flemmings: (Default)
flemmings ([personal profile] flemmings) wrote2011-10-08 01:44 pm
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Gallimaufry of current events

1. Came out of work last night to find the back wheel flat. On a holiday weekend, oh woe. Walked it up to Curbside Bikes, amazingly still open, and asked dispiritedly what the chances were of getting it fixed this weekend. In summer fixing a flat at Curbside will take three days. 'Go talk to the mechanic, I think we can do it now.' They did. Wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles...

2. Optometrist is trying the 'one eye for distance, one eye for reading' thing with me, 'and we'll correct your astigmatism while we're at it.' Astigmatism-correcting lenses make everything mid-range blurry, near *and* far. Unfortunately I usually need to see what's happening three feet in front of me, especially since that's where the computer screen is. Am not impressed with modern technology.

3. Went to the laundromat Tuesday night to wash and dry my heavy terrycloth bathrobe. Full of the usual locals, a different bunch from the weekends when I wash and dry my sheets and hoodies. (Washer rocks under heavy loads, dryer does not dry satisfactorily, hence the laundromat.) A well-spoken young musical type sat with his sheet music and laptop, evidently following a score. I was amused by his appearing here, given that a similar type shows up in the Isabel Dalhousie books I'm reading. A young woman with brown eyes and short brown hair, wearing brown cords, was folding laundry. It was all brown corduroy pants and off-white long-sleeved shirts, not feminine at all. That 's what I wore all through my twenties. It felt like looking at me thirty-five years ago. But I never wore transparent rayon underwear patterned in large flowers, and she does.

4. Supposed to be near 80F, 27C tomorrow, which is not as bad as the 90F, 33C we had three years ago. Is still not quite what I want at Thanksgiving, but pleasant enough; and everyone else is thrilled.

5. Mindfulness has not helped at all with my urge to consume red velvet cake every day. Once it was a rarity, but now the local Dufflets makes a red velvet cake and many Second Cups as well as the local super has it on offer. Something must be done about this because I can't bear to look at my scale in the morning.

6. Doug Miller is still having a sale, and had a recent shipment of Holmes fanfic Holmesiana, of which I bought several volumes including The Oriental Casebook of Sherlock Holmes. Which is well enough except-- here I am in the first story, which IIRC happens during Holmes' 'lost years', yes? between 1891 and 1895. And somehow there's a King-Emperor Edward on the throne. Which is a neat trick when Victoria didn't die till 1901.
incandescens: (Default)

[personal profile] incandescens 2011-10-08 11:43 pm (UTC)(link)
I sympathise with the red velvet cake issue. A couple of months ago, Sainsburys opened a branch in the local railway station that I pass through on my way to work. They have an in-store bakery. This means fresh hot pain au raisins just before 9am. You can guess the rest.

[identity profile] avalonjones.livejournal.com 2011-10-09 05:38 am (UTC)(link)
I too would have a hard time walking away from red velvet cake. I don't think I've ever seen it here, which I take as a blessing in disguise.

[identity profile] mvrdrk.livejournal.com 2011-10-09 05:59 am (UTC)(link)
The spouse as a child had one eye far sighted and one eye near sighted. He says he was essentially blind in the middle distances, which makes seeing the ground when riding a bike something of problem. Good luck with yours!

Happy Thanksgiving!

[identity profile] i-am-zan.livejournal.com 2011-10-09 09:59 am (UTC)(link)
I had to google red velvet cake, but ooh, it sounds delightful. I'm more intrigued by those that contain beet though. Beet is hardly used here as an ingredient for anything, not even restaurants.

Hope your eye issues get solved.

Have a good weekend.

[identity profile] mvrdrk.livejournal.com 2011-10-10 02:10 am (UTC)(link)
I don't think you can grow beets in that part of the world. Not enough cold.

[identity profile] flemmings.livejournal.com 2011-10-11 12:22 am (UTC)(link)
He says he was essentially blind in the middle distances

Which is what I am, though not as bad as WT because I *can* see the ground OK. Evidently it takes time for the brain to start making the eyes work together. Sometimes I think it's happening, and then *wham* I can't read the Starbucks' menu over the counter. Most annoying.

And I invariably have an eyestrain headache by late afternoon. /griping

Reposted for html fail.
Edited 2011-10-11 00:23 (UTC)