Porthole

Week 28: G'bye september. H'lo oktober.

O-2

46 cool crisp degrees at 7:47. I had to use the toilet and looked out the window. Peach puffs over Jumbo. I rarely seen the dawn. I sat by the window and took notes.

I'm dealing with wax in my ears again and maybe dry scalp. I wonder whether or not this is seasonal. Anyhoo... I'm up.

Convo at YCC:

Kåre Enga > Moonlightcowboy •

Calling Julia... she says Martin is still sleeping. I don't trust either... Could we get to the dreaded M storm?

Moonlightcowboy > Kåre Enga •

They’re all plum dreadful.

Kåre Enga > Moonlightcowboy •

Karl just kalled, wants to have a word with you... K has been relatively kwiet since Katrina... is it time?

Seriously though, fishy fish can be beautiful. It's when land and humans get in the way that there are problems.

It's almost 10. Time to do... something? Noon: so I took a shower and boiled and ate two hot dogs (with honey and yellow mustard).

"Half of what I say is meaningless
But I say it just to reach you, Julia
Julia, Julia
Ocean child calls me
So I sing the song of love
Julia
Julia, seashell eyes
Windy smile calls me
So I sing the song of love
Julia"

Lyrics written and sung by John lennon. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_(Beatles_song)

(Eclipse Ep 8.1 07:59) Ayan to Akk: "Your face is warm, like a warm cup of coffee."

KE: Your face, so warm, like a warm cup of coffee, invites me to sip the elixir of the morning, to kiss the break of day.

Rewatched Eclipse and ViceVersa through Reactions by Javi (who lives in Orlando).

It's only 9-ish and I'm ... 56 outside. I keep the window open this time of year and a pot filled with water on the radiator.

Earlier... was able to give 5 cans of food and two jars of pasta to Billie Joe. I think she still has meat. Hoping that Angie comes up with something by Thursday.

Missing a nose-pad for one pair of my glasses. I looked but will need to get down on my hands and knees tomorrow. Thankfully I have two pair.

Must pack masks. Laxmi has to wear one on her flight to Barcelona.

O-1

It's after midnight... so... oktober .

There are 5 farmers-market Saturdays in October... then it's over. I'll be able to go to the last one. Each day however = goodbye.

52 degrees at 10-ish. 40s in the forecast (for daily lows), no 80s. Autumn has arrived and our boilers are on (which means my window is open).

I've regained weight, but I'll lose it when I travel.

Cherry pastry $4. Honey pears (and a seckel) $4/lb. Got a bottle of watermelon-rhubarb kombucha. $3 Told everyone about trip to Thailand. Tootie recommends mango sticky rice. So I must.

FB: Margaret recommends a massage. So I must. Scarlett's daughter-in-law is from Si Sa Ket in Isan. Slowly I get information, advice and support.

Lundy wants to see me gone... but that's because he has seen how important traveling is for me.

Pastry+milkshake = sugar high? Anyway, need to go home and eat. I have lots to eat.

Home before the rain. Crossed the bridge. They are putting up the railings protecting pedestrians from falling into the river. They still have street lamps to install, but the progress is noticeable and welcome.

Light rain and light breeze, 60 degrees (today's high?) at 5 pm. It will be a cool clear week. Lovely weather forecast.

Montana defeats Idaho State 28-20 in spite of costly mistakes.

⌛ Finished ViceVersa 12 epidodes. Choose between work or love? Always choose love... in whatever universe you find yourself in, forever and ever, amen.

For Steven and his contest: "Promote the contest at least every week and have fun with the prompt. You can do better than this:

1. Your seasons are mixed up and you're dressed like an egg or a bunny. You're a guest at the Penguin Palace... Down Under. Your host announces that there will be omelettes for breakfast and rabbit stew for supper.

2. Your birthday is the 24th or 25th of December and you're tired of sharing YOUR day with another, or worse it's the 26th and your name is Stefan. You're no martyr and tell everyone you're celebrating it this year at the end of October. But, alack, that weekend is booked at Beezlebub's Brew and the only date open is Monday evening, the 31st. You are warned that, like Cinderella, the party must end by midnight.

3. There was a witch sitting in the window. She looked lonely. You bought her and took her home. You were lonely too and spoke to her the whole month of October. She seemed to be a good listener, almost as if she could hear you. She was becoming more real every day.

4. Orange is not your color you remind me. Not neon, not sunset, not peach and most of all never pumpkin. It gives you nightmares. But I'm your therapist... I need to know why.

5. You love to bake and it's big-squash season. Which one will be sacrificed for supper? Will its friends hear of your plot before its too late? Do you suspect Buttercup, Butternut or Hubbard of betrayal? You haven't seen Acorn in awhile...

These ideas are all available for anyone to "borrow". Really. "

S30

44 degrees and cloudy this morning. It won't get warm. AQI is 11. Which is as good as it gets here.

I need to rewatch Eclipse Ep. 8 1/4 as there's dialogue that would make a great prompt.

I will buy groceries today. Need to recheck sales before I go.

My mind isn't holding on to recent thoughts/memories.

Saw Laxmi. She's going to Barcelona and will be gone this October. I'll see her in December.

Sat with Jamie. Her first question, "Did you buy your tickets." She's leaving next Friday for Tennessee. I'll see her before I leave.

Plaques will be up on the 10th for the bridge commemoration. Saw them today.

Extra lunch. I got vegetarian. Spoke with the Indian cook.

Groceries: hot dogs on sale. Got ground pork.

Frozen Mists: Chill crept into my bones, fingers first, toes next, ears and nose reddened and ready to fall off. The hills were dun colored, the valley a dull gold. Everything seen as if through dirty glass, darkly.

The day mirrored my thoughts. The ones that niggled at the base of my neck, reminding me that I had forgotten something... something... September was dying across the land. Oktober was grinning. Old Man. Needs to be put down... "Not till November" he whispered back.

The voice in my head faded out. Like so many thoughts... just beyond my reach on the other side of a dusty mirror that reflected nothing back. Echo? Nothing that the fog hadn't heard before and refused to pass on. Ideas frozen in time, stored in a locked box, key lost, where I put it — forgotten.

The Mists of Tymes... that would be the title of my next work... if I could work it out.

Ebola: Hug me till we die.

Eclipse: You pass in front of my window to the world leaving me in shadow, a pale reflection seeking to warm you, warn you, like moonlight sifting though the pine on a cold January night.

How long do I have to die in these shadows. My embers still glow but weaken. I crave the cold fire of your embrace, the stark sunlight caressing me face. Even zombies want to live again.

To Tina: "I haven't been well. Other than my blog, my writing has been sidelined. I'll be back in October, but there's little reason for me to be here at WDC. If I could export my entire portfolio I would consider leaving. I go to Thailand in November. I will take pictures, write, send postcards. Few will notice, fewer will care. K."

S29

It will stay cool 60s today with some rain and wind. 56 degrees at 9.

Ian may be over Florida but it ain't over till it's over, Carolina.

I'm awake but nursing my first coffee. No infused wisdom yet.

Sat with Angie and Billie Jo. Shared melon and a peach. I told Angie how concerned I am about BJ and myself.

I'm okay at the moment. Listening to calming music. Ate a pork sandwich. Sipping another coffee. I should cut back. May be contributing to the jitters.

I chose my seats on Asiana:

SEA-ICN 24C Aisle. It's a very long day flight with little to see until we fly over Japan.
ICN-BKK 76D Aisle. 2nd tier, long flight after dark. Middle has 4 seats... if I get lucky...
BKK-ICN 82A Window. 2nd tier, long flight after midnight.
ICN-SEA 34H Aisle. Long 'sunset' flight.

Upper cabin is quieter... they say. We'll see.

I was very nervous because I didn't want to get assigned a seat. Usually I choose the aisle on long flights. Seat pitch is 32-33 on Airbus 350-900, 33 on 380-800. 18" shoulder. Inches matter. Seats may be hard, but Asiana is a classy airline. I wanted to fly ANA! The EVA flights were better, but I had stressed enough and decided to do what I did. I now have one month to straighten out other issues. Like... find my camera.

On YCC: "I don't know Miami nor the specific situation. However, as a born and bred Bills fan, I can vouch that the region responds to tragedy. Every so often we would get buried and blown away by a blizzard (Cat 1 winds with ice) and the community always came together. Very generous people. My specific group sent money to Darlington after Hugo. It wasn't much but it was personal."

YCC re 'the cone': "An analogy is election polling. People want predictions to be 100% correct and depend on black/white distinctions. People crave certainty. But life is a myriad shades of grey. And sometimes 10% wins... like 10% of the time."

Thailand: Holify e-sim; Bolt; ATMs use bank (bank hours?).

S28th Iansday

Following Ian. I suspect Patricia in Naples will be impacted, even if she left.

Beautiful day here.

I feel okay... but I'm not. Details at some future time.

I bought a ticket to Thailand... not happy, but I have until tomorrow evening to cancel. I didn't buy seats... and that's an issue. Fortunately Asiana has legroom.

S27

MattMo at YCC: Darwin smiles...

11 am here and 59 but warming. Will get hot.

Felt good this morning.

Kit'z Higher Ratings Contest - Second Place - August, 2022

Award by NaNoKit to "Strawberry Shortstop"  [GC]

"Oubliette" KohlRabi: "I was a keeper, they said. A real keeper, they said, as they put me in the Crisper and then forgot me."

Very stressful trying to buy tickets. Time is running out and websites won't let me buy my preferred flights.

I'm mourning by eating hummus.

Feeling weak... must lay down in spite of it being too warm for a nap.

Forgot it was Tuesday and my last chance for peaches... so out I went. Too late. They were sold out. Next year.

I bought some small hard green pears.

Just frustrated. I wanted to have this trip planned... maybe later tonight if I feel better.

S26

At YaleClimateConnections re Hurricane Ian:

HiWay: I fear the "now" culture and "prove it" culture may be problematic with this storm and getting people out of danger.

Me: "Now" and "Prove it". Spoiled and skeptic, maybe ODD. I fear you may be right.

Montana 50 degrees at 9:09.

Pleasant day forecast but my nerves still rattled. So I'll go to God's Waiting Room and see if I can work something out.

Now? Shower and get ready for the day. I've had one cup .

Can't complete a sudoku = mental slipping.

Sat with Kathy, Laxmi...

Tried to work on flights... again... slippage.

Fog eating = not good.

80 degrees at 5 pm.

My take on Typhoon Noru: "Looks like it's a tad SW. DaNang would be on it's north and wet side. Mukdahan in Thailand is probably in its path. As is Suvannakhet, Laos. It should be in Suvannakhet early Thursday morning (Wednesday afternoon in the US). Forecast is strong south wind at 2 am. and strong NWN wind at 8 with a light breeze at 5 am."

PeterTakesPictures @YCC: "Well this is all a bit too much for me, and I'm tired, so I'm off to bed. Hope I don't wake up to something super-grim and that surprise exclamations of "Dry air!" "Rapid weakening!" "Unexpected cold eddy current!" "Ian's mother-in-law's in Tampa and he's decided to head back out to sea!" greet me, or something. Still a few surprises left in this one, I'm sure."

Speed Cubers: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/more-people-should-watch-this-surprisi...
Leaving America: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/the-case-for-leaving-america-to-escape-racism/...
LGBTQ: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/cuba-legalizes-same-sex-marriage-in-histori...
Ukraine: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/top-diplomat-warns-russian-army-of-trojan-h...
Racism: https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/wellness/karens-and-beckys-put-on-the-spot-in-n...
Theocracy: https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/iranians-are-ready-for-a-different-approach...
Inequity: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/what-i-want-brett-favre-to-know-about-poverty-...
Pro Plastic?: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/why-bag-bans-are-nothing-but-absurd-virt...
Julia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_(Beatles_song)
LGBTQ & book bans: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/christian-woman-claiming-to-speak-for-god-and-...

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