Because what really happened this morning totally upset me.

I was not yet out of bed, but I was awake. Lying there, really peacefully. Really comfortable in my amazingly comfortable bed (come visit & find out!!).

The sun was not yet up so I couldn’t see which CAT did it, but it was one of the large, heavy ones — however, what he or she did was come leaping suddenly over to the bed, landing on my chest and then using my chin as a springboard for their back feet (CLAWS!!) to go springing off into the dark again.

And, yes, blood was suddenly streaming everywhere…

Crap. It really hurt.

My first thought, of course, was that I have my fucking annual review at the Agency today, right?

My favorite 95-year-old Japanese man will not give a hoot that my chin is shredded today, but I was kinda hoping to look sort of professional at the meeting. (This will be my supervisor’s supervisor — so it’s the, you know, Chief BigWig gal.)

Anyway. At least I didn’t get THIS:

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And it could’ve been a huge gouge in my lip, instead. Or it could’ve, you know, punctured my eye. Or god only knows what other horrific thing, so once the bleeding stopped and the pain went away, I decided to be happy that it wasn’t a whole lot worse…

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And so here I am!!

And here’s something else I’m grateful for.

I was at my favorite 95-year-old Japanese man’s house yesterday morning (I had just gotten there) and my phone rang.

It was the Amish roofer guy!

HE: “We’re at your house right now, did you still want us to fix your siding?”

Absolutely! So my siding got fixed and then they stopped by again after I got home so that I could pay them. And, once again, they did such a great job. And I was once again grateful to my now deceased dad because I was able to pay them in cash.

And shortly before they arrived, Sandra called from NYC. And we had a very, very good chat. And she said that, even though my trip there in June doesn’t involve work on “The Guide to Being Fabulous,” there’s still a good chance I can stay in that new apartment she shares with that other woman. And perhaps stay for free, but at the very least, for about $60 a night. (The other woman owns the apartment so it’s up to her.)

So we shall see, gang. I have until June 9th to cancel the hotel reservation without getting charged a fee. But $180 compared to 3 nights in a hotel off Times Square… as much as I love hotels, it would save me a fortune. So we’ll just see.

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Tomorrow is the first night of Passover. (Which was also the night of the Last Supper, about 2 thousand years ago.)

As difficult as my family-life was, when I was a little girl, I really loved the first night of Passover, even though it was really long (several hours, literally). We usually spent it at my adoptive mother’s parents’ house. My grandparents were extremely conservative Jews, so we followed the Haggadah from start to finish, the exact same way, every single time, every year.

In fact, this was the brand of Haggadah we used. The story was in English but the prayers and songs were in Hebrew:

I do get sort of “homesick” for those old days, whenever Passover rolls around. I honestly do. I am an extremely family-oriented person and I have about zippo family left now.

And last night, I found this on YouTube — my favorite song from Passover!! (I still remember every word.) The whole family would sing this song together, in Hebrew, at the end of the Pesach dinner. It was a really joyful thing:

And while I did inherit a really beautiful set of fine china (service for 12) from that same grandmother, along with several sterling silver pieces that were always on the Seder table — candlesticks, creamer & sugar bowl set, serving platters and trays. The only piece I inherited from the actual Seder things was this (front & back):

This contained the salt water that you passed around the table and dipped the bitter herbs into (and then ate them, while saying a prayer). It was symbolic of the tears the Hebrews cried while escaping Pharoah and then following Moses endlessly through the desert.

I absolutely love this thing, even though I have never used it on my own.

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Well, anyway. That’s about the extent of my Passover this week!

Meanwhile!!

Here’s this!

Speaking of Eastern European Jews….

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And here’s this!

Also from long ago, and I miss those days, too (although perhaps I don’t miss that mustache…).

Nick Cave & Warren Ellis, in days of yore:

And Warren Ellis presently! In America! (I’m not 100% positive, but I think he’s in a really fancy bowling alley here…)

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And I think that is it for today.

The visit between my favorite 95-year-old Japanese man and his daughter continues to go really well. And for some unknown and miraculous reason, the weather has not been as bad as was predicted (yet).

We did go get sushi, sashimi, and sake yesterday, too. And that went well. Today, though, he and I will be on our own because she has a couple of meetings to go to. But it’s been going really good.

All right, well.

Have a terrific Tuesday wherever you are in the world!!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys, See ya!

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Going back to My Aim is True, 1977, by Elvis Costello!

This fine song was singing in my head this morning! (Before the cat attack, that is). This was sort of an iconic song back then. I still love it.

“Less Than Zero.” (Original version.) Enjoy, gang!

"Less Than Zero" 

Calling Mr. Oswald with the swastika tattoo
There is a vacancy waiting in the English voodoo
Carving "V" for "vandal" on the guilty boy's head
When he's had enough of that, maybe you'll take him to bed
To teach him he's alive before he wishes he was dead

[Chorus:]
Turn up the TV, no one listening will suspect
Even your mother won't detect it, so your father won't know
They think that I've got no respect but
Everything is less than zero
Hey, oo hey-ey
Hey, oo hey-ey

Oswald and his sister are doing it again
They've got the finest home movies that you have ever seen
They've got a thousand variations, every service with a smile
They're gonna take a little break and they'll be back after a while
Well, I hear that South America is coming into style

[Chorus:]

A pistol was still smoking, a man lay on the floor
Mr. Oswald said he had an understanding with the law
He said he heard about a couple living in the USA
He said they traded in their baby for a Chevrolet
Let's talk about the future, now we've put the past away

[Chorus:]
Hey, oo hey-ey
Hey, oo hey-ey...

c - 1977 Elvis Costello