Devon Ellington's Blog, page 7

Tues. July 15, 2025: Incoming Heat Wave

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Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Waning Moon

Pluto, Neptune, Saturn Retrograde

Cloudy and humid with a heat wave starting

The Community Tarot Reading for the Week is here.

Yes, Saturn, the planet of life lessons, joined the retrograde parade on Sunday. If there was a lesson you needed to learn and didn’t during last year’s retrograde (June 29 to November 15) or from previous retrogrades, you will be smacked with it again this go-round, which is until November 27 (Thanksgiving Day). Mercury goes retrograde on Friday, adding to the general suckage.

I made some good changes last retrograde, and am in the process of making some other hopefully good ones this retrograde, so maybe I’ll be cut a fraction of a break? I mean, there’s always more to learn, but I hope I don’t get smacked around too much this go-round.

Oh, and Spectrum? Who falsely claimed I hadn’t paid my bill and made me go down to them in person to pay two months’ worth? Suddenly “found” the payment and put it through. So now they’re overpaid, and I better not get a bill for next month. They are horrible. The fact that we only have a single choice of internet in this “rural” region is loathsome.

Anyway, I tried not to be too much of a Grumpy Pants on Friday, in spite of the humidity. I mean, it was sunny and pretty and the house is freshly painted, if still sticky and with door problems.

We were supposed to get a delivery on Friday of small, personal cooling units. I’d ordered them specifically from this company because it was supposed to be here within the week. Then, suddenly, the delivery is delayed until July 25. Of course it is. So we have to suffer. Because it would be impossible for actual customer service to exist.

If it’s this bad before Mercury retrograde, I don’t even want to think of what it would be like during.

I popped out and got the last tiny cooling unit from Ocean State. I’d hoped to get two, but the other one was missing some of its bits. So I bought the one tiny, inexpensive one, to get us through, and it’s wonderful. Sadly, it’s too noisy for me to run much of the night, but it does cool things down quickly.

I also did the grocery shopping and a library run. The front door still wouldn’t open from the inside, so I had to go down the back. I can open the front door with my key from the outside using my body weight, I just can’t open it from the inside. Which is a safety issue.

Got everything home, hauled it up the stairs.

And then, we couldn’t find Bea. We spent the next five hours turning the house inside out, looking for Bea. She’s never tried to run outside, and we have door protocols. But still – we could not find her. We were frantic.

None of the other cats were worried.

After five hours, we heard Willa yowl, and then Bea strolled in like, “What? I’ve been dimension hopping. I knew where I was.” And then she ate her supper.

But I lost a whole workday looking for the damn cat.

She’s in her rebellious teenage phase.

We should have paid attention to the other cats, who knew nothing was wrong.

Heard from a friend that my plays under consideration for next season made the first cut. They will read some scenes in the coming weeks to see how they play, and make a decision then. Some good news!

Heard from RATTLE that “Miss Tisdell’s Table” hadn’t been chosen as one of the top two for the month. I didn’t expect it to be chosen, not out of the hundreds of poems they get every month from experienced poets; I’d written it more for me than for anything else. How could I refuse to write an ekphrastic poem that had Lenormand cards in the art? I would have regretted missing that chance. I have a poem I didn’t have before. I may take it to the residency to work on, or I may just consider it done and submit it elsewhere, or I may retire it. No idea right now. And I don’t have to make the decision.

Fell to bed exhausted, and then was woken up a couple of hours later when the smoke alarm – which was removed from the ceiling months ago and was sitting on a table  –went off and would not shut up. Because the damn neighbors had  spread out past their space into our space and were smoking in front of our window. Not happy. Stay in your own damn space. Yes, my space is prettier and more inviting – because I took the time to make it that way.

Got the fire alarm to shut the hell up. The other one is still chirping every 30 seconds, even though it’s been wrapped in curtains for months. I have to get on maintenance for yet another set of replacements. We were waiting for the painters to be done, because in addition to humidity, paint fumes set them off.  I’m worried the careless neighbors will burn the building down – and we won’t have warning, and won’t be able to get out of the front door.

So there are some practicalities to be dealt with.

Woke up at the normal time on Saturday, trying not to be grumpy, because it was hot and humid. Morning routine, nice breakfast. Did a new draft of the text portion of the art piece for the show in August, which I have to send out this week. Around 10 AM, we headed out to Greenfield so I could look at art in order to create words. I put in the coordinates to Murder Maps, requesting the route via 116 and 112.

Of course, Murder Maps tried to force me over the mountain on Rt. 2. It kept telling me to make a U turn. Nope.

I didn’t take the road past the farm they sent me last time, either, up a steep hill and unpaved roads.

I went down to Adams the normal way, and picked up 116 near Adams Fresh Market, going straight instead of taking the turn I would take to go to Pittsfield. It took us through a lovely part of Adams and Cheshire, and met up with the unpaved road I was forced on last time (but avoided this time) just before Savoy, so it was all good. Found the turn to 112, found the way to 2E at Shelbourne, made it to Greenfield and to the lot behind town hall.

My mom came with me the few blocks to LAVA Center. She sat on the comfy sofa, while I caught up with the staff, looked at the art, and photographed two pieces that particularly spoke to me.

Greenfield was brighter and more cheerful today. Or maybe it seemed that way, because I was more comfortable there. There was a No Kings rally, which was good to see, and I chatted with some of the participants for a few minutes. I left my mom on a bench at the farmers’ market and asked a cop for directions. Turns out he loves the LAVA Center and is excited to see the exhibit. We had a good talk about many things, and he gave me the directions I needed to navigate back to the roads I wanted to use (the market meant street closures).

Back in the car, back the way we came so I could learn it without Murder Maps bossing me around. I found the turn from 2W to 112 this time, instead of missing it like last time and having to go back over the mountain. It was a lovely drive back.

Stopped at Adams Fresh Market on the way home (I mean, it was right there,  and they had blueberry pie).

Home, had a late lunch. Read a little, and then tried to work on the textile project. Trying to fix the error is a disaster, and I’m honestly thinking about pulling the piece from the show, because I don’t know if I can salvage it. But I have a few ideas, and I will try them. But there was a lot of discouragement and some tears.

Cheered up by more good news about “The Effie Effect” (and the whole season).

The Chewy order arrived. We are resupplied with cat litter. I also bought Tessa a new catnip carrot (hers is old and sad). I bought 3 catnip strawberries for the others, and they love them. I have a new interactive toy for Bea (she will have her year adopt-aversary with us next week). Right now, Tessa is more interested in the toy than Bea. Charlotte can’t figure it out, but she sits next to it and looks pretty. Because that her job as a princess.

Ran the small cooling unit in my room at bedtime (my mom had the oscillating fan, which she prefers). Charlotte pushed me out of the way so she could lie in front of it, which was pretty funny. It’s too loud for me to run all night and actually sleep, so I ran it until the room cooled down, slept, woke up hot, ran it until the room cooled down, and so forth.

Up early on Sunday, good meditation session. Did the Community Tarot Reading for the Week, which cheered me up.

Ordered a small dehumidifier unit, which is supposed to work up to 800 feet. Our entire apartment is 1250 feet, so I think we’ll be fine in the living room. It’s small and easily portable, so I can use it in the bedrooms before bedtime. It’s supposed to be delivered tomorrow. Let’s hope it doesn’t meet the delay that the personal cooling units have met.

I was feeling overwhelmed, between various deadlines I’m juggling. One deadline isn’t actually until next weekend – I’d set this weekend as the deadline for myself. But I can push that back. As far as the textile piece goes, I have to finish the text piece and then I’ll put an hour a day on the textile bit and see if there’s a way to salvage it.

The text for Greenfield isn’t due until mid-August, so I can look at the art and percolate, without worrying.

And then, of course, my second word for the large poem showed up on Sunday morning – with only 24 hours to turn it around (I wasn’t expecting it until today). After a moment of panic, I thought, “what a great opportunity! I have all these creative things happening at once. I’m so lucky.”

Okay, so I’ll be a little tired. But I’m still lucky!

I stuck the word in my brain to start the percolating. The opening came right away, but now it needs to go somewhere. There’s a 30 second limit, and I usually limit myself to about 8 lines.

Late, large breakfast, I got some work done on the ghostwriting, I showered, dressed, slapped on some makeup, and headed out (the back door, since the front door is still stuck). It was a nice drive down to Lenox, except for a small patch in Pittsfield.

I got there ridiculously early, met the playwright, caught up with my WAM colleagues, got a bottle of water and a snack, and sat on the back porch of Ventfort Hall (where the reading took place).

I drafted the poem for the word I received that morning, and did some work on the text for the textile/text project. By that time, it was time to go inside for the reading. A trio of friends, women of a certain age (like I’m not one of them now?) sat beside me, and we had a lively discussion about research and women forgotten by history before the reading began.

The reading was for ALIEN GIRLS, a play by Amy Berryman, directed by Genée Coreno, staged managed by Sara Recht (one of my literary committee colleagues). The actresses were Sarah Keyes (also a committee colleague), Nicole Orabona (a committee colleague), and Naire Poole. The piece was so much fun! It was a deep exploration of a decades-long friendship and the conflict between art and motherhood, art and betrayal and who has the right to tell a story, with a few very bizarre turns.

I’d heard of Berryman before, but was not familiar with her work. She has such a good ear, and the cadence rhythms and overall language were wonderful. And she’s so confident in her work. The talkback after was lively and fun, and everyone was reluctant to leave. But leave we did, because the company needed their dinner break (they had a 7 PM performance, too).

Because I had to work on the poem, I did not continue on to the Mount for the Word X Word sculpture walk. I drove home, working the poem in my head. It was a lovely drive, not too much traffic, and the mountains were pretty.

Home, cooked dinner, worked on the poem, got it out a little before 8 PM. Took Willa out on the back balcony in her playpen. She had a good time, and I got to read THE LOST MANUSCRIPT by Cathy Bonidan, which is a lovely novel about a woman who finds a manuscript in a hotel bedside table, and is determined to track down both its author and how it got there. It’s an epistolary novel, all told in letters, and just a delight.

I had the small cooling unit running most of the night, due to the humidity. I never got into a deep sleep because of the noise, until around 4:30, when it was cool enough to shut it off. Charlotte was delighted. She slept right in front of it all night.

Up early, morning routine, answered some emails, tended the plants on the balcony, ran around the building to get the front door open for the two expected deliveries. Caught up on some email and admin.

I printed out the two sections of poem for the large poem on July 27. As long as I don’t change the first or last word, I can tweak. I think they are where they want them, but I like options.

Typed and printed the two versions of the text for the textile piece, working title “Tell Me. . .” These versions are so very different, and I think what I want is somewhere between them. It needs to percolate.

Most of the rest of the day was spent working on the ghostwriting. And I’m still not finished, with it due today, so I better dig in. I’m in good shape, it’s just not going to get as many polishing passes as I prefer.

I took a lunch break, and then another break when the dehumidifier and the new doormat arrived. The dehumidifier is a small, sleek unit, and it seems to work well. It will be put to the test these next few days. The mandala doormat is lovely, but there’s no way it can be outside in Berkshire weather, so we are moving it around inside until we find the right spot for it. It’s much more like a rug than a doormat.

Had the cooling unit on at night, which made Charlotte happy, but made sleep more difficult. I can either not be able to sleep because it’s too hot and humid, or because of the noise of the cooler. It also means pain in my ears for hours the next day. But I can still function better than in the heat and humidity, so until the pain gets unbearable, that’s what I’ll have to do.

Bea, that little dickens, managed to remove her favorite green ball from the 3-tiered interactive toy and has hidden it. She also stashed her catnip strawberry. This morning, she stole Charlotte’s catnip strawberry. Since we can’t find it, I expect it’s with the rest of the stash. Charlotte is sulking.

I got an invitation to submit to a theatre with whom I’ve wanted to work for a year or so, an invitation to submit in two of their development categories, and I will get those out today. Then, it’s digging back into the ghostwriting. I need to get that off my desk and onto their desks before I head out to yoga this evening. If it’s too oppressive in the afternoon, I will pack up and go to a library this afternoon. The priority is to finish this ghostwriting project.

Then, tomorrow, I immediately get back to work on the next one.

We were supposed to have thunderstorms and a flood watch all yesterday into last night. We got a few sprinkles. It looks like it will rain any minute, and I wish it would, to cut the humidity. I managed to open the door from the inside early this morning before the humidity got too bad, so that’s progress.

Have a good one!

Mon. July 14, 2025: Intent for the Week — Follow My Star

image courtesy of Dumitru Stoica via pixabay.com

Monday, July 14, 2025

Waning Moon

Pluto, Neptune, Saturn Retrograde

Bastille Day

Gray and humid

Bastille Day is my own personal indepdence day, for various reasons.

The Community Tarot Reading for the Week is up on the Cerridwen’s Cottage site here.

I have a lot to get done this week, including a 20K deadline for the ghostwriting tomorrow, and some other deadlines. It’s supposed to be hot and humid. I may need to decamp on some days.

But it’s good busy, and work I like. So I’m going to follow my star this week and get it all done.

What’s your intent for the week?

Fri. July 11, 2025: Sticky Paint

image courtesy of JymLens via pixabay.com

Friday, July 11, 2025

Waning Moon

Pluto & Neptune Retrograde

Cloudy, hot, humid

Yesterday was just chaos. Between the banking issues and the painters and the door being open and the heat/humidity, it was a lot.

The door had to be left open from just before 9 AM – when the painters had to help me get the door open, because it had stuck due to the humidity and paint on the side of the door that fits into the frame – until late in the day. It looks great, but it meant the cats had to be corralled for most of the day. I had the door between my office and the front hall closed, meaning that Charlotte, Willa, and my mom were in the back portion of the apartment – my office, my bedroom, the pantry/storage room, the kitchen, my mom’s room. I had my laptop set up in the living room, so I could keep an eye on the open front door. I had Tessa and Bea in the sewing room (aka Bea’s room), while I worked, and answered questions the painters had about which numbers were for which door, whose doormat belonged to whom, etc.

Tessa was furious. She banged on the glass doors and yelled. When that didn’t get her what she wanted, she started trying to work the hinges out of the door. The fact that she understands those mechanics is pretty impressive.

I was working on the computer and suddenly Charlotte jumped in my lap. That little Houdini had worked the office door open. And then Willa made a run for it to see what was happening on the front porch and she had to be caught, and her paws wiped free of paint.

Even though, by mid-afternoon, I could have the door close to closed, I had to cancel out of the in-person evening meeting, because I couldn’t close the door all the way, and I can’t leave the house if I can’t close the door. It’s too heavy for the cats to open enough to get out (unless they work together, and I wouldn’t put it past them), but it’s too much to expect my mom to be able to keep an eye on the door and worry about safety while I’m out.

I didn’t get as much done on the ghostwriting as I hoped, because of the constant interruptions. I did, however, manage to switch out the winter curtain for the lace curtain at the front door, once the painters departed. I will wash the window in the door, put up the decorations, and put up the stained-glass cling film over the weekend.

No response from the company that I threatened to file charges against with the AG’s office. There better not be another stop on my card today because of them. I’ll know when I get to the grocery store.

After dinner, I sat out on my back balcony and read for a little while. Of course, there were some dicks next door running a chainsaw, because heaven forbid there are no power tools in play.

I got two “writer satisfaction bonuses” for the medium-sized coverages I did at the start of the week. Nice to know I helped a couple of people as things wind down. The agency sent out an email offering writers with a high enough percentage evaluation a free coaching session for representation. The wording of the email was just weird, and mildly offensive. And, of course, they aren’t doing anything for their readers, because we are expendable. If we were dumb enough to work for them, we don’t deserve transition assistance or introductions to other agencies.

I had my monthly online meeting with the library cohort, which was fun. But it always takes awhile to settle down after an online meeting and get ready for bed.

Slept reasonably well until 4 AM, and moved to the couch. There was a nice breeze coming in, and I fell back asleep until Tessa woke me at 5:30, telling me I was starving them all and they needed their breakfast RIGHT NOW.

Fed the cats, did my morning meditation. It wasn’t as hot as predicted yesterday, although it was humid. Today is supposed to be not as hot as expected either, nor is the weekend, which is nice. Even 3 degrees makes a huge difference.

The door was stuck this morning, so I went down the back stairs and around the building. I could get it open from the front, using my body weight to push the door in. One of the reasons it’s sticking is that, when they painted the side of the door, they painted the strike plate and the latch. So I scraped that off, and that’s better. I will have to take a flashlight this week and see if there’s paint in the part that’s in the frame, where the lock catches.

On today’s agenda: library and grocery store and ghostwriting. That’s it. I want to finish this draft. I may do a pass on it tomorrow, and the final polish Monday before it goes off Tuesday. And immediate switch to the next 20K project for the other series.

Over the weekend, the plan is to go to Greenfield tomorrow and pick the piece of art about which I will write for the summer installation at LAVA Center. I may do some ghostwriting work when we get back, and also work on the textile piece to fix the backing catch issue.

Sunday morning, I will work on the textile piece, and then I head out of Lenox for the next WAM reading. Word X Word has an event in the evening at the Mount, also in Lenox. If I have enough energy left after the reading, I will go to the sculpture walk. But I’m playing that part of the day by ear, especially since Saturn turns retrograde on Sunday. Which is just ick.

Have a good weekend, and stay cool if you can!

Thurs. July 10, 2025: Chaos

image courtesy of Rupert Kittinger-Sereinig via pixabay.com

Thursday, July 10, 2025

Full Moon

Pluto & Neptune Retrograde

Hot, humid, sticky

You can read the latest about the garden over on Gratitude and Growth.

84% humidity yesterday. Ick. The fans worked hard, but that doesn’t cut the humidity, and, as I said, I couldn’t leave.

I wrote and submitted the review and asked for my next assignment. Which I received, along with the news that the owner (my editor) has sold her company and as of today, the papers will be signed. Supposedly, the new owners want to keep the reviewers, but we all know how that goes. So I’m expecting that the next book will be the last I do for this company, unless the new owners have some good terms or the same terms. New owners always want to make a clean sweep and put their own people in.

In any case, she had me invoice for the batch (including the book to be read) and paid in 15 minutes. This gig didn’t pay much, but was steady, paid fast, and saved my ass on more than one occasion. I will miss it.

It makes adding in 2-3 new clients by fall even more vital.

I worked on the ghostwriting all day, and hit the point I’d hoped to hit by the end of the day. Which was good.

However, the painters came back on the balcony to do another coat. Now, they could have told us at the end of the day on Tuesday that was the plan. I would have moved things, so they had room to work. But they did not.

They did move my pieces with care and cover them with drop clothes and TRY to put things back properly, which was kind of sweet, so it wasn’t as big a deal as it could have been.

At 2 PM, they knocked on the front door to ask me to leave it open so they could paint it. I corralled Bea and Tessa into the sewing room and closed the door. I closed the door between my office and the front hall to keep Charlotte and Willa in the back of the house. Everyone had access to food, water, and a litterbox. However, they were all unhappy at being confined.

It was 6 before we could close the doors.

And they are blue! A nice, bright blue! I am so happy! I mean, I wanted the whole house to be in shades of blue, but even just having the door blue is a help. It means safety, refuge, tranquility, and magic, which is just what I want for my home.

Heated up leftovers for dinner and read in the evening. It’s so hot and sticky. By the time I woke up this morning, I felt like I couldn’t breathe, but it levelled out after meditation.

I put in a Chewy order for cat litter this morning – and found out that my bankcard is still blocked, even though they promised me that it wasn’t. I am not happy. The ghostwriting client paid me overnight, so there was plenty in my PayPal account, and I used that instead. And contacted my person at the credit union who is supposed to be dealing with all this. That person told me that the place that tried to charge my card without putting the order through tried AGAIN this morning, and that’s why the card was blocked. I may have to get a new card – which would mean at least a day’s worth of work updating my financial information with various companies. Urgh. I contacted the customer service rep who keeps insisting that there is no charge being put through. I told them that if it happens again, I am filing a complaint with both the CA and the MA AG offices. I also thanked my contact at the bank for taking the time with me to navigate this.

On top of that, the credit union posted that someone is sending texts to customers pretending they are the fraud department, but aren’t. Well, maybe if you had a competent fraud department who treated people like human beings, this wouldn’t be an issue.

And Mercury isn’t even retrograde yet!

Of course, the door was stuck from the paint this morning, and I couldn’t get it open. Fortunately, the painters were back to put on a second coat, got it open, and now the door is open again, the cats are (unhappily) corralled again, and I’m working in the living room so that I can keep an eye on the open entrance. Our door will have to be open all day today.

So much for getting the window washed, the lace curtain up, the decorations up, and the stained glass cling film on today! Guess that’s for tomorrow or the weekend!

Argh. I have to keep an eye on banking stuff, and also do ghostwriting. I have two library meetings this evening, one in person and one on-line.

Not even 10 AM and I’m ready for a cocktail!

Wed. July 9, 2025: Tired of Feeling Damp

image courtesy of Enrique via pixabay.com

Wednesday, July 9. 2025

Waxing Moon

Pluto and Neptune Retrograde

Rainy, hot, humid

Midweek!

The temperature wasn’t too high yesterday, but the humidity was bad. The painters were clumping around, making noise, but not addressing the bits that still need attention. This is now the 11th week of what we were told would be 6 weeks.

Most of the day was spent on the ghostwriting. I made good progress. I had to rearrange a bunch of stuff several times. It’s like dominos – move one piece and everything else is affected.

I finished reading STILL AS DEATH, the fourth and final Sweeney St. George mystery. As a writer, I appreciate how the writer broke the rules. As a reader, I was frustrated by the ambiguity and the way Sweeney’s character was left continuing on a downward trajectory. Is life like that? Absolutely. But I wanted better for her at the end of the series. I don’t know if the series was always meant to end like that, or if there were just no more books contracted. It could have continued (and I wish it had) for at least one more book to put more of an ending to the series. But maybe the writer didn’t want to wrap things up neatly, and I need to respect that choice.

Went to yoga, which was wonderful, and it was nice to be in light air conditioning. I hadn’t realized how overcooked my brain was from the day’s work until I relaxed in the cooler space.

Came home to find the notes back on the other ghostwriting project, which I will dig into as soon as I get this one off my desk. This one is 20K and so it the other one. We will sort it out. Hopefully, it means I can invoice for the portion of the project that’s complete.

Read the next book for review. I can write up the review and submit it today, and request my next assignment. After I turn in my next assignment, I can invoice for the batch.

Moved to the couch at 3 this morning because my room was too hot and sticky. It was cooler in the living room. I fell asleep until 5:30 with some wild dreams. Not bad, just weird. Of course, they fled as soon as I woke up, and I only have the sensation they left.

The temperature isn’t bad today, but the humidity makes the air thick and heavy. I can’t get it cool inside, so it’s kind of mucky. It’s not supposed to be too hot the next couple of days, and I hope the humidity decreases and/or we get a cracking good thunderstorm.

I can’t really pack up and go somewhere cool, because I have to be around in case the painters come back on the deck (I’m not bringing things in again, we have to move them and cover them with tarp) or do the front doors (which means corralling the cats so they don’t get out. And heaven forbid they actually tell us what’s going on.

Tessa and Charlotte are grumpy in this weather and fussing at each other.

On today’s agenda: write and submit the review, do some admin, work on the ghostwriting. I’m a little behind where I hoped to be at this point, but not badly.

Not an interesting day to read about, I just have to plod on through it!

Have a good one!

Tues. July 8, 2025: Trying to Stay Cool-ish

image courtesy of  Andi via pixabay.com

Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Waxing Moon

Pluto and Neptune Retrograde

Cloudy and humid

Hello! I hope you had a restful weekend filled with defiant joy.

I jump in the shower a couple of times a day to hose off.

Friday, what was Friday? It seems eons away. Oh, right, it was technically a holiday. It was a lovely, sunny day, not too hot. I spent time out on the back balcony, and I also spent a good portion of the day finishing Sarah Stewart Taylor’s JUDGMENT OF THE GRAVE. I like how she plays with typical mystery tropes.

It was mid-afternoon by the time I started work on the textile project, making the sandwich part of the quilt. The typical “best practices” weren’t going to work here, so I did something different, which worked. And that was all the energy I had for that.

Made salmon for dinner, with creamed spinach and mashed potatoes,

Started reading YOGA BITCH by Suzanne Morrison in the evening, which is hilarious. At five o’clock, I dashed down to Installation Space (run by a cohort member) to the opening of WE ARE AMERICA, an exhibit about immigration and America. It’s a terrific exhibit. I considered going to Steeple City Social for a cocktail (they created one called “the Ben Franklin” for the day), but I was tired and since I was driving, I decided not to.

We can see the town’s fireworks display from the front porch, so that’s where we went at 9:30, when it began. Tessa hid. Bea didn’t care, one way or the other. Willa wanted snacks. Charlotte sat out on the porch with us and watched. Whomever the town hires to do the display always does a good job, and it’s not as loud as many others, so it works all around.

There were some illegal fireworks around the neighborhood, but it wasn’t too bad. We weren’t under siege, the way we always were on Cape Cod. I hear that there was a big explosion and injuries from illegal fireworks on one of the golf clubs in Mashpee. As someone who trained in pyrotechnics when I worked rock ‘n roll crews (and considered specializing in it), I have little sympathy for idiots who think it’s all about lighting a fuse. It’s only a matter of time before one of these morons sparks a massive fire that will take out half a town. Mostly because the police have just let it go for years. Supposedly, they cracked down this year, especially at beaches, but they let it go too long, and now it’s out of control. Removing illegal fireworks would be far more useful than the other strong arm tactics going on. Removing illegal fireworks would actually protect and serve the community.

At least here, I don’t have to hose down my roof because burning debris lands on it, like I did on Cape.

It does always bring flashbacks of that last night in the house in 2021, the empty house, where I hoped it wouldn’t catch fire because I’d given away the hoses.

Saturday was a pretty day, too. I was suffering from sense memory stress and a lot of fatigue from that, since that was the day I’d done the last clean of the house and left for good.

But I tried to concentrate on things here and now, instead, to replace sense memory stress with better things.

However, the painters showing up added more stress. On a holiday weekend? WTF?

They worked on the front. Not that they did the doors or anything. The guys themselves are fine, but the lack of communication from their boss is frustrating.

I decided to keep to my schedule. I went to the farmers’ market when it opened. It was glorious. I got a good selection, including maple syrup and radishes and mixed greens and dill and cilantro and zucchini and cucumbers. Because of the salmonella recall on grocery store cucumbers, I haven’t dared buy any, but I trust my local farmers. I probably didn’t need the dill, but it was so beautiful I couldn’t resist. I have it in jars of water on the kitchen counter and the entire apartment smells like dill. It’s wonderful.

One of the biggest functions of the farmers’ market is as a social venue, too. Between the market, the post office, the library, and now, Steeple City Social, one runs into just about everyone somewhere, and many people in more than one locations.

I dashed to a nearby store and bought lint rollers (I need them for the quilt) and sponges. Then, I headed to Big Y for the rest of the big grocery shop, restocking staples and meal planning on the fly for the week. Most of the produce shelves were empty. I don’t know if there are supply chain issues because of the ICE raids, or they just didn’t get their deliveries yet.

Fortunately, I didn’t need produce (except for potatoes and a couple of onions), because I’d gotten it from my local farmers.

Hauled everything home and up the stairs. Put it all away. Took a short break, made lunch, and after lunch, got to work on the actual quilting of the textile piece. I had a bobbin issue at one point, and worried I’d have to find a repair place, but I managed to fix it. However, the backing fabric caught in a couple of places where it shouldn’t have, making it hang incorrectly, so I have to take out a bunch of stitching and re-do it. It’s fixable, just fiddly and annoying. This is why I didn’t leave the piece until the last minute. I needed room for trial and error.

In the middle of all of that, the police knocked on the door. Someone had dialed 911 and hung up, and the call was traced to this building, so they were doing a wellness check on everyone in the building. I thanked them, and reassured them that we were fine. I knew both of them – I run into them around town both in and out of uniform frequently.

A few minutes later the Chewy order arrived. When I saw the Fed Ex truck pull up, I dashed downstairs, because the painters took down the numbers from the doors, and delivery people are having a hard time of it. So the Fed Ex guy could just hand it off. We have 6 weeks’ worth of wet food and treats, and Charlotte has a new box in which to play.

I made a sausage, fennel, and red wine pasta for dinner, inspired by a Patrica Wells recipe, but I didn’t stick strictly to it. It turned out really well.

Read in the evening, but I was having sense memory stress fatigue – I’d left once and for all on the 5th,  gotten stuck in bridge traffic for an hour, and made it to my favorite Publick House in Sturbridge by 9 that night, where I had a meltdown in the lovely room.

Weird dreams in the night, and Charlotte woke me up a few times, probably sensing I was in distress.

Up early on Sunday. Good morning meditation session. Made Eggs Benedict for breakfast. Turned around two medium coverages.

The news from the Texas floods and the rising death toll is heartbreaking. Over 100 dead so far. This is proof of direct consequences of a vote. One can grieve the losses and then place responsibiity where it lies and make sure it doesn’t happen again. They are not mutually exclusive, and it’s not being disrespectful to the grief to call out why it happened, demand accountability, and take steps to make sure it doesn’t keep happening. The National Weather Service’s funding was cut, and death is the result. These deaths and other losses and squarely on the shoulders of this administration, DOGE and the DOGE minion who made this cut and DOGE’s founder, every Republican congress person, everyone who voted R, and everyone who sat out the vote. It’s not an “act of God” that couldn’t have been foretold. The ability to predict exists, but was deliberately defunded. These are deaths as a direct consequence of votes.

And it will continue to escalate without deep changes in the way things are run.

Where’s the so-called head of the Administration? Off golfing. But why would someone who couldn’t be bothered to attend the funeral of assassinated politicians or meet incoming dead soldiers bother with deaths of people who can’t line his pockets? It was far more important for him to attend the opening of the concentration camp in the Everglades.

“No one voted for this.”

Yes, this is absolutely what anyone who voted R voted for. Stop letting them make excuses. It’s not the fault of the media. It’s not the fault of their “religious” leaders. Each individual whose vote contributed to this result, on every level, made this CHOICE. The information was available. They chose to ignore it. They wanted to cause harm to those they deem “other.”

Time to call them out on it. Anyone who voted R is responsible for these deaths, and the deaths that are to come. I hope criminally negligent homicide cases are brought against individuals, along with civil suits.

Some people are mumbling that they “regret” their vote. If they are politicians, they can start writing legislation to fix what they broke. If they are voters, they can pressure their elected officials to make changes, and then, in the next election, stop voting for these same grifters and vote for someone better. Otherwise, it’s all just more gaslighting on the part of those who claim “regrets.” Take action to fix what you destroyed. Otherwise, the hot air coming through your lips is meaningless.

Sunday morning, before it got too hot, I turned around the two medium script coverages. I also read a friend’s screenplay, and gave her about three pages of notes on it.

In the afternoon, I read LOVE AND SAFFRON by Kim Fay, which is just a beautiful novella. I laughed a lot reading it, and got misty-eyed at the end. It makes me want to read more of her work.

Made a prima vera variation, using farmers’ market produce, and made a double batch of lime cilantro mayonnaise, which we love using in the summer.

Got an idea for a piece that may be a script, may be a novel, and jotted down some notes.

Started reading the biography of the Talking Heads in the evening, which is more of a social history of the music scene starting in the late 60’s.

It was hot and sticky. Woke up at 2:30 on Monday and moved to the couch. Bea wasn’t too happy about that. Fell asleep again until about 5:30, and started the regular routine.

Got the happy news that my radio play “Inspired By” will be part of Theatrical Shenanigan’s 6th season between January and May next year. I turned around the paperwork they needed as fast as I could. I’m looking forward to it. We discussed some changes to make the cadence more natural for UK actors. Instead of being set in NYC, it will be set in London.

Had a big debacle with the bank and lost my entire morning. I tried to put an order through online for something we need. I didn’t want to shop Amazon, because it’s Amazon and because, unless I agreed to join Prime, they wouldn’t ship it until the end of the month. I don’t want to join Prime. I only shop Amazon as a last resort, maybe once or twice a year. I tried going to the company directly, via a Consumer Reports link. Found what I wanted, put in the order, but they wouldn’t tell me the shipping costs, or give me dates or a final amount. Or give me a confirmation. I waited, waited, waited some more, hit “order” again. Still nothing.

But the bank put through an alert that they thought these charges were fraud. Good thing they did, because the order was put through twice – at two different prices, and still without a confirmation. When I went to look for the order in their system, it didn’t exist. So this company charges without actually putting through the order. Good to know. I emailed their customer service and told them the order was denied and I don’t want to do business with them.

Then the bank said they shut down my card.

So I had to go down to the bank. The manager got my card up and running, and denied, permanently, the two sketchy charges.

I came back, sourced something similar from another company I do business with occasionally, put in the order, it’s a little cheaper than the other two places and will be here by Friday.

Only the bank denied it again.

So I had to go through the whole rigamarole again. This time, I went through my personal credit union person, as well as going down to the bank again in person. Hopefully, that’s fixed it, and my card still works. I might swing by the bank for a small withdrawal tomorrow, just to test it.

But I lost an entire morning’s work. And by the time it was sorted, I was tired and cranky, and didn’t feel like doing anything else.

Too bad for me, right?

I got my act together and worked on the ghostwriting assignment, which found a decent rhythm. I made good progress, but I need to work on it all day today.

I had to stop early because the laptop ran out of battery power, so I had to recharge.

Willa was unhappy because I broke my promise to take her out on the balcony in the afternoon. It was just too hot and humid.

The painters were here puttering around, but not actually finishing what needs to be finished. My landlord’s just getting played at this point.

The whole military “might” debacle in MacArthur Park in LA yesterday was disgusting. It actually showed weakness. Good for the mayor for stepping in. Every single individual who participates in this fascist cosplay needs to be held accountable as an individual. No one “has” to work for these organizations. It’s a choice. Any military personnel who believes they are given an illegal order has the responsibility to put their oath to their country first, and there are lines of support to whom they can report. Going along with this is a choice. They like breaking their oaths and causing harm. It makes them feel good. It has nothing to do with love for country, and everything to do with needing to feel powerful (when, in actuality, being weak). Each must be held accountable individually, as well as those giving the orders held accountable both individually and collectively.

I never want to hear how the GOP is a party of personal responsibility again, when they pull this crap. Or that they are fiscally responsible. They are neither. They are liars and grifters.

Heated up leftovers for dinner. Read a bit, the next (and final) Sweeney St. George mystery. Once it cooled down a bit, and the laptop recharged, I wrote about 8 pages of a script, noodling with an idea. I should not be working on this now, but it bugged me, and I figured if I could write my way into it, it would leave me alone, at least for awhile. I saved it in DramaQueen (my preferred script software), exported it to PDF, and couldn’t get the PDF to open. Or any PDF to open, or Adobe to acknowledge my existence. I worked on that for about an hour or so (I need to read scripts in PDF) and got it fixed. The computer was very hot, so I shut it down for the night.

Woke up around 3:30 because it was too hot and sticky in my room, so I moved to the couch and fell asleep with weird dreams until Tessa woke me at 5:30.

Of course, I had trouble getting the computer up and running this morning. I’ve plugged in the backup computer, and am running updates. Since Mercury goes retrograde in a little over a week, I’ll be running backups. I’ve been pretty good about it all the way through, but it never hurts to be extra sure.

Anyway, both laptops seem to be up and running. I’m charging the old computer’s battery, just in case.

And I do have a 4-year warranty on this one, with only one year gone. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I think HP plants issues, because it’s a little too convenient that every time they contact me to purchase an extended warranty and I don’t, there’s an issue within a day.

On today’s agenda: working on the ghostwriting all day until I go to yoga. Maybe read one of the scripts for WAM. Maybe read the next book for review. Most of the week, I’m tied to my desk, except for this evening’s yoga, and two library meetings on Thursday. I have to take breaks when it gets really hot (or I’ll have to pack up and decamp). It’s not even that hot, but the humidity gets me down. Then I feel guilty, because the winters are so dry, and I feel like I should appreciate a little humidity!

Whatcha gonna do, right?

Have a good one.

Mon. July 7, 2025: Intent for the Week — Stay in the Flow

image courtesy of Юлия Зяблова via pixabay.com

Monday, July 7, 2025

Waxing Moon

Pluto and Neptune Retrograde

Sunny and hot

The Community Tarot Reading for the Week is up here.

I woke up to the lovely news that one of my radio plays will be part of Theatrical Shenanigan’s 6th season early next year, in the UK.

I have a lot of creative work to get done this week, so I want to dig in and focus on flowing with that.

What is your intent for the week?

Fri. July 4, 2025: Farce of July

Friday, July 4, 2025

Waxing Moon

Pluto & Neptune Retrograde

Hazy and pleasant

I don’t usually post on holidays, but I’m not feeling particularly festive this year, so. . .besides, if I didn’t post today, Tuesday’s entry would be way too long.

Anyway, Neptune goes retrograde today. Neptune is the planet of dreams, illusions, spirituality, and the unconscious. Depending on whom you ask, a Neptune retrograde either clarifies or makes everything muddier. (Eye roll).

The Republican Murder Bill passed. I’m not particularly surprised, although I’m disappointed. And, at this point, there’s no “That’s not what I voted for.” Anyone who voted R or sat out the election condoned exactly what is happening. They just thought it wouldn’t happen to them. They haven’t been brainwashed, and if they’re watching Fox News – ANYONE with a brain and a heart can listen to five minutes of it and know it for what it is. Stop giving cover to the evil and the cruel because you’re related to them. They chose this. They wanted this. They knew better, and LIKE this, as long as it happens to those they deem “other.” It is a choice.

The rest of us need to build communities and support systems WITHOUT THEM that will help us survive. Leave them out. Because they vote R, destroy things, Ds return briefly to power, those who voted against their best interests get carried along with the progress and reap the benefits, and then vote R again. Of course they keep doing it, because there are never any consequences. They reap the rewards, while choosing the cruelty.

There are no excuses. None. Leave them behind this time. Let them rot in what they have wrought.

If anyone admits they were wrong, apologizes, promises to do better, and then demonstrates that they will, through their actions, absolutely welcome them. But those who repeat the same pattern of cruelty and stupidity need to be excommunicated from community and shunned. If they harm their communities, they do not get to participate in them. We’ve seen that appeasement only causes escalation. Break your own appeasing patterns.

Everything was sorted out with the ghostwriting client, and a couple of the managers reached out to make sure it was solved, which definitely made me feel better about it all. I’m glad it was resolved. I put in the Chewy order (which shipped the same afternoon and should arrive tomorrow, although I figure Sunday). I wrote and submitted the book review, and got my next assignment. I got my ticket for WAM’s reading next weekend. I paid bills. A lot of bills. Everything paid on time. I picked up the backing fabric and batting for the textile piece, and washed the backing fabric, when I got home. I mailed the bills at the post office, and ran a nearby errand. Did the small grocery shop, dropped off/picked up books at the library, went to deal with Spectrum in person. Got part of it resolved, but there’s still plenty that needs attention. Paid my state tax assessment (I’d screwed up on my return, and owed). While I am disputing the bill they sent my mom (which is ridiculously high), the bill they sent me makes sense, and, thanks to the workshop on Monday, I even understand how I screwed it up, so I won’t make that mistake again.

On the way home, it started to rain, and traffic was stalled on Ashland Ave., just about ½ mile from home, because a bucket truck hadn’t pulled its boom low enough and got stuck under a rail bridge. So we had to wait while they extricated themselves. Of course, the Lexus behind me was honking at me and screaming. It’s not MY fault a bucket truck is stuck under the bridge. But if there’s an asshole on the road, it’s usually a Lexus.

By the time I got to my lot, it was pouring. I was soaked getting everything across the street to the building. But it cut the humidity, cooled things down, and within an hour, it was sunny and pleasant again.

Unpacked, put everything away. Dealt with some more admin. Everyone’s trying to get everything done before the holiday.  We’re all doing our best.

I turned around four small coverages and grabbed another medium coverage.

Because we are out of wet food until the Chewy order arrives, everyone got dry food for breakfast. Bea Was Not Amused (she’s been taking lessons from Tessa). I bought a handful of cans to get us through the weekend when I went grocery shopping and gave her wet food at lunch, which she regally accepted (lessons from Charlotte), even though it was presented to her at the Wrong Time of Day.

Then Willa came in and stole the rest of Bea’s lunch, and dignity went out the window for everyone.

It was kind of hilarious.

Severe thunderstorm warnings came up on my phone for the afternoon and evening.

I did some work on the ghostwriting. I also noodled some ideas for the group poem with Boiler House Poets as our anniversary project. I don’t want to leave it for the last minute. I will work on the text for the textile piece as I work on the textile piece today and tomorrow.

Heated up leftovers for dinner, relaxed and read a bit. Finished a book about which I had mixed feelings, and started reading the third book in a four-book series I’ve really enjoyed.

Slept well, woke up early, fed the cats (Bea got her wet food, all is right with the world), morning meditation, etc. Today’s main focus is doing the backing and batting for the quilt. Once that’s done, I’ll see if I feel like doing some of the quilting itself (including fastening the two compass pieces on it), or if that’s for tomorrow.

Other than that, I will do whatever I feel like doing during the day.

Tomorrow is farmers’ market, big grocery shop, more work on the textile piece, and one script coverage. Sunday is more work on the textile piece. Maybe a coverage, or maybe I’ll leave that last one for Monday (it’s due at some ridiculous hour like 1 AM on Tuesday). I also have a book to read for review.

Next week, I dig into the ghostwriting, which is the priority, although I’ll be working on some other projects around it. Mercury goes retrograde on the 18th, so I’m trying to get as much business/practical stuff handled as possible before that happens, and then just ride it out until August 11 – in spite of “Effie’s” air date and the art show opening and teaching, all of which happens during the retrograde.

Have a great weekend, and we’ll catch up on Tuesday!

Thurs. July 3, 2025: Getting Things Sorted

photo by Devon Ellington

Thursday, July 3, 2025

Waxing Moon

Pluto Retrograde

Foggy, humid, rainy

You can read about the latest over on Gratitude and Growth. Yes, I’m using the same photo on both posts, because I’m proud of what we set up yesterday out back.

No group meditation with Concord Library until autumn. Charlotte will be sad.

Yesterday morning, I got some admin done, got the laundry folded and put away, got the garbage out, and then set up the back balcony, or, at least, started it. Since the painters haven’t shown up in days, and there’s a holiday weekend coming up, I want to be able to enjoy the space. And I want the neighbors who can’t seem to stay in their own area to see how our area is clearly defined. I’m still tempted to buy and hang a curtain divider. I also re-hung the back bagua mirror. I can’t rehang the front one until the front door is done.

It looks kind of pretty. The painters removed a bunch of hooks and plant hanging tools, which I now have to replace, but at least we got a few things out and hung. I have not yet finished rearranging the plants on the front porch from the plants and tables I pulled for the back.

I look forward to doing some writing out there, weather permitting!

Tessa is pouting because she spent a great deal of time sleeping on the bench when we had to have it in the living room, and she misses it.

Submitted a play. Percolated the anthology story. I know a section further along, but haven’t figured out the bridge section yet. I will let that simmer over the weekend, and hopefully can tackle it early next week. Turned around 8 small coverages.

Had zero motivation to work on the ghostwriting, due to lack of payment. Because let’s face it, I wouldn’t be doing the work except I’m paid to do it, and if I’m not being paid. . .in the afternoon, I contacted the money person – who is out of town. So I contacted HR, who was very nice and said they would look into it. Meanwhile, I went on a mini-strike, looking at the scripts showing up in the queue, wondering if I should grab a bunch of those, and then, once I’m paid for the ghostwriting, push that next deadline out. I also finished reading the next book for review.

We spent a nice chunk of time outside on the back balcony in the afternoon. Willa fussed, so I put her in the playpen and she came out, too. She was very good.

Heated up leftovers for dinner and worried about either getting paid, or finding enough work over the weekend to make up for what hasn’t shown up. However, overnight, the money arrived, so it all works out. I still grabbed an extra script, though, to read on Monday, a medium-sized coverage that pays less than it should, but still, along with the bunch of small coverages I’ve done this week, will cover a bill or two. There was an artist meetup I considered attending, but I felt I was too distracted to really be a worthwhile contributor to the evening.

Woke up to see, from my bedroom window, a bright star in the early morning sky. Venus, perhaps? A few minutes later, fog came in and obscured everything, but it was a nice wake-up view.

Found that I’d been paid, so I immediately put in the Chewy order for wet food and treats, and wrote and scheduled a thank you to HR. I will write and submit the book review this morning, and ask for my next assignment. I have a bunch of checks to write for bills, and will get those out the door (some will be delivered in person, others mailed). I have to pick up the backing fabric and batting for the textile project this morning, so I can work on it all weekend, and then do the grocery and library runs I would normally do on a Friday. I’m only getting in a few things for tomorrow, the 4th, and then doing the big shop on Saturday, once I see what the farmers’ market has available. Later in the day, I have a handful of small coverages to turn around and then I’ll spend a few hours on the ghostwriting (since I did nothing yesterday, on my mini-strike). Most of what didn’t get done I will make up for on Monday, but I do want to put in a few hours today, so I don’t get too far behind and have regrets next week.

Tomorrow is a holiday here in the US. Not much to celebrate around its purpose for us, but I plan to take the day off client work and focus on the textile-and-text project. I checked in with the gallery yesterday, finalizing a few things about the workshop I’m teaching in early August, and suggesting that I read my text piece that goes with the quilt at the opening, and use the exhibit itself to create the piece honoring each of the other artists, and read that at the closing. They are excited by that idea, so that is what I will do.

A gallery run by a fellow cohort member has an amazing exhibit opening tomorrow, so I will go over and support her and the artists participating.

The bulk of the weekend will be devoted to the text-and-textile project. And maybe getting some rest. Next week, I have to really dig into the ghostwriting. If scripts keep coming in, I’ll add those in, and maybe the final pay period with the agency will be decent. Because this is the last influx we will have.

Have a good, long weekend!

Wed. July 2, 2025: Trying to Smooth Out Some Life Wrinkles

image courtesy of Tamanna Rumee via pixabay.com

Wednesday, July 2, 2025

Waxing Moon

Pluto Retrograde

Warm, humid, alternating between sun and rain

It’s hard to know where we are in the week, since here in the US we have a long holiday weekend on the Friday. I mean, for people with brains and hearts, it’s more like a day of mourning this year, but it’s still away from the regular routine.

I put together the LOI for the scriptwriting job and sent it off. Either they want to talk further, or they don’t. There’s kind of a tight deadline for what they want, but we’ll see. I should be able to fit it in around the ghostwriting. I got a very nice email from the producer, saying he found my email very thoughtful, he’s feeling overwhelmed with submissions, and will need a little time to think through everything. Which is fine, and much appreciated.

Other than that, I had a bad case of “I don’t wannas” yesterday. I was grumpy in the humidity and the on-and-off rain. I was annoyed that the ghostwriting client is late paying, which did not motivate me to make the next assignment a priority.

I turned around 8 small coverages. I looked at job listings. I was paid the pittance for the coverages I did last pay period. I was very depressed (but not surprised) by the Senate vote. My Senators fought hard, and I thanked them. I also asked my Rep to vote against this bill, and told him I was unhappy that he did not vote to impeach when given the opportunity last week or whenever that was. I’m also angry about Alligator Auschwitz.

I looked at the anthology story. I thought I’d written more than I have, so I better get that back into a priority. I have until August, but I don’t want to leave it to the last minute. I worked on the ghostwriting. I did another revision on “The Voices.”

Went to yoga. I’m glad I drove, because it started bucketing down as soon as I arrived. It was nice to be in the studio with the rain, though, and it was a lovely class. I’m very glad I went.

Home, heated up leftovers, read a bit in the evening. Slept reasonably well, in spite of the humidity.

Out early in the morning to the laundromat. I was the only one there, which I love, and I spent the time waiting for the machines by reading Kate Morton’s THE DISTANT HOURS, which is interesting. I often really, really like it, and then something makes me go, “hmmm” but I’m not sure if the author is guiding the reaction or it’s my response to the material, which is an interesting dilemma.

On today’s agenda: set up the back balcony (unless the painters show up in the next hour), turn around some small coverages, work on the anthology story, fold and put away the laundry, work on the ghostwriting. If I haven’t been paid by 2 PM, I am going to contact them. This is ridiculous. I started this project at the end of May. It’s now July. Pay me per the contract terms.

Two theatres invited me to submit for their 2026 development seasons, which I appreciate. I’d submitted before, but hadn’t been chosen. They said they wanted to read more of my work, and now they’ve followed through. One submission period opens in a couple of weeks, another on August 1. So I have them both in my calendar, and will submit. There are still no guarantees, but I appreciate the gesture.

I better get going on my day, hadn’t I? Have a good one.