contours provocations - 2006-0328

contours provocations
journal - 2006-0328 - tue 2200

Chickens coming home to roost; lamp shades; paperbacks; cat food; meds; root and limb trimming; raindrops

Sunday night I did not sleep well. Then I did lot of things yesterday, so last night I was exhausted. And I slept late this morning, so I felt more rested today.

At lunch, I ran into a couple of people I used to work with. Essentially our conversation was what has happened to the organization. We were in agreement that it has been ruined by the current administration.

I suppose it's time I finally mention the organization - Mississippi Public Broadcasting.

We were also in agreement that very soon they will face the karma they've generated. Chickens coming home to roost - so to speak.

So many of the actions of upper management have been done in such an arrogrant manner that I'm almost convenienced that one day someone will snap and there will be physical violence.

After lunch, I headed off to the used paperback book store. (Yesterday, I visited the local public library, and for the third time noticed how limited the fiction section is.) The paperback book store tends to carry books for which there is a strong interest. And several times, I've had books I've brought in rejected because the owner does not think they will sell.

But ever now and then, I'll encounter a worthy new find. But not as frequently as I'd like.

Since my income is now far more limited than it was, I'm having to think of ways to economize. And books have always been one of my greatest pleasures.

I next made a quick trip to Lowe's to see if they sold replacement shades for the one I broke from the track lighting unit. (I'd hoped I'd hear back from the manufacturer, but I've concluded that's a dead end.) Well, they do have replacement shades, but not for the unit I bought. I finally purchased a single-bulb unit for $10, since I couldn't get a replacement any other way. I very carefully installed it in the bath this evening. I certainly had no desire to break another shade.

This morning, before I went out, I checked the 800 number for my checking account, and the credit for the returned item had cleared.

This allowed me to buy petrol and make a stop at WalMart. The cats have gotten very picky about their din din of late, so I knew I needed to switch types. They've not been eating what I put out, so after a day or so, I have to dump it.

I seldom actually buy food; it's mostly supplies. Today it was paper towels, liquid soap, glass cleaner, a pack of rajor blades, cat litter, a TV Guide and cat food. My single food item was two packs of blueberry muffins.

My last stop was the druggist. Which took $90 of my money for four prescriptions.

When I got home, I lugged in everything. One of my least favorite tasks. Put on a washer of clothes. Went out to the street to sort out the trash. They'd picked up what was in the containers but left the other items. I never can figure out what they will pick up or not.

Then with hammer, hatchet and saw, I set about trying to get rid of some roots from a cutdown fruitless mulberry tree. I didn't think I was going to succeed, but I was able to chop up several.

Next with small clippers, large clippers and saw, I trimmed the limbs of a still standing fruitless mulberry tree. This turned out to be a lot more difficult than I thought.

I have no idea what the attraction of the trees was when my parents planted them. But the limbs die at an alarming rate. One tree of the pair was cut down long ago. The surviving tree has a 50/50 mix of live and dead limbs.

The other trees on the front and side yards are pines which have one of the most evasive root systems around. The front is not too bad. But the side yard is crisscrossed with protruding roots that makes it impossible to mow. And almost dangerous to walk across.

It rained at lunchtime. Raindrops the size of pinpoints squirted across the windshield as I drove. And looking into the distance was like glancing through mountain mist. I'd hoped it would continue, but it had stopped when I came out of WalMart.

PAX!