Sorry I’m late.

Made a quick dash to the Dollar Store to get more cat food.

Then wanted to vacuum the downstairs and wipe down the kitchen counters, because the nurse from the insurance company is coming this afternoon for my first annual check-up. I don’t want my kitchen to look as if 723 cats live here…

The insurance company has texted me no less than 4 times to remind me to not keep the nurse waiting, she will be in a hurry. And yet I have a three hour window wherein I will have to wait for her to show up…

Anyway.

So I got that done. The 124-year-old kitchen looks great.

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Okay. So.

Wow! This arrived yesterday!

I absolutely love it, gang!!

Straight out of yesteryear, only better!!

You might wonder how anything straight out of yesteryear could be better… it has a blue tooth!

This means I can listen to my lectures on the Protestant Reformation at a louder volume. For some reason, this particular lecture series is not very loud. So that blue tooth will be great for that.

But yesterday, I put in one of the old cassettes from “Learn French in 3 Months” and immediately, it brought back such great memories.

I haven’t listened to it in maybe 10 years. 2 houses ago. It has this opening theme music that is, like, old-timey French accordion music:

Apparently, I really enjoyed studying with these specific tapes, because that theme music brought such a happy smile to my face!

So we shall see, gang. Who knows if I really have time to study French again to this degree, but I’m going to try.

I also have the Mandarin Chinese cassettes out, too. Haven’t put one of those in yet, though.

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All righty! Come one, come all!!

The magnificent cats have managed yet another astounding disappearing act!!

When I got up at 5AM this morning, and put on my flannel robe in the dark, the sash to close the robe was completely missing.

I turned on the lights and searched the closet and under the bed, but it is nowhere.

I have made a cursory look in every room in the house, upstairs and down, and I cannot find the sash anywhere.

I cannot imagine what they’ve done with it. I’m guessing that maybe 20 years from now, it will suddenly re-appear.

Meanwhile, it’s annoying, but on we go…

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I just want to mention really quickly that my shift with my favorite 95-year-old Japanese man yesterday was a little sad, gang. He has gotten over the trauma of his family being there last week, but it is really clear that he is declining. But we just do our best.

Tomorrow, I might take him back to that beautiful clubhouse at the golf course. The leaves are starting to turn now and I know the views will be spectacular.

I’m at least planning on doing that, but I guess we’ll know for sure when I get there tomorrow and see how he is.

**********

Okay, here’s this!

From the Rolling Stones, to promote the re-issue of Black & Blue, coming November 14th:

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Today is also that Book Talk with the Internet Archive. It starts when I’m also supposed to start waiting for the nurse, but at least it’s being recorded, in case she shows up at 1PM on the dot…

But this also means that I will be setting the laptop up down in the kitchen. I’m hoping that between the book talk and waiting on the nurse, I can get some work done on the novel. But I don’t really like working down at the kitchen table. I focus better at my desk upstairs.

We shall see. (I might just say screw it, and call Valerie in Brooklyn instead.)

Meanwhile.

Tonight is the “mixer” on Zoom, for the opening night of the New Testament Conference that begins tomorrow.

I am already feeling that “stupidly busy” feeling. I really just want to focus on the novel.

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I’m thinking that’s it for today, gang. It’s just really sort of distracting around here this morning.

Enjoy your Thursday, wherever you are in the world.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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I listened to Lou Reed’s New Sensations while driving to town and back yesterday. I hadn’t actually listened to that whole album in quite a while. (See yesterday’s post.)

So I leave you with this, today!

“Fly Into the Sun”. 1984. Lou Reed, from New Sensations. Enjoy, gang.

“Fly Into the Sun”

[Verse 1]
I would not run from the holocaust
I would not run from the bomb
I’d welcome the chance to meet my maker
And fly into the sun

[Chorus]
Fly into the sun
Fly into the sun
I’d break up into a million pieces
And fly into the sun

[Verse 2]
I would not run from the blazing light
I would not run from its rain
I’d see it as an end to misery
As an end to worldly pain

[Chorus]
An end to worldly pain
An end to worldly pain
I’d shine by the light of the unknown moment
To end this worldly pain

[Chorus]
And fly into the sun
Fly into the sun
I’d shine by the light of the unknown moment
And fly into the sun

[Verse 3]
The earth is weeping, the sky is shaking
The stars split to their core
And every proton and unnamed neutron
Is fusing in my bones

[Verse 4]
And an unnamed mammal is darkly rising
As man burns from his tomb
And I look at this as a blissful moment
To fly into the sun

[Chorus]
Fly into the sun
Fly into the sun
I’d burn up into a million pieces
And fly into the sun

[Chorus]
To end this mystery
Answer my mystery
I’d look at this as a wondrous moment
To end this mystery

[Chorus]
Fly into the sun
Fly into the sun
I’d break up into a million pieces
And fly into the sun

c – 1984 Lou Reed