adikos.net

Rainfall

CWs: food, drink, alcohol, pet health

It's the start of another week. Mondays aren't terrible. I actually kinda like the lead-in to Tuesday which is my sole office day. Before I threw on music just now, I could hear rain falling outside. We badly need the moisture here, although it'll likely be fleeting. It's been colder and overcast lately and I'm happy for the little respite before late spring and the onset of summer. I've taken care of the kitties' boxes, showered, changed into clean PJs. I am pretty comfy and calm and things are good.

My spouse reminded me sometime last week that Saturday, just a couple of days ago, was Independent Bookstore Day. So their plan was, go check out our three favorites in the area and spend too much on books. We got paid on Friday, so why not? We made it through the week, hard-won, and had a nice weekend for sure. Friday was chill, played videogames and listened to music and just relaxed. Saturday morning was cold, in the 30s F. We took jackets, a number of bags, and took the bus up to downtown from our favorite park-and-ride. Started with a stop for coffee at one of our favorite local places. We went to a new romance bookstore in the area, both selected a book, lovely. Went to another favorite local bookstore, found some cool stuff. Ended up getting tea at one of our favorite tea places. Off to another bookstore, our first local love, more books. Went to our favorite local bakery to get delicious sourdough.

It was just cold, not rainy as expected, at least not when we were on the bus. Rain is one of the things I miss most about Oregon. I always like to say I came "from the land of cold and rain" but it's true. One of my favorite things about growing up there. So when we get cold and rain here, it always makes me happy, and I always think of it as an "Oregon day" or "Oregon weather" when it's grey and overcast and cold and wet and dreary. Makes me think of spending time on the coast and looking over the boundless, grey ocean to the west.

Took the bus back down to our car, went home to drop off our haul and say hi to the kitties. We then decided to go down south. My spouse wanted to go to a local chocolate shop and get some bonbons, so we headed a little ways south to do that. We checked out a pizza place we'd never been to, had delicious salads and pizzas, and drinks (I got a local pilsner, my spouse the house pinot and then red blend; both were delightful). Went to another bookstore in the area, found some lovely stuff. Got ice cream at a local place. Headed back home to hang out with the kitties.

I hadn't expected our weekend to be busier after that. I figured our Sunday would be calm. I had this wild idea of doing yardwork on Sunday, but the rain sorta hampered that. We also had to get groceries and did a couple of other errands. By the time we got home from those, I didn't want to do anything. We got stuff to make lasagna for dinner and it was delightful and we also had salads. A calm end to a busy, but fun weekend.

I read a bit last night. I'm a little over halfway through an Indigenous dark fiction/horror story collection called Never Whistle at Night and it is really, really good. I don't tend to read much on weekends though, usually just on Sunday-Thursday. I'm reading a poetry collection published in 1881 (Will Carleton's Farm Festivals), and my edition is actually from 1881, too, and in remarkably good condition. It's really quite nice and I'm excited to read more tonight after I feed the girls. I've also been watching more Farscape, but I'm actually behind on listening to podcasts since I've been really enjoying the show. I'd probably be watching an episode right now if I were caught up, but I wanted to write something.

I'm listening to a new (to me) artist, Emily Scott Robinson. I randomly caught an article about her on my Colorado Public Radio RSS feed, and thought her music sounded like I would enjoy it. Found her Bandcamp and I'm really enjoying her music thus far. Reminds me a lot of the amazing Angela Augtumn, whose music I really enjoy as well (upon a friend's recommendation!). So yeah, this will definitely be part of my next Bandcamp haul and this is making me happy tonight. I have a ton of music these days and it's sometimes hard to keep track of it. I'm buying less of it though than I used to (not enough $$), and being a little more selective, but I still have managed to find some lovely gems. Music is a lifelong passion, a lifelong search. As I mentioned recently, I'm trying to get back into playing guitar. But I need to learn from the ground up and that is going to take some time and practice. I have the guitar sitting in the corner and it's a constant reminder to get back to it. I think it'd be fun to play songs again. Just for myself, just for fun, just to do it. But I will never stop loving just listening to music and letting it wash over me, just like that rainfall I often miss. I feel like I need to go back to Oregon and see my family whenever it's possible to do so. It's been nearly four years which is too long.

Lyra still has the remnants of an eye infection. We've been giving her the eye goop again but I don't 100% know if it's working. We're gonna keep giving her the goop throughout this week and call the vet if needed. I worry about the little furball. I love her so much and I don't like seeing her not feeling well. She is a little light in our lives, alongside Ajax and Xya. I love all those furry little souls.

Otherwise, I'm going to keep listening to this music for a little while longer, do computer stuff, whatever, before I feed the girls. Then I'll read, then I'll crash and snuggle up for some slumber before meeting the next day. Hoping for the best, preparing for the worst, hoping to be pleasantly surprised somehow. Love y'all, friends <3