Thursday Thoughts - Is there a line that I could write that's sad enough to make you cry?

1.I was happy I made it into the city yesterday to do the Christmas Village and Dilworth Holiday stuff to see and stroll and support some small businesses. I missed that last year, and missed doing a DiBruno sweep close to the holidays as well so I did that yesterday too. It was a little of a now or never thing as I'm headed back to the shore tomorrow and will be there most of next week.

2. I'm pretty sure I stayed out of the city entirely last December, January, and February. Maybe I had a dentist appointment in Feb? Anyhoo the train was absolutely deserted if I did go in. I forgot what it was like to wear a coat and have three bags on a crowded train at the end of the day, shoes feeling too tight and everything generally sardine-ish. Add a mask to that and my claustrophobia was extremely close to losing my shit in a burst of sudden movement trying to get free. Also the scarf I'm wearing in the morning before my claustrophobic overheated breakdown was knitted by my Mom Mom when I was younger and is at least 30 years old. 

3. The Great Couch Crusade is back on. In 2020 we replaced the old sectional in our shore apartment - we searched for a suitable replacement for five years. Sat  on it in the store for an hour, fine. That damn couch is not hospitable for laying on. Our couches in Philly are about 10 years old. I would die for these couches but they are no longer suitable for the living room and will be moving to the basement to live out their remaining years down there. I jumped back into the game and ordered couches online (these in bayou spray, after arrival I will get a secondary set of covers probably in a different color) that look a lot like the beloved couches that are no longer made. They will allegedly arrive in March.

4. I was talking to my coworker friend this week about car and appliance woes (hers).It made me think about how when I was younger I could not wait to be in charge of everything and let's be real I still like being in charge of shit that relates to me but the pain in the ass shit and the bills are not what I was bargaining for when I thought about adulthood as a youth.

5. Totally digging Puma athleisure shoes lately. I got these with cousin Rob's friends and family discount code. Merry Christmas to meeeeeeee. I sold two pair of shoes on Poshmark this week and have two others up for sale. I also dropped off donations. Both things have been on my list for a freaking eternity.

6. Along with the closet contact papering project which finally happened Monday night. Between that and the Poshmarking shit and the basement reorganization Sunday I've cleared off some 2020 items from my to do list. Oi.

7. Not much else doing around here in Animal Town. The dogs love their electric blankets, why didn't I do this before this winter? They have one in Philly and one at the shore. Billy has been playing fetch and bounding around a lot this week like a proper dog. Gus sleeps most of the time. And Bruce is desperate to sit next to my dad constantly even though my Dad does not want to sit next to Bruce ever. 

8. I'm beta reading Shelby's book this week, and started something from Netgalley that I can't recall the name of at this time. Show Us Your Books is Tuesday!

9. Reminder: This via Keeley Shaw. Also restore some of the light people and things have sucked out of you by helping people who need it however you can, all the times you can, but please don't donate to the Salvation Army.

10. Ecards - 

What appears beyond the hyphen in Thursday Thoughts titles is what I'm listening to when I'm starting this - this week is Found Out About You by Gin Blossoms

Thursday Thoughts - I'd love to try and settle down, but everybody's leavin' town

1. I need you to know about these and I’m going to need you to try them. They are at DiBruno or you can go to the site to see how you can get them. They have made the cut for my Thanksgiving appetizer spread.

2. Athleisure shoes are my love language. Bonus when everything on them is the same color.

3. Loving the fall scenes. The leaves aren't even through changing yet. 

4. Two days in the office this week, and I'm doing a half day in there tomorrow. It's exhausting. It's not permanent or a new schedule, it just happens to be how I set this week up like a straight dumbass. I’ve taken the train in and not shared a seat with anyone until the ride home yesterday. An ass was in every seat and some were standing over me. I was not mentally prepared for the sardine aspect of commuting. I’m thankful for mask mandates on trains.

5. I have days to burn so I took Tuesday off and had a proper no computer drifting adult day. I rolled out of bed and took Mae to the vet, got groceries at Aldi, voted, had a nice salad for lunch, cleaned out the coat closet, changed sheets and pulled my quilt out, did laundry, got my hair done which I needed desperately, made salmon/potatoes/broccoli for dinner, and read. It was a great week day off. 

6. Cuteness. Also if you leave your dog outside barking incessantly without letting them in or addressing it in some way you are a fucking asshole. This is what I yelled out of my kitchen window last night at two of my back neighbors who do exactly that. Won’t you be my neighbor? Seriously though, I have four dogs who bark and I’m annoyed, imagine how everyone else feels. 

7. Show Us Your Books is already on Tuesday! I've been reading one book since Sunday. That's the way it is sometimes. About to get hygge with a long winter of reading with animals as backdrop instead of beach…this is a previous photo but you get the idea. 

8. White supremacy is doing the most to keep its stranglehold. None of these exhibit that, but if you really look at the heart of things, that's the struggle. The more people try to tell you it's not, the more you know it is. Also what in the hell are you all doing out there in America electing the book burning people from Footloose to school boards across the country? Let teachers fucking teach. You do what you do. Also before you go off on social media around politics, maybe know some more about it - the things I saw people posting leading up to and on Election Day made me LOL for real. If you think a governor can fix global supply chain issues, that the president is responsible for gas prices, that critical race theory is even taught in K-12 public schools, or that individual school boards can mandate certain things, you are a fool. Obviously I disagree with people who vote differently than me on a lot of things, but I can at least listen to them if they know what someone has the power to influence or control and what they do not. We should probably all go back to school and learn history as it actually was and also civics so we know how government works and who is responsible for what. 

9. Reminder via Sid the Visual Kid

10. Ecards

That’ll do it.

What appears beyond the hyphen in Thursday Thoughts titles is what I'm listening to when I'm starting this - this week is Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues by Danny O'Keefe

Thursday Thoughts - and the bell was ringing in the village square for the rabbits on the run

1. It's that magical time of year where the aroma of urinal cakes perfumes the descent into Suburban Station from the street. I never see said cakes and for all I know it could be some fucked up spray that smells like urinal cakes but whatever, it's back. And all it does is just delay the actual pee smell for a few more steps.

2. After getting a cavity filled right where it would be most uncomfortable because it was near the root of a tooth, I soothed myself with a walk to the library on Monday. It was a chilly but gorgeous day and Swann Fountain is just magnificent right now. Then the dentist office called Wednesday to see if I'd like to come in a week early to take care of the other cavity in the same tone of voice you would use to ask someone if they wanted a free day off to spend at the beach. Cavity filling is not a treat and hell no, I would not. Do you people even know me? I need time to prepare.

3. I had dinner at Blue Sage Vegetarian Grille last night with two of my oldest friends. The company and food were both great.

4. This week in athleisure shoes. Houston, I have a problem. My coworkers were referring to me as Lady Glitter Sparkles when I wore the iridescent ones. I had to Google her and got a good laugh.

5. I was happy MFD took a few hours to go fishing this week. The dogs were happy to take his spot.

6. Watching Sally Yates being talked to like a naughty little girl by some Senators put me in a hulk smash mood. I can feel giant wings unfurling on my back like a Phoenix rising every time I see patriarchal bullshit. I hope all of my lady friends and men who aren't afraid of strong women are feeling the same: on the rise. The future is female and people who respect females because we're fucking tired of old white men telling us what to do and acting like we don't know a damn thing. Have several seats. Your time is over.

7.  Patriots on both sides of the aisle will support, no, demand the appointment of an independent special investigator into the Russian connection. People who think how they are told to think will not support that appointment. I urge you to read this article from someone not on the same political spectrum as me. In the words of Thomas Paine in 1776: "These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph." What's the harm in a special investigator? There is none. If it's all smoke, it clears it and we move on and if it's actually fire it gets extinguished before it burns us all. We've spent far more on investigations into allegations of much less. The Senate Judiciary main line is accepting nationwide feedback on the assignment of a Special Prosecutor (Trump/ Russia) and are keeping a running tally to deliver to the committee - call: 202-224-5225. I have yet to get through but I will keep trying. If it's important to you, I hope you do as well.

8. Today is National Twilight Zone Day. To that I say, just one day? 

9. The Chinese Lantern Festival is back in Philly. Here's my post about going last year. It's still in Franklin Square, tickets are still $17 adult/$15 65+ and active military/$12 kids 17 and under/$0 kids under 2, etc. This year's dates are May 9-June 11. You can buy tickets online. 

10. E-card of the week: tra la la la la

Gus puked most of the night. MFD was on clean up duty but I still got shitty sleep. There's a triumvirate vet appointment today anyway so that's good.

TTFN.

Linking up with Kristin & Joey