Porthole

40th week and a wintry landscape

25.desember

The whole can of onion chili, now rice and beans. My appetite is baaaack.

Very hard to explain to Americans that many Asians (Taiwanese, Thais) think about others and not just about themselves. (Elycia's post about Japan)

To Neva: "I feel holed up. The solution is getting out! But... damp cold and ice after blustery winds and deathly temps... I'll stay in. My building is a ghost-town.

Thailand... it's nice there now. Looking forward to daily routines of learning the language and culture. And being able to open doors and windows."

24.desember

Still cold. Still white. Still crazy (me or the weather... ).

The concern is real: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/california-tried-to-ban-gay-teachers-in-1978-e...

I will pay 4 months of rent before I leave Montana.

Lumpini Place: 686 ถ. โพศรี ตำบลหมากแข้ง อำเภอเมืองอุดรธานี อุดรธานี 41000

23.desember

Ham dinner. Sat with friends. Was given an extra din-din to take home. Scored a sugar cookie.

Light snow showers all day... keeping it white. Cold but calm. Still a chilly 4°F at 4 pm.

I did take a shower today, I'll have you know. I don't always take one if it's cold and I'm not going anywhere. So dry inside that little 'smells'.

Dreaming of butterflies and metamorphosis. Reading Mrs Polifax... I'm not sure whether I'm in Hong Kong, Udon, Petchaburi, Narathiwat.

Ponnya called.

To Jim: "Ouch... 225# does not sound good. I got worried when I was 200#. Ideally I should be 165#. I'm around 175# having lost weight in Thailand due to heat and no appetite and becoming ill for a week when I returned. My appetite showed up again yesterday. I'll have to be careful until I go back on the 8th.

It's nice that you work in a cooperative environment. Not to wax political, but I think Congress would work better if they would leave the knives in the kitchen and learn to be nice to each other in the family room."

I told Charity: "You have high hopes (sing it).

I will share a not-so-secret. At 70 I often feel like a failure. I'm not, but I blocked myself in so many ways. Now I'm willing to take a risk in Thailand. It's about time."

To Stik: ""the unintended consequences of some of their messaging."

I'm still livid about 6 years of putting up with Trump's tantrums... but his messaging and marketing have been amazing. Intelligent thoughtful people don't seem to understand that glitz and glitter outsells substance.

Packaging matters... .

As for cancer. It really helps to have someone who has been there. Empathy matters. "

22.desember

Cold morning breakfast

I ate a can of stew.
I did not ask permission first.
I ate a can of stew.

tra-la—tra-li—cock-a-doodle-do
tra-la—tra-lo—cock-a-toodle-too

I will not give it back.
'Tis happy where it is, you see.
I will not give it back.

© Kåre Enga [179.108] (22.desember.2022)

Alternatively:

'Tis happy where it is.
I will not give it back to you.
'Tis happy where it is.

Would this do: tra-la—tra-lo—cook-a-turtle-too

-7°F at 2 pm. Yeah... that kind of kold.

21.desember

I told Nikola: "It's white with icicles. About 4 degrees and going down to -13 by tomorrow. I may not go out today. I plan to stay home tomorrow. Friday there's a dinner before the three day weekend which is forecast to bring rain.

No pets to pet. I wish..."

QotD: "Too much trauma, possibly starting with a head injury at age 3.

Keith unlocked the poet within me at age 47."

To Susan: "The grass is always greener around the cow plop as well. Under the cow plop? That's where most people find themselves."

-21c at 6 pm. Going down to -29c. Bitter cold with fierce Hell Gate Winds. Visited my neighbor Scott. Did not go out today.

Extremely disturbing: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/8-teenage-girls-who-met-through-social-medi...

20.desember

Snowy. Not so cold. Ate my meatloaf but not my friends. It'll get bitter cold starting tomorrow into Thursday. Have my long furry winter coat ready... just in case.

I have entered "14 Days, 7 Prompts, 1 Story Contest"  and must remember to finish and post my first chapter ""Sound of one hand clasping" Chapter#1" , found in the folder "Sound of one hand clasping (Folder)" 

"He said you get old in the winter months. A very good prompt.

I don't get out much in winter. It will be bitter-cold here Thursday. I may buy bread tomorrow... or not. I have enough food.

I've had dry eyes. I put lotion on my eyelids but my optometrist gave me something special as well."

Ponnya wrote: "I count the falling flower petals waiting for the day you come back to me" and sent me a photo of the two roses I gave him before I left.

19.desember

Thinking of a nature poem/entry: Ivy binds, holly hurts, mistletoe hangs limp and poisonous. Better a whiff of jasmine, hot brewed coffee, fresh grilled fish. The icons of a wintry childhood melt in the tropics. I'd replace the loneliness with a meaningful hug, a hand clasping mine, guiding me to places I've never been.

roll back ashy skin
fork white flesh onto a leaf
place in my mouth

The January 6th Committee concluded its findings with a bang and 4 criminal referrals. Good enough for me. I watched it unfold in-real-time. It was obviously a criminal act then and since.

Monday = meal with friends. Snowy walk home.

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