October 23, 2008

10:29 a.m.

Red Berries

Stopping at Rose�s yesterday to pick up a package (and a check for the housecleaning), I noticed again the wonderful passel o� bittersweet vine growing along the rock wall at the top of their driveway. It�s popped open now, so the red berries are advertising from within their four-paneled yellow cases. One of my favorite Fall sights.

I found the box and the check inside and was heading out the door, being careful not to let either of the indoor cats out. Marc and Pearl�s orange cat, whom they affectionately call Goiter because of the way he likes to sleep on their necks, spends the day outside so it doesn�t matter where he is. Just as I was opening the screen door, though, an orange blur shot past my ankle, and I assumed it was Linus, the other one who has to stay inside. Up went my foot to try to nab him back, as neither of my hands was free. There was a brief but intense tussle between foot and cat, and then he shot outside.

Linus has escaped a few times so it�s not the end of the world, but he must be recaptured, so I put my stuff down and went out to look for him.

Approaching the driveway, I saw a very disgruntled orange cat, hunkered down and hacking away like he had a hairball. �Jeez,� I said, �I think I just knocked the wind out of Goiter.� Because now that he was in one place I could see it wasn�t Linus at all. I looked around a bit anyway just in case, apologizing profusely to Goiter. No sign of Linus. By the time I headed back to the back door, Goiter was doing all right. He just looked at me resentfully and ran off.

There were two kitty faces at the back door, one above the other, like cast members from Spanky and Our Gang. Yup. Linus and Arthur, inside.

I got my stuff back and returned to the driveway, and managed to get in Goiter�s proximity again. He humped his back up to me when I petted him, grudges forgotten (for now). Then I saw the bittersweet.

Someone had cut or broken off a big ol� honkin� branch of it, full of offshoots and curly tendrils and crispy leaves. It was just lying there, unclaimed. I folded it into the back seat of my car and brought it home. Right now it�s draped over a tall shelf unit about 14� wide in my kitchen. Boy, is it pretty. The tendrils go down to the floor, and the branches go up to the ceiling. It�s reminding me that I have to clean out the shelf unit though, because there�s too much messy crap in there. I might tack it over the bedroom door, though, instead.

Oh! That reminds me. The package was some bras I ordered from Canada, the only place I seem to find bras that fit any more. I decided to keep three out of the seven and return the rest. I'm a little between sizes so sometimes they fit, sometimes they don't. But I haven't found an American bra that fits in years.

I am somewhat determined to get out the door earlier than usual for today's list. I tend to leave about 15 minutes before I'm due to get really hungry, and if I haven't brought food with me it's a problem. I just had a large brunch so if I leave within the hour I can get everything done before it's dinner time. Some of the places I have to go are nearly an hour away, unfortunately. One of the joys of living in my town.

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I had a long talk with Dar last night. He'd not wanted me to come see his current show because he didn't think it would be that good. When it turned out he wouldn't be able to come down here for another week and a half, I offered to drive to Norwood (an hour and a half or so) to at least have dinner with him before a performance. Then he asked me if I wanted to see the show and we both got really excited 'cause he thought I was too busy and I thought he didn't want me to see the show anyway so I hadn't offered. The lead has come a long way since rehearsal (it's the biggest part he's had, in the most demanding professional theatre), he said, so he'd love me to come. Spirits lifted. I'll go on Saturday and bring his little gifties from England. They will include, among other things, significant amounts of McVitie's Chocolate Dipped Digestive Biscuits.

I told him about my current emotional stuff, and all the confusion about life's direction etc. He listened attentively, making all the appropriate reactive noises, and then said, "I never go through that!" We had a good laugh -- because he really doesn't. He's too busy. He gets up at 5 and works all day at the cleaning business (or goes to rehearsal) (or goes to rehearsal afterwards), does a show most nights when he's in a show, grabs a snack or a nap here and there, has dinner with friends, runs around, fixes the car, does errands, works, sleeps maybe four to six hours a night, and does it again. I said, "All you need is to take two weeks off -- you'd be crying your eyes out! All that stuff you've been suppressing!"

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No amazing dreams last night. There were some dreams, but not significant enough to write down.