• skunk

    Reading interruptus

    Last night, I started reading a new book (“The Spellshop” by Sarah Beth Durst, if you’re curious). I was reclining in my favorite chair in our library and beside me was a stack of books and a hot cup of tea. I was wrapped in a light, burgundy blanket. One black cat, Pepper, was curled up on top of the blanket on my calves. Another black cat, Treacle, was snuggled under the blanket on my lap. The other kitties were sleeping on warming mats, except Chai, who was staring out the open window.

    It was 3 a.m. and the house was blissfully quiet.

    The book, a hardcover that features the most delightful lilac-colored fore-edge, begins with a librarian and her assistant fleeing for their lives. A revolution had reached the library where they lived and worked, and the rebels had just set the building on fire (eek!). The heroine and her sidekick were in the process of escaping by boat with a mere five crates of rescued books and scrolls when…

    I was violently pulled out of the story and attacked by the most dreadful odor. Anyone with a nose would instantly recognize the scent as eau de skunk. Apparently, one was walking past the library window, spotted Chai and let ‘er rip.

    For those who don’t know, I have one superpower: a strong sense of smell. I can smell faint whiffs of smoke from miles away. I can time the doneness of bread baking in the oven by its scent. I can smell individual spices in cakes and flavors in teas. But when a strong scent, such as skunk, hits me, it is overwhelmingly awful.

    Now, since I no longer have a dog who can be “skunked” — and yes, I’ve had the misfortune of that experience — skunks generally don’t bother me. In fact, I appreciate skunks. Like me, they’re mostly nocturnal and have weak eyesight. They’re black and white, two of my favorite colors. They only get their dander up when they’re bothered; otherwise, they’re fairly mild-tempered. And, they’re useful in the garden because they feed on pests and control the insect population.

    But the smell…bloody fuckin’ hell. It filled the room and stuck to the inside of my nose. When I pinched my nose and tried to breathe out of my mouth, the oily stench coated my tongue. My eyes watered from the terribleness of it and my mind filled with one word: FLEE.

    Which is exactly what I did. I kicked the kitties off my lap (though they weren’t taken off-guard because they, too, had already been awoken by the smell). I leaped from the chair and slammed the window shut. While holding my breath, I grabbed the teacup and ran to the far side of the house. Wisely, the kitties joined me.

    I wish the skunk no harm. Honest. But, please oh please, let the wee beastie find somewhere else to den for winter.

  • Skeleton at a typewriter

    Seeking: A job that’s remotely interesting

    I love being a remote worker, particularly at night. The companies I work for don’t have to fork over big bucks to rent or buy office space/keep the lights on/pay security guards, and I don’t have to sit alone in an empty building. There’s no need to provide free coffee or snacks. Tools like Slack and email allow for great communication, creativity and brain-storming. And, worker retention and loyalty remains high.

    Working from home also allows me to avoid getting sick or making others in the office ill. It means I can work during New England’s winter storms without driving in them (and I still get to enjoy the beauty of living here). Since my car is in the garage, it isn’t adding to traffic jams or harming the environment in any way. Plus, these are my colleagues:

     

    Pepper, Treacle, Chai, Trifle and Choux

     

    Needless to say, my contract at Apple News has ended and I’m looking for another remote gig. If you hear of anything, please let me know. Thanks!

  • Autumn Leaves reflected

    Quote of the day

    “It was a beautiful bright autumn day, with air like cider and a sky so blue you could drown in it.” –Diana Gabaldon, “Outlander”

  • Pen writing

    Mark my words v.6

    As I’ve mentioned in past blog posts (seen here and here and here and here and here), I’m drawn to certain words. The attraction is often a word’s meaning or spelling, but sometimes I just like the way a word rolls off my tongue.

    These are more of my favorites:

    Komorebi

    Hoppipolla

    Tsundoku

    Vellichor

    Fernweh

    Tartle

    Inglenook

    Phosphenes

    Revenant

    Otherworldly

    Alight

    Elysium

    Psithurism

    Kibosh

    Ukulele

    Mortician

    Svengali

    Grawlix

    Flutist

    What are some of yours?

  • Believe mug from Ted Lasso

    I believe in believe

    I had zero interest in watching “Ted Lasso.” As someone who’s not a sports fan, I couldn’t imagine viewing an entire series about soccer… err, football.

    Then, M gave me the go-ahead.

    This is one of the perks of being married for a long time that’s rarely mentioned in movies or novels. When you’ve been together for years or decades, your partner knows your likes and dislikes, and can usually act as a guide for the unfamiliar. For example, I’m constantly trying out new recipes and making M taste-test them (the creamy cajun-spiced chicken pasta dish that was recently featured in The New York Times was a real hit). And he will often watch shows or movies and then let me know if I should see ’em too. Sometimes, he’ll discover a program, watch a few minutes, realize that we should watch it together and then wait to see the rest of it. How sweet is that?

    Anyway, he told me to view at least two or three episodes of “Ted Lasso” and then make up my mind about the show. I have now watched the entire series three times. It is just so brilliantly written and acted. It’s also full of kindness and joy, which as we all know, has been in short supply these past few years.

    M loved the show so much that he dressed up as Ted Lasso for Halloween in 2022. He even shaved his beard to make the costume work, which was a real hoot.

    Part of M’s costume was the cup you see above, featuring Ted’s famous BELIEVE sign. It is currently my favorite mug for tea. I love the size — large — and the lip at the top which makes spillage less likely. But it’s the message that I’m clinging to as I explore this next phase of life.