there ain't a cloud up above
Jul. 13th, 2026 07:59 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
musesfoolYesterday was great! Both the cake and the brownies turned out well and everyone liked them! Baby Miss L enjoyed her new books and showed us all the pictures from her trip to Disney where she met so many princesses plus Winnie the Pooh and Tigger and Eeyore!
I also discovered that my brother's new pool has steps instead of a ladder, so I can actually use it. The last time I tried, it took me way too long to get myself out because I was so afraid my knee wouldn't hold up, since the distance between the rungs was so large. But the steps are easy to get up and down - I did not have a bathing suit yesterday but I did have bike shorts on under my dress, so I just hiked up the skirt and went down the first two steps to test it out and it was fine. So that makes me very happy! I can now spend most of my week there in the pool, weather permitting. I just have to remember my ear plugs, because last time I did that, I got a nasty ear infection. And mostly outside as well, away from all the cat dander that makes me so miserable, even with Zyrtec.
I also told my brother I was not handling anything related to the litter box and he and my niece assured me they have an automatic(?) one, and a backup one if the automatic one gets messed up, and it will be fine for a week. And apparently Brie was so anxious when Bleu had to go to the vet without her that now they might be leaving him home instead of sending him to camp for the week. Idk, but he is a very good boy! And Brie is still full of anxiety. but I figure if the weather is good, she can just stay outside until she's ready to come in, instead of me trying to coax her inside with treats and failing miserably. So we'll see how it goes!
Today, the cleaning ladies came, so my apartment is clean, and my laundry was dropped off (though they left it at the wrong apartment door - I swear, sometimes I can't even with people - so I had to go get it, but thankfully it was just one floor down), so my vacation is starting off on a very organized and tidy note. *g*
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I also discovered that my brother's new pool has steps instead of a ladder, so I can actually use it. The last time I tried, it took me way too long to get myself out because I was so afraid my knee wouldn't hold up, since the distance between the rungs was so large. But the steps are easy to get up and down - I did not have a bathing suit yesterday but I did have bike shorts on under my dress, so I just hiked up the skirt and went down the first two steps to test it out and it was fine. So that makes me very happy! I can now spend most of my week there in the pool, weather permitting. I just have to remember my ear plugs, because last time I did that, I got a nasty ear infection. And mostly outside as well, away from all the cat dander that makes me so miserable, even with Zyrtec.
I also told my brother I was not handling anything related to the litter box and he and my niece assured me they have an automatic(?) one, and a backup one if the automatic one gets messed up, and it will be fine for a week. And apparently Brie was so anxious when Bleu had to go to the vet without her that now they might be leaving him home instead of sending him to camp for the week. Idk, but he is a very good boy! And Brie is still full of anxiety. but I figure if the weather is good, she can just stay outside until she's ready to come in, instead of me trying to coax her inside with treats and failing miserably. So we'll see how it goes!
Today, the cleaning ladies came, so my apartment is clean, and my laundry was dropped off (though they left it at the wrong apartment door - I swear, sometimes I can't even with people - so I had to go get it, but thankfully it was just one floor down), so my vacation is starting off on a very organized and tidy note. *g*
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you're a heart attack, just the kind I like
Jul. 12th, 2026 05:06 pmenamouredHey there, Just Married author! Hi. How's it going?
A quick overview: I'm brandnewsoul on AO3, and you can also check me out on Tumblr at viewparadise. Bookmarks can kind of give you an idea of what I'm interested in reading, and the Tumblr is to, IDK, give you an idea of what piques my interest/hopefully link you to some fun stuff to look at.
As far as things that I enjoy in stories: pining that leads to love, banter, that moment when Character A really Sees Character B, rivals to lovers, epistolary works, teamwork making the dream work, angst that leads to a happy ending, silliness, forced proximity, sex pollen, smarts and snark. I'm not into character death, most noncon, or Dead Dove situations. Treats are much appreciated, if you see something that catches your eye!
With that said, ( here's what I'm looking for. )
That's it for now! Happy writing.
A quick overview: I'm brandnewsoul on AO3, and you can also check me out on Tumblr at viewparadise. Bookmarks can kind of give you an idea of what I'm interested in reading, and the Tumblr is to, IDK, give you an idea of what piques my interest/hopefully link you to some fun stuff to look at.
As far as things that I enjoy in stories: pining that leads to love, banter, that moment when Character A really Sees Character B, rivals to lovers, epistolary works, teamwork making the dream work, angst that leads to a happy ending, silliness, forced proximity, sex pollen, smarts and snark. I'm not into character death, most noncon, or Dead Dove situations. Treats are much appreciated, if you see something that catches your eye!
With that said, ( here's what I'm looking for. )
That's it for now! Happy writing.
i heard your voice coming from somewhere
Jul. 11th, 2026 10:15 pmmusesfoolI got up this morning and did some chores (I had to re-season my carbon steel frying pan, among other things) and then set to baking an orange blueberry crumb cake where I subbed in orange zest in the cream cheese filling and orange juice in the cake (where I doubt you'll be able to taste it), because as previously mentioned, my sister doesn't like lemon and I wanted her to eat some cake (if she wanted to). But since I can't taste it ahead of time, I started to get a little nervous, so after dinner, I also baked a big tray of brownies because I know everybody likes them.
In other news, the Women's Pro Baseball League is coming, starting August 1st! And New York has a team! As I said to my nephew, they are bound to be better than the Mets! So I will have to check that out.
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In other news, the Women's Pro Baseball League is coming, starting August 1st! And New York has a team! As I said to my nephew, they are bound to be better than the Mets! So I will have to check that out.
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has also expressed interest
Jul. 10th, 2026 10:22 pmmusesfoolI discovered that Stop and Shop carries the Tazo unsweetened passion tea concentrate, so I bought it and a container of Newman's Own pink lemonade, and today I mixed them over ice and it was delicious! Definitely recommended. I might even make the lemonade myself at some point, but the Newman's was on sale, so it seemed like a good deal.
I also got a box of Jiffy because I just want some damn corn muffins and nothing else I've tried has turned out well, so we'll see if it really does work.
That's my exciting Friday night. *g*
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I also got a box of Jiffy because I just want some damn corn muffins and nothing else I've tried has turned out well, so we'll see if it really does work.
That's my exciting Friday night. *g*
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what you don't have, you don't need it now
Jul. 9th, 2026 06:54 pmmusesfoolI did end up going to bed super early last night - I hit the sack at 8:30 pm and slept, with minor interruptions, until 8 am, and it was fantastic. I don't know why I was so exhausted yesterday, but I'm glad I didn't try to fight it like I normally would to stay up until my usual bedtime.
My meetings next Tuesday have all been cancelled, so I've added the day to my vacation next week, so I'll be in Monday and then done until the next Monday. I also discovered I had booked 2 separate optometrist appointments, so I cancelled the one next Thursday and will go in August as usual.
My plan this weekend is to bake a blueberry crumb cake* to take to my brother's on Sunday for our birthday bbq, and then make a key lime pie for myself on Tuesday, since my birthday is Wednesday. I haven't figured out what I'll make myself for dinner, but that is always the less important part of things to me. As long as I have a good birthday dessert, the dinner can be anything.
*Note: it will be an orange blueberry crumb cake since my sister does not like lemon. We'll see how it goes!
I am also once again waiting for the cleaning service to let me know if they are coming on Monday or not. They did not come this past Monday since I said it wouldn't work for me, but then there was radio silence, so today I reached out again, but have not gotten an answer. I appreciate the work they do immensely. I just wish they were better at communicating!
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My meetings next Tuesday have all been cancelled, so I've added the day to my vacation next week, so I'll be in Monday and then done until the next Monday. I also discovered I had booked 2 separate optometrist appointments, so I cancelled the one next Thursday and will go in August as usual.
My plan this weekend is to bake a blueberry crumb cake* to take to my brother's on Sunday for our birthday bbq, and then make a key lime pie for myself on Tuesday, since my birthday is Wednesday. I haven't figured out what I'll make myself for dinner, but that is always the less important part of things to me. As long as I have a good birthday dessert, the dinner can be anything.
*Note: it will be an orange blueberry crumb cake since my sister does not like lemon. We'll see how it goes!
I am also once again waiting for the cleaning service to let me know if they are coming on Monday or not. They did not come this past Monday since I said it wouldn't work for me, but then there was radio silence, so today I reached out again, but have not gotten an answer. I appreciate the work they do immensely. I just wish they were better at communicating!
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What I'm Doing Wednesday
Jul. 8th, 2026 07:21 pmsagebooks
America, América: A New History of the New World by Greg Grandin. 2025. FINALLY finished, though I skipped the notes bc I was just done with the book. It's a very thorough and sharply critical history of the Americas, and I loved the first half. The second half is mostly a deep dive into intra-hemispheric politics, most of which I've already studied in detail. I do wish it had started BEFORE the Conquest, rather than at it, but the book's 768 pages as it is.
Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump by Maggie Haberman, Jonathan Swan. 2026. Started reading just before the Independence Day weekend and just now finished. A chore to read, tbh, bc there's so much orange menace in it, and I hate him. But it confirms gvt by the inept following a plan framed by the vicious. I have been angry at H&S for sitting on so much of this info for up to 3 years, rather than releasing it to the public. But the timing now is good. It's fresh in voters' minds for the midterms. And we certainly won't have an impeachment before the new Congress is sworn in on January 3rd.
iwtv 3.5/tvl 1.5
Holy shit. This show is SO GOOD.
yarning
The cat scarf halves are stitched together & now I only have to weave in five million ends before mailing it out Friday. Didn't make yarn group again bc I slept too late. Stupid sleep disorder.
healthcrap
allergy shot yesterday. I need to remember to make a mammogram appt, though. Also, pain clinic appt. Oops.
wildlife
There's a(n o)possum living in my back porch laundry room. I don't know if it's a nesting female or not. It had diarrhea on top of my washer lid. Which is dried on and vile. (Cleaning it up is my project for maybe tomorrow.) I replaced the burned out light bulb today (and left it on) and left the door open, so maybe it'll vacate the premises on its own. I can call maintenance about relocating it. I just haven't yet. I thought about bombing it with peppermint or something, but peppermint is toxic to cats, and the stray cats use the laundry room for shelter in the winter, so that would suck for them.
#resist
? (I'm still waiting to see an announcement of a new march. Granted, it's hotter than hell, so maybe that's the delay? IDEK.)
I hope you're all doing well! <333
America, América: A New History of the New World by Greg Grandin. 2025. FINALLY finished, though I skipped the notes bc I was just done with the book. It's a very thorough and sharply critical history of the Americas, and I loved the first half. The second half is mostly a deep dive into intra-hemispheric politics, most of which I've already studied in detail. I do wish it had started BEFORE the Conquest, rather than at it, but the book's 768 pages as it is.
Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump by Maggie Haberman, Jonathan Swan. 2026. Started reading just before the Independence Day weekend and just now finished. A chore to read, tbh, bc there's so much orange menace in it, and I hate him. But it confirms gvt by the inept following a plan framed by the vicious. I have been angry at H&S for sitting on so much of this info for up to 3 years, rather than releasing it to the public. But the timing now is good. It's fresh in voters' minds for the midterms. And we certainly won't have an impeachment before the new Congress is sworn in on January 3rd.
iwtv 3.5/tvl 1.5
Holy shit. This show is SO GOOD.
yarning
The cat scarf halves are stitched together & now I only have to weave in five million ends before mailing it out Friday. Didn't make yarn group again bc I slept too late. Stupid sleep disorder.
healthcrap
allergy shot yesterday. I need to remember to make a mammogram appt, though. Also, pain clinic appt. Oops.
wildlife
There's a(n o)possum living in my back porch laundry room. I don't know if it's a nesting female or not. It had diarrhea on top of my washer lid. Which is dried on and vile. (Cleaning it up is my project for maybe tomorrow.) I replaced the burned out light bulb today (and left it on) and left the door open, so maybe it'll vacate the premises on its own. I can call maintenance about relocating it. I just haven't yet. I thought about bombing it with peppermint or something, but peppermint is toxic to cats, and the stray cats use the laundry room for shelter in the winter, so that would suck for them.
#resist
? (I'm still waiting to see an announcement of a new march. Granted, it's hotter than hell, so maybe that's the delay? IDEK.)
I hope you're all doing well! <333
if it's not love, then it's the bomb that will bring us together
Jul. 8th, 2026 06:28 pmmusesfoolMy dental appointment went well - it was just a cleaning! - but they still want me to come every three months instead of twice a year. Sigh. Anyway, the appointment was timed so that I did not have coffee or breakfast beforehand, and didn't get home until a little after 1 pm, so I should have just had lunch. But I was so tired that sleep won out over food and I ended up taking a THREE HOUR tour nap. I did finally eat, but now I'm like, maybe I should just go back to bed? Idk.
Anyway, it's Wednesday and I have read some books!
What I've just finished
Radiant Star by Ann Leckie. This was enjoyable but very low-key, even at the climax.
Long Live Evil and All Hail Chaos by Sarah Rees Brennan. Hiilarious and very genre-savvy portal fantasy. I enjoyed both books and am hoping the third one sticks the landing. Sadly, it's not due out until next summer. Alas.
What I'm reading now
Dead Hand Rule by Max Gladstone, which is the third (and final?) book in the Craft Wars trilogy? series? Idk. I'm enjoying it but he is pulling people from all over the first series and I don't always remember who they are since it's been a while since I read those books.
What I'm reading next
As ever, it is a mystery.
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Anyway, it's Wednesday and I have read some books!
What I've just finished
Radiant Star by Ann Leckie. This was enjoyable but very low-key, even at the climax.
Long Live Evil and All Hail Chaos by Sarah Rees Brennan. Hiilarious and very genre-savvy portal fantasy. I enjoyed both books and am hoping the third one sticks the landing. Sadly, it's not due out until next summer. Alas.
What I'm reading now
Dead Hand Rule by Max Gladstone, which is the third (and final?) book in the Craft Wars trilogy? series? Idk. I'm enjoying it but he is pulling people from all over the first series and I don't always remember who they are since it's been a while since I read those books.
What I'm reading next
As ever, it is a mystery.
*
thirty pillows pilfered
Jul. 7th, 2026 07:18 pmmusesfoolI meant to post last night but I could barely keep my eyes open so I went to bed early (and missed a super rare Mets comeback in Atlanta!) and slept for 10 glorious hours! I felt great at work today, and got some stuff done, and made some suggestions about the September board meeting agenda that I am sure the CEO and the Chair will not like, but they wanted to get radical and also not overrun the meeting time by 45 minutes again, and I offered a good way to do it to my boss. We'll see if anyone bites.
I am off tomorrow for the dentist - it should just be a cleaning (though I am braced to hear I need yet another crown) but I am always so tired when it's over. And my team meeting on Tuesday got cancelled so I am tempted to take next Tuesday off since I'm already off Wednesday (my birthday), Thursday, and Friday of next week. My boss was like, sure! but I'm still thinking about it.
I thought I had something else to post about but I can't remember... oh right, I finally watched Project Hail Mary the other night. I enjoyed it but it was too long. And there was not enough Eva Stratt, who was the best thing in the movie.
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I am off tomorrow for the dentist - it should just be a cleaning (though I am braced to hear I need yet another crown) but I am always so tired when it's over. And my team meeting on Tuesday got cancelled so I am tempted to take next Tuesday off since I'm already off Wednesday (my birthday), Thursday, and Friday of next week. My boss was like, sure! but I'm still thinking about it.
I thought I had something else to post about but I can't remember... oh right, I finally watched Project Hail Mary the other night. I enjoyed it but it was too long. And there was not enough Eva Stratt, who was the best thing in the movie.
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come out to meet me, run out to meet me
Jul. 5th, 2026 06:33 pmmusesfoolHad a couple of baking fails this weekend, so I guess it's granola bars for breakfast this week! Oh well. Eventually I will bake those myself too, but for now, store-bought is fine. *g* Luckily, this hoisin garlic chicken (NYTimes gift link) turned out well. I added soy sauce in place of salt, and also a sprinkling of Chinese five-spice powder instead of red pepper flakes, and it was delicious. And I have leftovers enough for a couple more meals. I also made bacon this morning, so it'll be another week of chicken bacon ranch wraps for lunch. Uh, not the hoisin chicken, though. Perdue short cuts roasted chicken strips.
And I had the first plums of the summer this weekend and they were so good. Plums! I love them so much! Cherries have also been good, but are much more expensive. And I figured out a use for the leftover seltzer for when Friend L was here - it's a good vehicle for the electrolyte powder I otherwise don't end up using, and this weekend it came in handy.
In other news, this morning, my cleaning service texted me asking if they could come tomorrow. I responded promptly saying, no, but I was available on these other dates. They have not responded. So now I'm like, are they coming tomorrow? Do I have to be ready? Because I am not ready and that is why I said no. Ugh. So now I will scramble to get ready and they won't come. Bah.
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And I had the first plums of the summer this weekend and they were so good. Plums! I love them so much! Cherries have also been good, but are much more expensive. And I figured out a use for the leftover seltzer for when Friend L was here - it's a good vehicle for the electrolyte powder I otherwise don't end up using, and this weekend it came in handy.
In other news, this morning, my cleaning service texted me asking if they could come tomorrow. I responded promptly saying, no, but I was available on these other dates. They have not responded. So now I'm like, are they coming tomorrow? Do I have to be ready? Because I am not ready and that is why I said no. Ugh. So now I will scramble to get ready and they won't come. Bah.
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I am reduced to cliches and memes from the 12th century.
Jul. 5th, 2026 01:56 pmwaterswordWILL NO ONE RID ME OF THIS TROUBLESOME FATHER.
Someone get this man to take my name out of his fucking mouth.
(One of his cousins died, he posted about it on Facebook and talked about how much I liked that cousin, someone saw fit to forward it to me. Leave me the fuck alone.)
(no subject)
Jul. 4th, 2026 08:50 pmromanticalI saw a thing on instagram that is likely false, but it was a post that some guy had been arrested for being a fake tour guide and telling people completely fake histories of paintings, and that is the most Ilya Rozanov coded thing ever. I can 100% see bb!Shane at some museum and getting in an argument with fake!guard Ilya. It would be hilarious. Extra points if Kip's there and trying to get the cops called on Rozanov. He and Shane can go on the lam so Ilya doesn't get arrested.
I did my exercise this week and one of the days I used my walking pad. Friends. Friends. I was apparently walking too fast or something and I stepped on the main part at the top, not the conveyor belt part, and fell. I thought I broke my pinkie but it was just sore and bruised - maybe misaligned? I don't know. It hurt for a couple of days. I also managed to scrape my knee and the heel of one hand, knock a table leg off the coffee table, and bruise my boob. I still managed to walk 2 miles though, so it's 100% a win. The second day I did half elliptical/half bike. I think I have a way to do the walking pad that won't result in me face-down on the rug, so I'll try that next time. I like walking better than the elliptical. I don't know why. Might switch it up every other time though. Another week of 2x a week and then might try for 3. anything is possible, I guess.
Still haven't figured out when there will be road tripping. I might go up to my mom's early and do some local stuff near her. I've got a bunch of things on a list. I shall see. I need to find out what her plans are.
It has somehow gone from 6pm to 11:30 pm and I'm not sure how that happened, but I'm pretty sure it means I should go to bed.
I finished the book "Myra, Beyond Saddleworth" and it was ok. Continued to be not what I wanted, but not bad for what it was. I also just finished another book - "The 7th Day" - and that was pretty good. I was hoping to do more reading this summer, but it doesn't seem like that's happening.
I did my exercise this week and one of the days I used my walking pad. Friends. Friends. I was apparently walking too fast or something and I stepped on the main part at the top, not the conveyor belt part, and fell. I thought I broke my pinkie but it was just sore and bruised - maybe misaligned? I don't know. It hurt for a couple of days. I also managed to scrape my knee and the heel of one hand, knock a table leg off the coffee table, and bruise my boob. I still managed to walk 2 miles though, so it's 100% a win. The second day I did half elliptical/half bike. I think I have a way to do the walking pad that won't result in me face-down on the rug, so I'll try that next time. I like walking better than the elliptical. I don't know why. Might switch it up every other time though. Another week of 2x a week and then might try for 3. anything is possible, I guess.
Still haven't figured out when there will be road tripping. I might go up to my mom's early and do some local stuff near her. I've got a bunch of things on a list. I shall see. I need to find out what her plans are.
It has somehow gone from 6pm to 11:30 pm and I'm not sure how that happened, but I'm pretty sure it means I should go to bed.
I finished the book "Myra, Beyond Saddleworth" and it was ok. Continued to be not what I wanted, but not bad for what it was. I also just finished another book - "The 7th Day" - and that was pretty good. I was hoping to do more reading this summer, but it doesn't seem like that's happening.
sleep with one eye open
Jul. 2nd, 2026 10:15 pmmusesfoolI finally caught up on the last 3 episodes of this season of Abbott Elementary and ( spoilers )
Also, my internet and cable went out for several hours this afternoon, I'm guessing because of the heat? but I was able to use my phone as a hotspot, so it didn't deter me for long. *wry* I took today off because originally I was supposed to be dog-sitting at my sister's before plans changed, and I decided to keep the 4-day weekend. I'm glad I did. I like my job and I mostly like my coworkers, but I am so tired of people asking me for things. Hopefully, I can get a bit of a respite and a reset.
I hope you are all staying cool if you're in the heatwave. <3
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Also, my internet and cable went out for several hours this afternoon, I'm guessing because of the heat? but I was able to use my phone as a hotspot, so it didn't deter me for long. *wry* I took today off because originally I was supposed to be dog-sitting at my sister's before plans changed, and I decided to keep the 4-day weekend. I'm glad I did. I like my job and I mostly like my coworkers, but I am so tired of people asking me for things. Hopefully, I can get a bit of a respite and a reset.
I hope you are all staying cool if you're in the heatwave. <3
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