C.J. Cherryh's Blog, page 39

Lucked out with clear skies last night…

Saw the moon rise like Mars—red and large in the sky, with the Earth’s shadow on it. And two shooting stars close in both time and origin, but in opposite directions…the Perseid meteor group.

We caught it later, white and high, with the shadow only a third of the moon’s disk.

Beauteous. And a crystal clear night. Bad as my distance eyesight as gotten, I could still make out the Milky Way.

Back into the poundage battle…

Decided to apply some exercise for our general good as well as letting us eat a little more freely.

Yesterday we hiked 3/4 mile to a local eatery for lunch, had lunch, walked back.

Today we drove the car over to a fair-sized park, hiked the circumference of same, had lunch at an adjacent cafe, maybe half a mile, then drove home.

Tomorrow we do the 3/4 mile out, 3/4 back.

The good news is, we could do it. And instead of being stove-in and gimpy, we felt like doing another round today. Split a sandwich.

It’s not a bad thing to get out and walk, even up and down one’s own block. Chance to notice the flowers, see how the trees are growing, figure out what that city truck was doing at the storm drain, etc. Even meet new neighbors.

Mostly, it’s a case of more energy.

The uu key fell off… just fell off.

I abuse keyboards for a living. I’ve never had one fold quite as completely.

So the guy should have come today—but didn’t. Didn’t call. Nada. The situation has been ‘escalated’ in the Dell shop to reach ‘management’, and I get the feeling that the Spokane repair people are going to have some ‘splaining to do re their agreement re Dell.

TOmorrouu, they say. Mmmm.

Eye exam yesterday—getting driving glasses.

It’s not just ‘which line can you read’ on the chart. It’s being able to resolve items in the far distance quickly and without thought, so that you can devote attention to the speed with which you’re closing.

Got a little trace of cataract: they’ve been telling me that for nearly 15 years. Someday it may need attention, but it’s a minor thing so far.

Managed to step on my reading glasses, but the technician managed to straighten them out, and they’re pretty good. I may get new reading glasses. Or not. I prefer glass for those, because of the precision and clarity, and I need all the light I can get. The optometrist I’ve found does grind their own glass lenses, which is a good thing. But I’ve gone with plastic on the driving glasses…I swear I may attach a chain to them so they can’t leave the car. I lose them, because I wear them into the house, realize what I’ve done, lay them down—and they become cat toys. I don’t know why the cats pick on my driving glasses. I have one missing pair wandering somewhere behind the furniture. I’d like to find them, because though the prescription sucks pond water, they’re good frames.

Next thing I get to do is pass my driving test—you pass a certain birthday and they want you to come in and show them you can read the chart. Funny thing—below that age, you renew online, and one of the questions is, Can you see ok?

They’re out there driving, friends.

Writer’s Disease: having written so many versions…

..of the same event or fact you can’t remember which one went into the final copy.

What, please, is the gender and name of Cajeiri’s mechieta?

8.3 off Chile —watch out, Hawaii, et al.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/16/america...

Ex-hausted.

The lung ailment that followed the fires took its toll on both of us…we’re trying to recover. But the air is clearing and colder, which will help the firefighters. Even our local News station and Dish Network have suspended their contract feud to bring the news channel back on to advise people of evacuations and hazards…kudos to people using their heads and their conscience.

I’m making progress on the book—but some of it consists in sitting and staring while the brain works.

The tank is looking better and testing better, what’s more.

I need a break. But there’s no time to take it. I’d love to take a drive up to Missoula and stay the night. Maybe we could manage one to Pullman, for lunch. Jane and I need to talk over an aspect of the current plot, and a break for lengthy discussion might be good, except the Prius is in recall for a computer issue, and we don’t want to get stranded. *I* need to get my driver’s license renewed. And I stepped on my reading glasses and bent the focus all out of true, while I managed to outright lose my driving glasses…sigh. I need to go to the optometrist and get new ones anyway, because the prescription is changing.

Meh. We might risk a drive to Pullman.

I can report the new lights are installed, and look great.

Yes. They do. And being LED, they’re going to last longer than halides (every 6 months) and use a lot less electricity, so they will begin to make a difference on a lot of fronts.

From my working chair, I can always see the pond bubble…

And while Jane and I have been too under the weather to go out and fuss with it, putting food in to bait it, the koi have gone over it. It moves, from hour to hour, mostly along the bridge, and at least once or twice a day one of the koi gets into it just for the heck of it, because they’re curious sorts. Ari is so large she sort of fills it. Banichi, who is actually one of our younger ones, gets in and I get a look at his sides, which of course one rarely sees on a koi—he’s black with a bit of silver, more silver, when you see him from the side. Maddy has tried it. But the ones who have tried it, keep trying it. Koi are a fish that is just nosy and into things, and they actually seem to have a sense of play—visiting various places of interest, getting pounded by the waterfall—going to the place they’re commonly fed, going to visit the various lilies. I’m sure possible edible things collect there, but it’s also just places to get into things. And I think the bubble amuses them. It moves. It’s not threatening. It’s a Thing. A Place. They don’t have to be bribed. It’s a curiosity to them, and they get into it and things are weird, I’m sure, so they come back, once they figure how to do it. I think they move it like a Ouija board—just everybody nosing it or being in it, or just creating currents around it. But it is a lot of fun. I like looking out and seeing where it’s gotten to now or who’s in it. We have yet to get a picture, but we will.

Closed Circle site somewhat screwed by upgrades and …

Jane and I are both under the weather and too tired to fix it yet. Be patient with us.