Things

• Fifty-six years ago today, my older son was born.
• Last night about 3 am, our smoke alarm woke us up. It didn’t go for more than three or four ear-shattering times but I got up. There was no sign of any smoke or fire but I had to stay up for a while because there was so much adrenaline in my body that my hands were shaking. After a while, I decided to have some toast and hot chocolate and then discovered that it felt as though I wasn’t able to get the toast completely down into my stomach… I really thought I was going to have to puke. But eventually, the toast went where it needed to and I eventually got back to sleep. We have NO idea why this happened. If it happens again, there are going to be big complaints. Apparently when one alarm goes off, the one upstairs does too, but our landlord wasn’t at home. If I can catch him tomorrow, I will tell him what happened.
• I was supposed to go for a massage last Sunday but we had a huge thunderstorm and torrential rain so I canceled. I have a naturally dry skin and so you can imagine what state it is now after four weeks of no massage when I am used to going once every two weeks.
• I am listening to an cappella group doing Ravel’s "Bolero." Very clever! The IPod has now moved on to Neil Diamond’s  "African Trilogy."
• My artificial lighted Christmas tree has moved on to a new home today thanks to Freecycle. I didn’t put it up last year because it was just too much trouble. One of Fred’s daughter’s and her husband bought us a Charlie Brown tree last year and that I will put up!

"We don’t just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary." – Booker T. Washington.

"We are taught you must blame your father, your sisters, your brothers, the school, the teachers – but never blame yourself. It’s never your fault. But it’s always your fault, because if you wanted to change you’re the one who has got to change." — Katherine Hepburn