2005-05-12

dead meat

Brother Tom's graduation is tomorrow at 2pm. He is really excited about the whole thing. How ridiculous to have it on a Friday. Do all parents at this school not work? I am ticked that I have to blow another vacation day on BS, but it is my duty.
Dad arrives today from the other coast, and that naturally makes everyone a bit nervous. Last night I put some sausages on the stove to simmer while I wrote in my diary. OF COURSE I got carried away and lost track of time. OF COURSE the whole house (well the side near the kitchen) filled FILLED with smoke. There was so much smoke I could not see across the kitchen nor could I breathe. When I opened the door and stumbled out into the late afternoon sun, the smoke billowed out behind me like the whole house was on fire. It was actually pretty funny, but the upshot is the house now stinks like burned meat (which, if you are keeping score, is slightly more rancid than puppy poop, but a notch below vomit). Hooray! Thank goodness I have some super cheap Aldi room spray in lovely melon to *disguise* the smell. Dad is going to think we live in a landfill.
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I read a diary here which made me very upset. I am really concerned about the author, as she is spiralling hard now. I wonder if her diary is a cry for help. I don't want to get emotionally involved in her problems though. I have a mysterious drive to "fix" people I think are in dire need. Through my years, I have come to understand I can't save the world, and when I try, often the toll on me is too great.
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Henry has been going nuts lately. The weather is crazy with massive changes overnight - in fact between yesterday and today there will be nearly a 60F degree swing. I want to let him out to run and play, but I am so afraid he will be eaten. The coyotes are getting more bold now that they have realized we no longer have any big farm dogs around. I saw 4 or 5 of them running across the lower field not long ago - right in the middle of the day! So Henry - not yet.
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This cold snap may kill all the grapes. All of our neighbor vineyards have lost the entire crops, but we are close enough to the water we are still okay. Tonight may be our undoing. Cross your fingers!
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On my way to work after lunch there was a mashed box turtle at the bottom of the driveway. He never had a chance.
Probably a frickin' hemmy.
happy to be stuck with you - Sunday, Jan. 01, 2006
the error of complacency - Friday, Aug. 26, 2005
CAN IT - Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2005
Still breathing . . . - Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2005
the big move - Thursday, Jul. 28, 2005