We have to take Smokey to the vet this morning for a follow-up on his ear infection. Poor little guy has had to tolerate my cleaning his ears each day (drip solution in the ear canal and then root around in there with a twisted cotton ball). Plus, I have to put in refrigerator-cold, medicated ear drops twice a day. He blinks when the cold drops go in, but he doesn't fight.
Michael and I have been taking a sort of "staycation" this week. I thought I was going to have three to four weeks off before my next project started, but another publisher contacted us about an assignment we could do short-term, and we couldn't turn it down. I've been feeling a lot of ambivalence all week. I'm glad for the work and the chance to earn more money than we thought, plus this job is in a subject area we're eager to work in. But I wanted more time off. It's been an exhausting summer in terms of the assignments we've had. As it is, I've had to deal with some medical appointments and paying bills, etc., so this week hasn't been as much of a vacation as I'd hoped.
I'm still hugely behind in caring for the garden. I thought I could make myself work out there 8 hours or so this week, but each day I find myself wanting to relax more than work. Yesterday, we got scattered showers from the remnants of Gustav, which probably doesn't even qualify as a tropical storm anymore, and it's raining even more today. At least, I have an excuse for neglecting the garden work that I was dreading. LOL.
On the brighter side, we have had some fun this week. I've started reading the latest Dick Francis mystery Silks, written with his son Felix. My late brother Carl was a huge Dick Francis fan, and when he died, I inherited his collection of every Dick Francis mystery ever written up to 2000. When I started reading them, I discovered I really liked them. So now I make sure to buy each new one as it comes out. Usually, I rely on the library for mysteries I want to read, but I buy these because I feel as though I'm carrying on for Carl in a strange sort of way.
Tuesday, we went to go see the movie Tropic Thunder. Frankly, we're not big on comedies, which often seem sophomoric, but we enjoyed this spoof of war/action movies. There are some gross bits at the beginning, but it really is a funny send-up of that genre. Robert Downey, Jr., does an amazing job in this movie. If you needed something totally distracting and don't mind some gore (rather fake-looking gore), it's worth seeing.
Michael recently bought a new computer game called Tropico, in which you rule a Caribbean island and try to develop it and keep the people from uprising or voting you out. We've been playing it together this week. You can falsify elections, impose martial law, have opponents executed, and stash away money in your Swiss bank account, but Michael and I are afflicted with Christian ethics even in our fantasy games, so we're trying to have legitimate democracy and a functioning diversified economy. It's been fun. He operates the mouse and keyboard, while I knit, and we discuss the various options and make decisions together.
I tried to think of a third activity with the word Tropic in it, but I wasn't able to. So I'll just leave you with this photograph from the last real vacation we took: a trip to Florida in March 2007. I thought an alligator fit with the semi-tropical theme of this post. (BTW, alligators terrify me, and I was safely ensconced in a tour boat a good distance away when I shot this.)
Have a good Thursday.
15 comments:
I haven't read a Dick Francis novel in years. But I totally get the whole "keeping up the collection" thing. It's funny how something little like that can keep us feeling connected to someone.
Now I can publicly admit that we saw Tropic Thunder and it was funnier than I would have imagined.
And I must say that the closing scene with Tom Cruise dancing made me laugh my head off.
I haven't read a Dick Francis novel in quite some time. I used to own most of them, along with hundreds of other books. Most went to the library in a down-sizing frenzy. Just about broke my heart, but one does what one must. I need to visit the library and play catch-up on the Francis books I haven't read.
Enjoy the remainder of your staycation.
I love it when something like inclement weather keeps me from doing something I should, but don't want to do. ;) I hope you can find some time to rest this week.
I hope Smokey feels better. I've never had a "staycation" (great portmanteau word!). I've seen alligators at zoos and once at Gatorland in Kissimmee, Florida, which burned down a couple of years ago (Gatorland, not Kissimmee, Florida), but never in the wild! Lucky you (I think)!
Another great post!
I'm rooting for a legitimate government to succeed in Tropico: "Go, Good Guys!" If you can do it, maybe we can too.
I don't know that I've read a Dick Francis book. I may have, but I'm not so great at paying attention to the author unless I *really* love it...or hate it. How wonderful to carry on for your brother.
Is Tropic Thunder appropriate for a 9 year old? Wonderboy wants to see it.
I'll be interested to here how your Tropico works out.
I am so not good at computer games. My hubby used to love to play Sim City and he'd put in all the infrastructure, etc. But I just wanted to use the "cheats" and have unlimited funds so I could give them zoos and amusement parks and stuff! (And I quit telling people what he liked to play because they always misunderstood and thought I said SIN City!) Alligators are so familiar they don't bother me - my brother even catches nuisance alligators, with his minister, who does it as a part time job! They aren't usually too aggressive, unless people have been feeding them.
I've never read any of Francis' books. I'm not a big mystery fan for some reason. I prefer scifi for my fun reading. Procrastination is my favorite word! I've been putting off painting for at least 3 months now. Alas, I am going to have to start soon. It's now officially fall by my calculation. I want to get the living room done and the kitchen by spring. Yech. sounds like no fun at all.
Funny, alligators don't scare me at all. I guess they should.
Love the way the light is gleaming off this one!
It's feeling like the Tropics around here with all this rain (we've had almost 3" so far) but then when you go outdoors, it's way too cool to be the Tropics!
I love the word "staycation"... I've never heard that before and it's a good one! I sure hope you get to find some relaxation soon. I know how hard you work!
Poor little Smokey, he's had so many health issues lately. He's such a trooper! I hope he's okay.
Poor Smokey! Amie would sympathize. She's also very patient and stoic when I have to doctor her ears.
I'm sorry it's been such a tiring summer. It seems we either have lots of time and no money to get out and do things, or plenty of money and no time to go spend it!
I haven't read a Dick Francis in a while but I do love his books. He is a great writer, his style effortless and flowing. One never has to backtrack to remember what he said or to catch up with the beginning of a paragraph. I have most of them, too!
When we went to Florida, we had a great time, and ended up with half a day spare between checking out of the hotel and driving to the airport. We chose to do a swamp boat ride and it was the highlight of the whole trip! It was incredible! Alligators, Cottonmouths, Bald Eagles ... all in their natural habitat. I'm so glad we did it!
Staycation! I love that term. I hope you still feel rested Ruth. What an amazing picture. Now that would have fitted into a recent post of mine perfectly! :o)
Give Smokey a great big hug for me please.
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