mary, mary.

well, here we are at the end of 2013.  so much has changed!

another panel of my fence came down while i was out one day, but it was all planned.  sorta.  i offered the shed in my yard to a neighbor and he had someone use a bobcat/forklift to move it.  okay, i wasn't there to see it, but the tread marks and downed panel speak to a larger-than-my-patriot type of vehicle.  anyway, i'm glad it's gone and really happy that it was put to good use versus my chopping it up for fire pit wood.

that was in october, then i transferred to a new job in november...on veteran's day.  with my degree completed in august, i moved on to more interesting work and better pay, but i can still work per diem/extra at the old job because it's within the same department.  kinda cool until you realize you're working all the frickin' time.  i do this mostly for the improvements to my house, and one very much needed improvement is insulation.

i just checked out mass save home energy service programs and it looks like i can get the house insulated for next to nothing.  nstar will cover $2000, the irs will credit $500, and the energy assessment is practically free (if you have knob and tube wiring, the cost of updating electric work is on you.).  yes, winter is a week away, but letting the heat escape is wasteful.  adding insulation means i'll be saving a few pennies and the house will feel cozy.

cozy is good.

summertime

it's official - today is memorial day and we accept it as the beginning of summer...like a robin brings in the spring.  the weather is lovely, even though it's windy.  takes me back to the kinds of summers i remember years ago.  more than just the summers.  books i've read, people i met over the years, friends who are gone, places visited, and so many 'new' experiences.  i've enjoyed them and i've pained through them.  and music!  i think i want to start up the guitar again.

now that the weather has improved, the current plan is to cherish the house.  to do that, i have to finish my degree, then try to earn more money.  fitness is required.  ugh!   i lose focus sometimes, but i will do this.  you should see this yard, though.  i am working on it.  slowly by slowly.  a battle, indeed.  if the weather stays dry after wednesday then i'll clean/stain/treat the deck...that i don't like.

8pm.  time to put away the laundry.

did i mention i'm going to start making hummus and olive tapenade?  makes my mouth water just thinking about it.

smackdown!

last night i attended a get-together with my high school classmates and we were one shy of a dozen.  two guys were in from other parts of the planet and i hadn't seen one of them since...forever.  the other, i think i don't know.  since a few of us arrived unceremoniously late, we sat further away from the visitors' end and chatted amongst ourselves.  yes, we inquired about the unknown visitor, but no one else offered any insight.  as the meal ended, i was alone at the 'late' end, so i moved to the head of the visitors' end.  and that's when things went skew-y.

this unknown visitor snubbed me in front of everyone else as i awkwardly introduced myself and attempted to strike up a conversation.  a fifty year old, well-established male doing that 14-year-old thing.  you know.  the elbow on the table/back of the hand attached semi-permanently to the side of his face that was visible to me.  was.  the other two ladies had left for a smoke and i tried to participate in a conversation on a subject i clearly know nothing about - hunting.  coup de grace arrived at the end:  i casually put out my hand to shake and he hesitated.  it left me numb.  and i'm still trying to shake it off because i'm attending a party tomorrow with the people who saw this happen.

i was just getting to know everyone...