joyce

joyce, 1 day ago to random

Good morning!

Another day, another early-morning walk. The summer walkers have come out now, so instead of just waving at my neighbor Ron, who like me walked all winter, I feel like I'm saying "Good morning" every few steps. Most of them won't last for more than a week or so.

Today I'll go to the grocery store and pharmacy and then write and do some chores. Once upon a time I lived an exciting life, but no more. I kind of like it this way.

Have a good one, friends.
#Today

joyce, 3 days ago to random

Good morning!

I'm skipping my early-morning walk today because I have an early-morning doctor's appointment instead. I'm meeting a new primary care physician since my last one quit the profession after I'd seen her only once. And the one before then quit the practice after I'd seen her for a couple of years.

Do you think it's me?

A lot of doctors in the US are quitting, partly from burnout after covid, but mostly, I think, because of the way they are hamstrung by the insurance companies dictating how they are allowed to do their jobs: what treatments patients are allowed to have, what medications, etc. It must be incredibly frustrating.

Anyway, I'll be heading out soon, then come back to a nice day and more writing.

Have a good one, friends.
#Today

joyce, 5 days ago to random

Good morning!

Another cloudy day with rain starting soon. I'm happy I got out for my walk before the rain, but I really wish we would have a sunny day.

Today will be a day of writing and chores, then reading and relaxing in the evening. Right now, though, I'm just sitting and sipping and scrolling. Grab a cup of coffee and #JoinIn.

#Today

joyce, 8 days ago to random

Good morning!

It was a gray, drizzly morning for my walk today, but it wasn't cold and I enjoyed walking in the rain. The rain is supposed to last all day, and I will stay indoors and dry for the rest of it.

In the last few days I've gotten most of the chores I needed to do done, and today I hope to spend all day writing. But first, I need some more coffee to get the brain cells working. Feel free to #joinIn and have a cup as well.
#Today

joyce, 9 days ago to random

Good morning!

After all my gardening yesterday, I woke up stiff and sore, but I still went out for my early-morning walk. It's a beautiful morning and promises to be a good day, at least until the rain comes in sometime late afternoon.

The walk worked some of the stiffness out. The soreness persists. I need to get out there soon and finish the garden work. Then back in for laundry and writing. I've neglected the writing for a couple of days and need to get back into it.

Have a good one, friends.
#Today

joyce, 10 days ago to random

Good morning!

For my early morning walk today, I walked along the sidewalks by the nearby houses rather than heading for the pond and the more wooded areas as I normally do. I scrutinized every porch, and my efforts were rewarded: I found my mis-delivered package! I hope no one saw me taking it and thought I was a porch pirate.

I am so relieved that I don't need to hassle with trying to get a replacement or a refund. And now I will sink into nostalgia, listening to the music of my youth.

May you find something you thought was lost #today.

joyce, 13 days ago to random

Good morning!

Lots of pain this morning. I think it's the humidity. In any case, I skipped my walk and am heading out soon for my haircut. There's so much I need to get done, and I don't feel up to any of it.

I hope you're having a better morning.
#Today

joyce, 14 days ago to random

Good morning!

Another early-morning walk and back again to coffee and breakfast. Today as usual I will write and do household chores, and this afternoon I will have my weekly marathon phone call with my sister. Today promises to be cooler than yesterday with some rain showers, thankfully not the thunderstorms they were predicting for us as late as yesterday.

Have a good one, friends.
#Today

joyce, 14 days ago to random

#WordWeavers 5/9 - Does your MC agree with #7&8? [Encouraged/discouraged behaviors in society.]

Gavin Rownt is a practicing Catholic and would agree with most of what the Church teaches, although he does not always abide by it (especially as regards sexual behavior). And he pushes the boundaries in terms of social class again and again.

joyce, 15 days ago to random

Good morning!

Today's walk was a short one because while I'll walk in rain now that I have my rain hat, a real downpour with thunder and lightning is out, and I could hear the thunderstorm coming and the sky looked ominous. So I cut it short, and then of course the storm missed us and now it's sunny.

It's going to be very hot and I plan to stay inside and write. And vacuum my house and mop the the hardwood floors. Or maybe I'll do that tomorrow. Or Friday.

Have a good one, friends.
#Today

joyce, 16 days ago to books

Book sales have not been great lately, so I broke one of my cardinal rules and looked, very briefly, at the Amazon reviews for the most recent one, fearing that someone had written something awful to put people off.

Nope, it's almost all 4 and 5 stars. The top one said it was my best book yet, which was nice. So did the second one, but I was shocked to read that while he (I think it's a he) liked the book, he doesn't like the MC at all. I mean, that's okay, but most readers tell me they read the books because they love Cordwainer. Why would he have read the first 16 books if he didn't like Cordwainer (the review made it clear he had read the series)? There is no way I'd read all those books if I hated the main character.

Oh, well, you can judge for yourself. The Matthew Cordwainer Medieval Mysteries are available as ebooks from Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=matthew+cordwainer+medieval+mysteries&crid=2SCRQ2XUKWU1A&sprefix=matthew+co%2Caps%2C101&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_3_10

#Books #Today

joyce, 17 days ago to random

Good morning!

I woke up from a night of broken sleep and unsettling dreams this morning, and just about everything ached. It's a cool and very foggy morning, and I went out as usual for my walk. I like walking in the fog, so it cheered me up, although the walking just made my back and hip joints ache more.

I figure the day can only get better from here.

My your day get better from here as well.
#Today

joyce, 18 days ago to random

A photo from my walk sometime last week. #SilentSunday

joyce, 19 days ago to random

Good morning!

It's May 4, and like every year I have conflicting emotions about this day. On the one hand, I'd love to get fully into the spirit of Star Wars Day and May the Fourth Be With You. On the other hand, this is the 54th anniversary of the day the Ohio National Guard opened fire on student protesters, killing four.

I remember that day vividly, even after all these years.

I've been thinking about May 4, 1970 a lot recently, as I watch the student protesters tear gassed and brutalized by the police and right-wing counter-protesters, as we were, see them misrepresented and lied about in the media, as we were, and pray that none will be murdered as students were at Kent State in Ohio and, a week later, at Jackson State in Mississippi.

I will spend today remembering.
#Today

joyce, 21 days ago to random

Good morning!

Today promises to be, well, interesting. Half of my neighborhood, including my house, will have the water shut down for the whole day, at least 9-5, perhaps longer, for "major repairs." After I returned from my early-morning walk, I started filling containers while the water is still on. I have coffee, a large pitcher full of drinking water, a basin full of water for washing, and a bucket for if I want to refill the toilet tank.

Even so, I will likely leave for a while. Perhaps I'll go to the library, find a book, and just read.

Have a good one, friends, and may your day be interesting in better ways than mine.
#Today

joyce, 22 days ago to random

Good morning!

Another pleasant day for my early-morning walk. I'm loving being able to go out without a coat, and with sunlight well before the rush hour starts so that it's quiet enough to hear the birds and the air is clear of car exhaust.

Nine years ago today I taught my last class before retirement. I still had papers to mark and finals to give, and 30+ years of stuff to clean out of my office, but I count May 1 as the anniversary of my retirement. I'll have a small celebration -- with chocolate.

I hope you find something to celebrate #today.

joyce, 22 days ago to random

The very first piece of my writing that was ever published was an entry in the Dune Encyclopedia, some 40-odd years ago. So of course I have to watch the Dune films. I didn't get out to see Dune 2 in a theatre, so I paid the big bucks today and streamed it. I have my quibbles with they way it's being done, but on the whole I've liked both films. We'll see about Dune 3.
#today #Dune

joyce, 25 days ago to random

Good morning!

This morning I saw three pair of adult geese standing watch over a large clutch of goslings at the side of the reflecting pond. I didn't count them, but I think the pond will be crowded this summer.

Cloudy and a bit drizzly for my early-morning walk, but the sun is supposed to come out and the day should warm up to 80F (26C).

I'll spend my day as usual, writing, maybe some light housekeeping, reading. Nothing very strenuous for #SofaSunday.

Have a good one, friends.
#Today

joyce, 28 days ago to random

Good morning!

As expected after pulling all the weeds from my flowerbed yesterday, I woke up with an aching back. I forced myself to get out there and walk anyway -- it was a little chilly, but the flowering trees are so beautiful that I don't want to miss a day of their blooming.

Coffee, breakfast, and ibuprofen should get me in shape to do some writing.

May you see something beautiful #today.

joyce, 1 month ago to random

A teacher friend of mine posted this on FB, and I haven't been able to stop laughing since I read it:

OMG - a few weeks ago someone posted an idea for outsmarting ChatGPT. Imbed weird instructions in white font color in the assignment. If they’re just popping the instructions into AI the weirdness will be included. So guess who just got a paper about Zora Neale Hurston that has references to ostriches and labradoodles?!

joyce, 1 month ago to random

Good morning!

It was a damp, drizzly, gray day for my early-morning walk today, but it wasn't too cold so it was kind of refreshing.

Now I'm back home with hot coffee and hot oatmeal and I'm getting ready for a day of writing. I don't need to go anywhere or do anything except write until late afternoon when I have my weekly marathon telephone call with my sister.

That's if I don't spend the day puttering around and doing nothing.

Have a good one, friends.
#Today

joyce, 1 month ago to random

"Today was a Difficult Day," said Pooh.
There was a pause.
"Do you want to talk about it?" asked Piglet.
"No," said Pooh after a bit. "No, I don't think I do."
"That's okay," said Piglet, and he came and sat beside his friend.
"What are you doing?" asked Pooh.
"Nothing, really," said Piglet. "Only, I know what Difficult Days are like. I quite often don't feel like talking about it on my Difficult Days either.
"But goodness," continued Piglet, "Difficult Days are so much easier when you know you've got someone there for you. And I'll always be here for you, Pooh."
And as Pooh sat there, working through in his head his Difficult Day, while the solid, reliable Piglet sat next to him quietly, swinging his little legs...he thought that his best friend had never been more right."
A.A. Milne

joyce, 1 month ago to random

Good morning!

It's a cold, grey, dreary day outside today. I woke up feeling depressed and have been trying to find my way out of the depression. It was raining when I usually go out to walk, and it's brunch day, when I usually skip the walk anyway to minimize my pain in the restaurant.

Maybe brunch with friends will make me feel better. Sometimes it does; other times I find myself unable to enjoy it and the depression worsens. If that happens, I'll come home and go back to bed.

I hope you are able to enjoy yourself #today.