting to join the march THREE MILES from the start. When I consider I used to live three miles from the lake when I was in midtown TO, it boggles the mind to fill that span with over 100,000 people. Supposedly our own contribution had 50,000. One of the signs I saw really grabbed me. It was a line drawing of a woman's reproductive organs with ONE significant difference: the right fallopian tube was raised, giving the finger! Right on.

Continuing to focus on nice things for myself, I finally got around to trying the cinnamon french toast bagels I'd bought a while ago (and stored in the freezer). All I did was heat one up for 20 seconds in the microwave. No butter or anything else. But - wow - it was great. Next time I'll try separating the halves (don't get me started on bagels that fall apart) and sprinkling maple bacon bits. Naturally, I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.

I should be thinking about bed but, first, I'm going to give myself a quickie paraffin hand treatment. Because lobster hands are never attractive.

Was thrilled to enjoy a deep-snow sleep (the ONLY good thing about the S-word), not waking up until 9:25. Was thrilled to see that the hot lemon drink and simple cough lozenge did the trick of relieving a possible allergic difficulty-to-swallow reaction. But, then, all thought of being productive deserted me. No dismantling of the bed to affix the bed risers. Nuh-huh. OTOH, I did manage to debox the new electric skillet (hey, the Styrofoam was wedged in very tightly), but didn't screw the arm/leg combo on yet. Still, I did d/l the user manual. I also searched for chicken recipes, something I can serve church-John when I have him over for his birthday. I finally decided I'm going to invent a recipe, following both Italian (herbs, onion, black olives, pasta) and Polish (mushrooms, miniature multi-colour peppers, sour cream) influences, along with a generous application of rosé wine (which provides more body and a heightened flavour than white). I'm rather excited by the entire project and have decided this is the dish I'm going to make (as a practice run) just for myself on Christmas Day. Yay!

Speaking of entertaining, I also sent an invite to Ash for her upcoming birthday (close to c-John's). I was mortified that we hadn't celebrated her birthday this year until mid March. So, fine, we were also acknowledging St. Paddy's day and the beginning of spring, but I certainly hope we can do her birthday within her month, namely January. Her party will be a lot easier, as I serve a different flavour of chicken wings along with nibbles and grapefruit juice & vodka.

Just happened to have the TV on in the afternoon. Jim Parsons was a guest on Ellen promoting a new film (whose name I didn't quite catch). It's really timely to have been released as it's about three unacknowledged women who were vital in the effort to get John Glenn into orbit. I guess I'll make an effort to see it in a real movie theatre (and hope for semi-decent weather). In the evening, I watched a totally unbelievable epi of MacGyver where our intrepid trio managed to avert WWIII in Shanghai, as Mac cobbled together a GPS disruptor to make the misslle headed to the States blow up. ::widens eyes dramatically:: Yeah, sure. Whatever. Still, the actor who plays Mac is SO pretty. Mmmmhmmmmmmm.

Bed is calling my name and I haven't even had my hot lemon drink. I guess I'll succumb. Soft kitty, purr, purr, purr.

For a change, I'm not the one getting (officially) older. But, yesterday, I sent my old friend Danny an e-mail for reaching MY age ... and early today (like after midnight), I sent my church friend Stephanie a FB post for reaching - eek - 81!

Did not care AT ALL for waking up at 7:30. Horrid. So it was no surprise that, by 11:00, I was desperate for a nap. Set my alarm for 2:00. Woke up a few minutes before the alarm with a freezing hand. Yes, in this heat wave. I've found I'm hot sitting in front of my computer (from both electronics and the placement of the desk below a window); yet, when I lie down, I'm downright cold. Sigh. Anyway, as soon as I woke up, I baked the chicken to warm me up with a hot meal.

Finally decided to watch some of what I'd taped this weekend. First watched "Gayby Baby" filmed in Australia following a two-dad and two-mom family against a backdrop of official and unofficial opposition to SSM. It was heartbreaking to see the dads' oldest son decide that it wasn't a bad type of lying to describe his living arrangement as containing his dad and his male carer (his word). Why? Because the family was moving from Australia to Fiji, a much less tolerant country. Then watched a fascinating documentary, "Coast New Zealand", about Fjordland, at the southern tip of South Island. Found out about how several ventures were born and died - including seal hunting, making oil from whales, coal mining, a gold rush and, currently, crayfish trapping. So, apparently, New Zealand broke off from Australia 100 million years ago. Also saw rare black coral and the presence of bottlenose dolphins that are evolving to survive at the edge of arctic waters by becoming larger with smaller fins (to conserve body heat).

Well, that's my mental excursion for today. Will read for a bit, then - I hope - more successful sleep.

No, cats (you know who you are), I certainly did not appreciate the hissy fight taking place over MY pillow around 5:30 (when I'd stayed up until 3:15). I guess I should consider myself lucky that they allowed me to sleep all the way to 8:45. Hey, it counts as sleep, so I'll accept it.

It was hot and humid so we were all lethargic. Grumpy was sooooo sprawled out on the covered porch and not moving, so I carried his lunch out there. Yes, yes, I'm such a devoted auntie.

Decided to finally begin catching up on some of the TV series I'd recorded. I started with S2 of X Company. Watched 6 episodes over the course of the day (with 4 remaining). I'm even more impressed with this season's performances, attention to detail, and thankful that the brutality wasn't OTT graphic (because we all know what happened during WWII). It also helped that I was lying on my front with my head only a foot away from the TV ... so that I could actually read the English subtitles. Makes a huge difference in comprehension.

I guess I'd better corral the cats for the night (and hope they're too worn out to be rambunctious. ::crosses fingers::