Don’t judge.
You may be jealous, but you may not judge.
It’s been a tough day/week/month/year.
Today I take the small joys wherever I can Find them.
Author Archives: momdude
Freds & Bubbas
At the old house there was a growing population of California Alligator lizards, who I had collectively named “the Freds.” (See here, here, here, here, etc.)
It didn’t take too long to realize that there are lizards in the yard here at the new yard as well. Today was sunny and hot, so I got out the camera with the big lens (these lizards are a bit skittish, won’t let me get as close as the Freds did, but then again, the Freds knew that something was up as we were moving out) and did a quick survey of the back yard.
Some look a lot like the old Freds.
Some have similar body types, but much different colorations.
Some have significantly different body types, thicker through the body, shorter tails proportionately.
Look at this brute at the top! He’s built more like an iguana!
And his partner is much, much darker than all of the other lizards.
While some are almost sandy or a light green color.
Depending on the sun angle, some seem to almost be iridescent.
Some are possible hybrids, with thicker bodies than the original Freds but not like the brutes, but longer tails than the brutes while not being as long as the original Freds’ tails.
And they’re all very nervous, darting away and into the bushes at the drop of a hat. The presence of so many crows and hawks may up here may have something to do with that.
I’m figuring the thick-bodied, short-tailed lizards are related to the Freds, but some sort of different subspecies. I’m also figuring that we’ll call them Bubbas instead of Freds.
Finally, I’m figuring that neither the Freds nor the Bubbas will care what I call them, as long as I leave them alone. Which, other than taking pictures, I intend to do.
Filed under Castle Willett, Critters, Photography
The Houseplants Knew Something Was Up
There’s a houseplant out on the porch that I’ve tried for years to kill. It hasn’t been a deliberate attempt. I’ve actually been working hard from time to time to try to figure out how to keep it alive, and sometimes that’s worked. Often it hasn’t. But the brave little plant somehow struggled along, sometimes with a couple dozen leaves, sometimes with just a handful.
By March, again things were looking grim.
Our brave little plant was down to just three leaves, and they were looking pretty sickly and yellow.
I watered and fed, but it wasn’t any good. By the end of March, there was nothing but the long, ropy stem with no leaves at all.
It stayed that way for almost two months. I probably should have just thrown out the pot and the plant and the dirt, but I was just plain stinking busy through April and May.
The houseplants knew something was up, and they weren’t at all sure they wanted to be part of it at all.
Then, when I was making the final big push to get out of the old house, my daughter and I noticed something. On that ropy stem, against all odds:
…there are two or three small leaves starting to poke out. The plant has decided once more that it wishes to LIVE, despite my best efforts to save it and keep it alive.
So it got moved last weekend. I’ve found a nice spot for it out on the new back patio, where it’s in the shade most of the day but gets a tiny bit of direct sun, but mainly just lots of light and air. I’ve fed it again, kept it watered, hoping for the best.
As Dr. Ian Malcom said, “Life finds a way.”
Or maybe this particular little plant is just one tough little son of a bitch!
Filed under Castle Willett, Photography
No Context For You – June 01st
So much for June.
And I had such hopes for it.
Filed under Castle Willett, Photography
Moving Out & Moving On – May 31st
Escrow closed yesterday. Really.
Now it’s the long road back to normal. It’s the little things that will mark the progress.
Finding the box that has my stapler, tape, pens, sticky notes, and so on for my desk.
Finding the box that has all of my ties. You can only wear jeans to work so many days in a row with “I’m moving” as an excuse.
Getting the printer hooked up to my computer. And a decent set of speakers.
And listening to “Hamilton” and “Jesus Christ Superstar” in their entirety as I work through the evening.
This may yet turn out to be survivable.
A royal freakin’ pain in the ass, undoubtedly.
But survivable.
Let June begin!
Filed under Uncategorized
Moving Out & Moving On – May 30th
Escrow closed today. Maybe. I think.
Mixed signals at best. I was still getting emails with documents to sign way after closing was supposed to happen, and I never did get any confirmation. On the other hand, there’s a wire transfer for about the right amount (-ish) in my checking account, so that’s good, right?
It would help a lot if tomorrow the bank website showed a zero balance on some mortgage accounts.
I also continue to be viscous – nay, may I even say ruthless beyond recognition in continuing to throw things out. The presence of a huge trash bin out in front of the new house helps the decisions. Giving a lot of side eye to some office furniture that has seen better days – it doesn’t take a lot of doubt to find myself trying to lift things over the side of this huge bin.
Madness, I tell you.
Sleep deprivation. Adrenaline. Exhaustion. Diet Coke and Extra Strength Excedrin.
Ask for it all by name.
Filed under Uncategorized
Moving Out & Moving On – May 29th
One day to go. Escrow closes tomorrow.
Wait… that was yesterday, wasn’t it? Well, yes and no.
The Memorial Day holiday seems to be delaying things a day. But the buyer has wire transferred the funds, I’ve filled out all of the paperwork at my end, and most importantly, we’re out of the old house.
I was expecting it to be far more emotional. Instead, exhaustion has made its presence known.
Last night I was at the old house until almost 1:00 AM. This morning I made two trips early to get the last load of stuff and two loads of trash out.
But it’s done.
Escrow closes tomorrow.
Then the major unpacking job starts.
This is why I only move every thirty years or so. (I’m hoping that the next move, in 2048 or so, will be done by robots controlled by my brain waves.)
Filed under Uncategorized
Moving Out & Moving On – May 28th
One day to go. Escrow closes tomorrow.
I was such a fool.
I thought two or three loads with the van today and I would be done – plenty of time for a BBQ tonight.
It’s 22:30, I’m wrapping up my 7th load for the day, and there are two more to go after this.
Twelve-ish hours to go.
Death will not release me.
Filed under Uncategorized
Moving Out & Moving On – May 27th
Two days to go. Escrow closes on Tuesday.
Probably 99% of everything is out of the old house. Five or six loads of the remaining “miscellaneous” stuff got brought up to the new house today – probably three or four loads left for tomorrow.
That’s cutting it closer than I had hoped for – I was hoping to have it down to one or two loads for tomorrow. But if my biggest concern is getting the last load done in time to BBQ tomorrow instead of getting the last load done in time to go to work without any sleep on Tuesday morning, we’ll be fine.
Forty-eight hours and counting.
Filed under Castle Willett
Moving Out & Moving On – May 26th
Three days to go. Escrow closes on Tuesday.
Probably 98% to 99% of everything is out of the old house. What’s left in there now is a lot of the “miscellaneous” stuff, the odd-sized things that didn’t fit into standard sized boxes, the things that didn’t stack and order easily.
I’m still throwing out an amount of stuff that’s either discouraging or encouraging, depending on your point of view. It’s encouraging that it’s getting thrown out and not continuing to take up space in storage or the new garage – it’s discouraging to think that it probably all could have been tossed out ten years ago or more.
Better late than never.
I’m not getting that “relief” or “rush” that the pop culture cults of decluttering seem to promise as I throw things out. I am getting much more ruthless about sending things off to the landfill after I realize that, despite my disdain for the disposable and consumer-driven culture, it really is faster, easier, and cheaper to toss the old or damaged items rather than try to repair them or salvage them.
I am also finding a number of things that I KNEW were stored away someplace, but couldn’t ever find for years. For example, the controller for my Celestron 5″ telescope.
Finally, I love the things that have me saying, “What the hell is this and who would have given it to me and when, since I sure as hell wouldn’t have every gotten it for myself!!” I’m too embarrassed to even mention the “best in class” here, but it does bring a proper sense of perspective to the whole process.
Seventy-two hours and counting.
Filed under Castle Willett
We Love The Stars Too Fondly 