Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Spent the day at work feeling submerged in molasses, always the way after migraines.

On the way home, picked up farm share. Got home, took projector over to new art space so Spanish class could watch a movie, came home again, made pasta with vegetables & garlic, thunderstorm in the distance, then here, with hail, even. Pickles found the hail fascinating, Peretz ate a piece.

After that, made a strawberry ice box pie.

Monday, June 29, 2009

Now pretty clear that the weird dreams were migraine onset. Still feel pretty funny, having some coffee.

Peretz just howled at a passing fire truck. Apparently, while I was out of commission with headache, he threw up on his bed.
Woke about half an hour ago, covered in feathers, from strangely vivid dreams, uninvited guests asleep in the house, darkened tête-à-têtes, drizzly walks to underground trains stations, talk of where the good pizza places are, long drives through the countryside, etc. to violent birdsong.

Went downstairs to get some water, sat out on the front porch for a while, watched a man with an elaborately equipped bicycle scavenge returnables from the neighbors' recycling. Dogs barking inside. He said, "Hope I didn't wake all the dogs." I said, "They were already awake."

Yesterday, took an afternoon trip with my mom to MassMoca, those Nanking particles are quite something, love a funhouse.

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Woke promptly at 11:11, made a wish, checked email.

Peretz is on another summer, doesn't bother to get up for breakfast kick, differs from the winter ones in that he's not particularly hungry as opposed to too sleepy.

About to go to brunch with loved ones.

Last night, went to two, count 'em, two shows, in two far flung locations, Palmer bowling alley, boring & sweaty old Elevens. Thing at the Elevens was a bit of a clusterfuck & we eventually left in a huff, might've been better to leave in a minute and a huff.

Friday, June 26, 2009

Just made some quiche with bacon, chard, onion, etc. for friend & family. L. doesn't care much for cheddar.

Busy day. May go out to a movie later.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Just back from picnic lunch with folks & L., has become shockingly sunny.

Morning largely spent playing phone tag with other company's third party network support.

Tonight, our pal Sarah's coming to visit, should make for a fun weekend.
There was just a bat loose in the house, Pickles running around barking frantically, knocked it out of the air & the dogs dispatched it, poor thing.

Wonder if I'll be able to get back to sleep.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Make a wish.

Happy anniversary, birthday, summer, etc.

Show didn't run as late as I'd feared, got home a little after midnight, exchanged presents & crashed. Would happily have slept a good deal longer.

Word from parents is that Pepper is doing AOK with stitched, wrapped & bagged foot.

Monday, June 22, 2009

Managed to work my through the entirety of this week's farm share with mostly pretty tasty results. Feel pretty good about it, hope I can keep it up.

Feel less good about my plan to go out to late show tonight, after sleeping poorly last night, most muscles hurt, etc. The things I do for free improv.

Going to have some ice cream to power up.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Day started off pleasantly enough with my parents coming down for Father's Day brunch at the H & O, pretty hopping, tasty brunch.

After that, went down by the river with dogs & Pepper almost immediately got her foot horrifically gashed by something in the water. So, learned where the local emergency vet clinic is.

While she was being sedated & stitched up, my mom & I took the convenient free shuttle across the street at Channing Bete to the crafts fair, had some fried dough, etc.

Folks went back to their campsite, I took a nap, then got up & made stir fry with a variety of vegetables from my farm share.

Thinking about that cut makes my feet hurt.
Pouring again, just back from seeing Span of Sunshine in Easthampton, really glad I finally managed to see them, wish that place had better sound. And couches.

On the drive down, barely managed to avoid crushing a raccoon family. Very glad about that.

Earlier, went & visited the parents at their RV camp, roasted sausages over open fire, L. paddled around lake in kayak, photographing dragonflies.

Almost too sleepy to type.

Friday, June 19, 2009

Took Peretz to the vet, how he hates it, got him glucosamine chews for joint health, sweet old pup.

Washing machine has been having some problems the past few weeks, stopped working entirely with my wet, soapy laundry within. Washer tech coming on Monday, need to do my wash somewhere else tomorrow, I guess.

Dishpan hands.
Working from home this morning, 'No Milk Today' stuck in my head. You know, by Herman's Hermits, psychedelic period.



Farm share just lovely, wilted spinach salad with roasted beets, scape pesto on toasted rolls.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

It's pouring. Feel a bit concerned about my parents camping nearby.

Interesting to have farm share again. Last night, made some pasta with beet greens & garlic, also a simple salad. Roasted beets for spinach salad I'm going to make later today.

Had a nice email interchange with my advisor from college last night. He & his wife will be in the area in September, look forward to seeing them.

Thinking about reinstating dinner & movie night.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Quite the flurry of activity yesterday, left work at lunchtime to meet up with the folks at the Manchester Pepe's, back to Deerfield to leave my dad napping & pick up farm share, out to dinner with Mom & L., shuttle back to Deerfield, car pool to Richard Bishop show.

Anyway, oh man, Richard Bishop show, quite something.

Sleepy now, coffee machine's on the fritz.

Monday, June 15, 2009

Just spent a little time on the front porch watching a very large, fluffy skunk minutely inspecting the neighbors' garbage.

Have quite the headache.
Was planning to go out to dinner & a show, realized about 2/3 of the way through workday that I was too damn tired.

So, lazing about.

Tomorrow, fancy CT pizza with parents.

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Did first grilling off the year, a bit hectic with dogs intent on knocking the grill over, still pleasant enough.

Parents are en route.

Just discovered, out dog walking, that there's something a bit amiss with my left knee. Peretz says "Shut up, sissy."

Back to Veronica Mars marathon.

Saturday, June 13, 2009

New York Times on Six Flags bankruptcy: "They improved the remaining parks by banning smoking, increasing security and having more costumed characters like Tweety on the grounds." Funniest sentence I've read in weeks.

Finally finished that Oryx & Crake, enjoyed it pretty well, last 1/4 or so a bit weak, so often the way.

Show at new art space down the street shortly.

Friday, June 12, 2009

Just set some flank steak aside to marinate for a stir fry later.

After work, went to Atkins for some things, determined that they did in fact again carry the no sugar added pies my father favors.

May go see Drag Me to Hell later.

Pickles has no interest in going out in the yard, very much enjoys looking out the window. Made Peretz's annual vet appointment for a week from today, how he hates it.
Woke to discover the power had gone out in the night, am now extremely awake.

Sat on the back porch with rain-leery dogs, quietly singing 'She's Lost Control' to myself.

Finally got back to that Atwood novel, maybe I'll even finish it later. Find myself comparing how much I read now with how much I used to read when I was in my 20s, find it kind of unsettling.

I'd called Cooper the other day to see if he was interested in having some of our fancy scotch, left a message. He wrote back saying he was & that he'd played 'Forever Changes' at work in my honor. Should watch that Love documentary.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

It's raining hard.

Since about 3 this afternoon, I've been feeling terribly, terribly tired. L. took me out for a nice dinner complete with strong cocktails, but apart from that it's been a bit of a blur.

Wishing I could sleep in tomorrow.
Stayed up late last night reading the long introduction to an anthology of French postwar historiography, kind of entertaining, reminded me of things I used to know more about in funny ways.

This morning, out on the porch with cold coffee & dogs, thinking about technology, the elephant in the corner.

Still rainy.

Tuesday, June 09, 2009

Just watched Little Dieter Needs to Fly, reminded of why I mostly steer clear of the better art these days, makes it hard for me to sleep. Maybe the rain will help.

Monday, June 08, 2009

Toured farm share farm yesterday, they gave us a lettuce teaser.

Got too much sun touring farm, slept from about 7 pm yesterday to 7 am today.

Excited for the vegetables.

Sunday, June 07, 2009

Friday, June 05, 2009

Feeling pretty bleh, lack of sleep & icky weather. We've ordered some Chinese appetizers.

Going to watch a Walter Matthau movie, sadly not Hopscotch.

Peretz is sleeping on uncovered dog bed while the cover is being washed.
Big week for being treated like my time has no value, oh well, at least it's over.

Thursday, June 04, 2009

So, funny thing, was advising my mom earlier about some software purchasing & Endnote came up, how it always broke with new versions of Word, requiring purchase of expensive new version of Endnote.

Anyway, told her it would be nice if she could move off Endnote to something, preferably open source, not made by exploitative jerks, that could import her existing reference database, having totally forgotten that Thomson Reuters, venal & wicked makers of Endnote had sued the Zotero project last year for making charming free software that does just that.

Turns out, the lawsuit got dismissed today, ha ha ha, in your face, Thomson Reuters.

So, Mom, why not give Zotero a try?
Work continues to irritate. Sigh.

Phone died in the middle of the day.

High of points of day all food related, went out for quality fish sandwich for lunch, came home & made a nice pesto pasta.

I mean high points apart from the wife & dogs, of course. Charming creatures.

Wednesday, June 03, 2009

No more extreme allergic reactions so far today, but my neck hurts, probably from tossing about so much last night due to itchiness.

Work is aggravating me.

Tuesday, June 02, 2009

11:11.

Just watched Frost/Nixon, found the portrayal of Nixon fairly interesting, seems like a hard job.

Earlier, had a pretty violent allergic reaction to something or other at work. Left early, took antihistamines, lay around feeling groggy & less itchy for a while, then went out for sandwich at the Four Leaf Clover followed by a caramel sundae with coffee ice cream at the dairy bar at the Bernardston town line.

Still a bit itchy.

Monday, June 01, 2009

Long day digging out from long weekend, falling asleep at my desk.

Driving home last night from housewarming, also felt like I was going to fall asleep. Once my head hit pillow, not so much.

This morning, didn't want to leave unusually pleasant dreams featuring ukuleles, warm sunlight, pats on the back.