Yes, it’s a great day.

It’s gonna be a scorcher, though, so here’s hoping I am able to install that window AC unit because I’m going to need AC later, for sure.

I’m guessing it’s easy to install, but the thing is fucking heavy. It was kind of astounding that I was able to get it out of the car, carry it into the house and up the stairs (on my 65th birthday, no less!). Of course, the guy at Best Buy — who was maybe 19 years old and, well, a guy — made it seem effortless when he loaded it into the trunk of my car…

Anyway! It’s in my room and I’m going to tackle it today — while waiting on a different plumber, because the other plumber never showed after 3 days in a row of waiting.

My clients who have been in rehab, and who were supposed to come out this month, but didn’t — I got word from the Agency yesterday that they will still be in rehab for the entire month of August. Which means I’m going to have to live close to the bone around here.

But at least I got everything worked out about my retirement money with the Social Security office yesterday. (Another glitch in the system because of putting me onto Medicare now.) I should have my money for July in a couple of days.

But this is that double-edged sword thingie: less shifts to work but more days off! More time to work on the novel (and/or the play). So that makes me really happy, gang.

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Okay. The eHarmony thing is making me REALLY happy, too. So we shall see. We’re supposed to chat on the phone today — for the first time. So far, we’ve just been texting on our phones.

And if the chat goes well, then we’ll meet.

I can’t really go into any details yet about why I am so happy, because we don’t know each other and I don’t want to violate his privacy — I try only to violate the privacy of people I know really well!!! (And then their privacy becomes an utter wasteland. So you’ll just have to wait…)

However, I will share this. But I won’t say why. I’ll just say it sparked a really happy evening around here. I have always loved this song.

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Okay.

I’ve never been a Black Sabbath fan, and I didn’t have an opinion of Ozzy Osborne, one way or the other, but of the hundreds of photos on Instagram yesterday, I loved this one, so I share it here.

From the Whiskey a Go Go in Los Angeles:

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Just a reminder!

The final week of the Smashwords Summer Sale is now under way.

Check my substack page for all the details about my 4 eBooks that are free to download during the sale! (Adults only!! Graphic erotic fiction!! And these are OLD books & stories — from the 90s through 2011.)

And thanks again to all of you who have been downloading these eBooks all month long. I really appreciate it!!

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Here’s this!

Wayne, earlier today, at Beng Mealea, Cambodia (dating back to 928 AD) (Well, Wayne only dates back to 1954 AD):

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Tonight! In France! (A music festival in Cannes.)

The Nick Cave solo tour with Colin Greenwood on bass continues. Yes! It is sold out!!

No photos yet, obviously, but here’s this again!!

And here’s this –Nick with fans; it was taken the other day in Pompeii:

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And I guess that’s it for now.

Gonna tackle that AC unit and pray for a spectacular result!

And I’m hoping that, this afternoon, the new plumber shows up on time. (Allegedly 1 or 1:30. We shall see.) Then the carpenter comes on Monday, and I should be all set to submit my application for the USDA RD home improvement loan!!

Okay. Enjoy your Thursday, wherever you are in the world.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Here’s this again! Great driving to town music!! Now, especially, I love this song…

From my wee bonny girlhood! “Peaceful Easy Feeling,” The Eagles, 1972. Enjoy, gang!!

The energy feels strange today, although the weather is STUNNING!! And I slept great.

And I have the day off, which — right there — is always a great thing.

Upstairs, the kittens are running around like maniacs.

Downstairs, the youngster cats are running around like maniacs.

While the surviving oldsters sit downstairs perched on various pieces of furniture, staring quietly at all the zooming madness but clearly thinking: What the fuck is going on?

The laundry is underway. And, in a little while, I have 2 contractors coming over — an HVAC guy to give me a quote on installing central AC, and a plumber to give me a quote on replacing all the upstairs pipes and shower & kitchen fixtures that have been completely corroded by the hard water around here. (I already got the quote for the water softener installation.)

The eHarmony thing, so far, is really kind of going nowhere. The only truly interested man writing to me lives halfway between here and NYC, and that’s not really going to work for me. So I guess I’ll just hang out and see what, if anything, eventually happens. I really want to give this eHarmony thing until the end of the year.

Other than that–

I should be excited because the weather is stunning and I have the day off, and tomorrow’s my birthday (!!) and I actually have plans to go out to dinner.

But I just feel strange today. I’m hoping that, either: A.) Someone drops by with some prescription amphetamines; or B.) I snap out of this without the help of illicit drugs and happily get back to work on the novel.

I guess we’ll see!

Keith’s version–

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Here’s this!

Wayne sent this over yesterday. On the river by his hotel in Phnom Penh:

And today, he heads to Siem Reap!! Should be incredible.

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And here’s this!

I think it’s from Pompeii, but it’s definitely from Italy. Posted by the store owner to Instagram earlier today. A store where I guess they make a lot of original Pinocchios–

(I think it’s a Gucci Pinocchio but I’m not 100% positive…) (Just kidding.)

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Other than that, gang, I got nothin’ — it is such a strange day.

I hope that you’re having a better Monday, wherever you are in the world!

If anything truly interesting pops up, I’ll stop back later.

Otherwise, thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

Yes, the upgrade to the iPhone 16e is complete and done, but WOW was it a real nightmare, gang.

Thank God for online chat on my laptop, because at one point, both iPhones were blocked and I couldn’t call or text customer service (or anyone).

But, finally, it all got figured out and now I am officially on the new iPhone. (And I MIGHT at least CONSIDER upgrading more often, to avoid these little techno nightmares…)

Yes!! The AC window unit did NOT arrive!!

It is delayed!

But no less than FOUR really good-looking but alas really youthful Customer Service guys at Best Buy assured me that FedEx had it, it was enroute, and I should have it on Tuesday — my birthday. And, thank goodness, the break in the weather at night is still holding, and me and the little furry maniacs are sleeping just fine.

AND!!!!

Best news of all, gang!

I got a really lovely birthday card from my birth mom yesterday, so I called her after all the iPhone madness had settled down.

And in the course of the conversation, I asked her how she would feel about taking care of so many cats because I really, really need her here when I go back to NYC….

SHE: “Of course, I’ll take care of your cats!! I was wondering when you were going to ask me!”

ME: “I was just afraid it was too many cats for you.”

SHE: “Marilyn, when I had the house in Jackson, I had 13 cats! I have no problem with all the cats.”

So — wow. What a relief! We had such a great conversation about it and now my entire being can relax about having to go to NYC again. If I go anywhere for 1 or 2 nights, it is no problem having the day sitter come in, but having my mom here is always so much better. She takes really good care of my cats and the house.

So. Yay. I suddenly felt like my future was wide open again. (And I also feel like having all these cats now isn’t my fault — it’s genetics!!!!)

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Okay, today is the day I have my late afternoon shift with the retired Minister and his lovely wife. So Sundays have become good days again — I make a little money, I work for some nice people while watching a lot of TV, and I still have most of the day & evening to myself.

It not only reminds me of when I used to take care of the adorable Molly and her wonderful husband, late afternoons on Sundays — before she died back in February. But, also, this new couple only lives about 5 blocks from where Molly lived. So everything about the drive there and back has really good memories for me. It is so much easier on me than the usual emotions I have on my shifts.

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The nice guy on eHarmony continues to be really nice and continues to write. But another very interesting guy started writing to me yesterday. And he only lives 10 minutes from me! We’ll see if it develops.

But I don’t want more than 2 guys writing. That’s enough for now. And they live close by. Other guys are writing to me, but they live much farther away, and I really want to find someone I can hang out with, go out to eat with, go hiking with at Black Hand Gorge!

Which reminds me…

It wasn’t entirely legal to do it, but my long-time childhood friend, Steve, and I sprinkled some of Kent’s ashes over at Black Hand Gorge. And the anniversary of Kent’s death is on Saturday.

Our mutual friend Kent — my last photo of him, when we had dinner at the Granville Inn when he was visiting from Houston:

Kent, holding one of Steve’s babies:

And I heard from Steve yesterday — he’s at a music festival and was seeing Hot Tuna (!!). He sent me a short video from the show and the band actually sounded great. (Steve has always been a huge Jorma Koukonen fan — originally of Jefferson Airplane fame.)

Hot Tuna then:

Hot Tuna now:

Steve and I have been friends since 1971, when we were in the 6th grade. So we have some very, very interesting memories in common. And Steve and I had known Kent since the 7th grade.

Kent was truly one of my favorite people of all time.

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Okay!!

This is what they mean by SOLD OUT!

Look at that crowd at Nick Cave’s Pompeii show last night!

And here are a couple other photos I liked from last night!

Monday and Tuesday nights, they will be playing in Rome, but the shows are sold out.

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And I think that’s it for now.

Have a terrific Sunday, wherever you are in the world!!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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All righty!

How about this really cool old one?? A hit by Ringo, but written by Ringo and George Harrison. Here, George is singing it to the same tracks Ringo did. 1971. (Back when I first met Steve… I can hardly grasp that, gang!)

Anyway. Enjoy!!