Author’s note: This is from a series based on my journal. Unconventional and idiosyncratic punctuation and formatting are intentional.
Last night I dreamed my laptop’s touch pad was fixed. It is not. At least it is not more broken. Playing Spelling Bee this morning I got the pangram as my first answer again. I may be spoiling myself finding the pangram right away. The hardest category for Connections was Animal Names Backwards. Answers included Wolf, Dog, Ram, and Tab. Contemplating them I felt my brain sort of squirm and twist. HOVEL was the answer for Wordle today. Mo and Mr. Murrow and the places they don’t have to live came to mind and my heart ached.
At fitness class this morning we did Planksgiving. The holiday spirit! Susan said. Ha-ha, I said. The workout was 35 repetitions of 14 exercises. Deborah Ah-wooed! and Lordy-ed! a lot and fanned herself with her towel. I don’t want either one of them! she said when I asked her which kettle-bell she wanted for the squats. I lost count on the plank up-downs and just stopped when things started to hurt. Doing jumping jacks I traveled and bumped into the recumbent bike. I asked Diane about the owl tattoo on her calf. She got it when she turned 80. I might get another when I turn ninety, she said. She is 83.
Soon after I was home from class William returned from doing errands. He made grilled cheese for breakfast and then aced my household chores quiz. Tuesday is mopping, Wednesday is dusting, and Friday is? I asked. Mopping! he said. The idea is to paddle a little each day, I said. Right, he said. He nodded and looked at his phone. He complained of feeling congested. You’ll feel better after tennis, I said. I know, he said. Exercise can fix almost everything, at least for a little while.
Polly went out for ingredients to make pumpkin pies for tomorrow, from the crust to the filling to the whipping cream. She did a trial run the week before last. She was surprised to find the grocery busy. Like huge long lines! she said. I was surprised that she was surprised. Any place selling food right now is a madhouse and not where I would want to be.
We have all under-dressed for today’s wind and cold. None of us can commit to winter being here. At least it is sunny and I have a new candle. Lemon + tobacco + cardamom, says the label. I also found on the sidewalk by the bookstore a giant globe covered in silver glitter. It’s about the size of a bowling ball. It must have blown off from a tree someone’s decorated somewhere. I see it atop my own whenever I get around to getting it.
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Now I'm hungry for pumpkin pie.
Oh those planks! They will be the death of me someday.