hither and thither

 It was a day of driving hither and thither… over field and dale… down highway and thru suburb. 

After tossing and turning thinking about plates (ok ok I know I’m nuts!) I wasn’t keen on going into the deep dark depths of the city to a crowded store to get something so frivolous, so I decided that we’d go into town to the closest Loblaws and if they didn’t have them there then I’d be out of luck.. Sadly, it was a wasted trip. Maybe next week if we have a nice day and the plates are still in stock I’ll order for a curbside pickup. Or maybe my feeble brain will have moved on to something more important!

The real reason for the trip into town was to have a short driveway visit with Mom, Dad, and Graham. As we pulled up to their house the sun disappeared behind thick clouds and the temperature seemed to drop like a stone, not great for standing around outside, but it was awesome to lay eyes on them in real-time. It will sure be nice when we can get together properly. Our fingers are crossed for the vaccine.

A few more quick stops and we were home. Before we left we’d picked up the carpet that Spike had peed on last time and put a pee pad in its place. No sign of an accident but by the way he peed when he got outside it’s a good thing we got home when we did. 

It’s Friday night so reminiscent of working days we celebrated with nibbles at the coffee table. Nachos tonight (oh so good). Choosing a beer to match was relatively easy, especially since I usually chose the can with the picture I like the best. 🤣

The Upside was a delightful IPA with a different flavour profile than our other tries. I think it’s my favorite so far, or at the very least is tied with Space Invaders.

“A wish is many things. It is hope and desire and daydreams. It is impossibility and improbability and something in between. It is stardust and well water and spectrums of light in the sky. It is half-melted birthday candles and Christmas lists. It is broken turkey bones, It is the willing suspension of disbelief.

And sometimes it is desperation. It is a hole in your heart that wants filling. It is more-than-anything-in-the-world.”

~John David Anderson

each one illuminated

 I was itching for an outing today so with our Advent beer fest in mind, as well as thoughts about some plates I’ve been seeing advertised at the grocery store, we travelled the 7 km to our nearby town. 

The LCBO had a good selection of beer, most of which were not at Foodland where we got the first batch. I knew to stay away from a few of them based on Trudie’s recommendation. We mostly stayed mainstream with IPAs but did deviate with a chocolate milkshake that we’ll have one day.

And the plates? Boo hiss. Not a plate to be seen. Once home I checked again and found out that the only store that has them is deep in the city. I suppose if we are going crazy for a drive, but I’m having a hard time getting my head around the idea of going into a busy city store. I’ll sleep on it.

We’ve been eating at the table most nights - one of the things I enjoy about having company is setting the stage on the table, hence my desire for more choice, more props, even if it is just for Carm and I. I’m working hard at finding things to bring a feeling of contentment and silly as it seems, a few different kinds of dishes would make me happy.

Talking about contentment… as we were driving home from our adventure I was struck at the gymnastics my bipolar brain is capable of… a lovely feeling of ‘peaceful easy feeling’ was superimposed by intense anxiety - I vacillated between the two faster than you can snap your fingers and sometimes they existed together… no wonder I’m a nut case!

Tonight we had an IPA from Flying Monkey. Time Surfing was a deliciously bright beer with no citrus. We’ve actually picked a few of their beers to have over the next few weeks. So much fun! We are enjoying our discoveries everyday - it’s a small thing to look forward to.

“There would be bad days, there always would. But she'd collect these good days, each one illuminated, and string them together until they glowed brightly in her memory like Christmas lights in a mirrored room.”

~Margarita Montimore

the lights twinkle brilliantly

 There was enough snow on the ground this morning to brighten up the house with a cold, blue light. Brrrr…. It was no real surprise that I didn’t want to get out of bed, especially since we deployed new linen sheets on the weekend. It took a few nights to get used to the scratchy linen but I’ve adapted quite well and it takes some prying to get me up.

Thinking back on my day I’m not even sure if I went outside once! I don’t know how the day went by so quickly - it was time to start thinking of supper before I knew it. 

I did take some time to read one short story by Alice Monro. Actually I read it twice. The first time I reached the end of the story I was surprised and, like the main character, felt that I’d been betrayed, that I’d naively accepted as truth the lies and omissions, without even questioning it. The second time through I read more carefully, looking for clues. I read it as someone less believing so I saw the deception.

There’s a certain grittiness to her stories that isn’t uplifting. Her stories are not about joy but are mean depictions of life. The settings are rarely beautiful and if they are somehow the beauty will be removed. I do love how she turns a few words into a deeper understanding. 

Tonight we watched a ‘Mighty Cruise Ships’ episode where they visited Norway. We both agreed that we’ll cruise there someday. I think Carm was surprised at how beautiful it is. 

Tonight’s IPA was a delightful beer. It was lightly citrusy with a fresh taste. It would be nice on a hot day in the summer. 

“The mind is like a circuit of

Christmas tree lights. When the

brain works well, all of the lights

twinkle brilliantly, and it’s adaptable

enough that, often, even if one bulb

goes out, the rest will still shine on.

But depending on where the

damage is, sometimes that one

blown bulb can make the whole

strand go dark.”

~Susannah Cahalan