Containment. Excellent SF Reading

by Christian Cantrell.

Most fun science fiction reading in two years.  Or more.  All the fun techie stuff, paranoid stuff, near-future predictions, space colony stuff.  And, iirc, no words or scenes to offend Mormons, which I didn't even notice until I wanted to tell everyone about it and realized I could.

Only costs $1 as ebook, or free in HTML.  Don't be fooled by the cheap price.

I hope his day job will leave enough time to write more novels.

Bunny Slippers

You laugh, but I've been looking for large bunny slippers for almost three years now.

http://www.bunnyslippers.com/

It's spring, and a thoughts turn to love. Outdoor Furniture love.

http://babmar.com/i-972575-verano-outdoor-sofa-set-one-piece-sofa.html

with delivery, $2600. Whew.

I wonder if it is at all comfortable to sit on however.

That's the one thing about mall retailers like Pottery Barn.  They've prescreened for such concerns.

What I like about this set: the arms are not too thick.  Get a lot of seating for the footprint.  Modern square look good for my house.  Sofa is not a sectional, therefore it won't separate when we all sit on it, or when I'm napping on it with a novel.

It may say "2009," but before I saw this kind of thing last year (and saw it everywhere) I don't think I'd ever seen any patio furniture I wanted.  The year before I saw this kind of thing in front of our hotel in Berlin.

And the beautiful Sabbath meal was

hot dogs with buns, vegetarian chili, cheese, pickles, salad.
no placemats, no china.

Sometimes being together is beautiful enough.

yay lucky me!

I won a handful of consulting hours from Karman Ng of Cantilever Design at the school fundraising auction.

Which is good, because I love, love, love my house, but I am stuck, stuck, stuck, about how to bring it up to speed.

Beautiful Sabbath Meal

I used to be such a great mother.  I made hot breakfast every school morning, often whole-pancakes.  And, the meal included getting a serving a fruit into each child before they left the house.

Then, the advent of the second teenager.  I was told by all parties I was not leaving enough room for her independence.  So, now that teen, and all the others, serve themselves cold cereal, no fruit, and I stay out of it.

And now making a hot breakfast seems like unwanted extra work on a school morning.  Because it doesn't have the benefit of routine.

For 2010, we're on the afternoon church schedule.  The last time we were on it, I for the most part stopped making lovely sabbath meals.  So, my once-a-week china has been living in the cupboard for a long time.

The children don't even remember Sunday meals anymore.

So, Saturday I actually made preparations.  I thought of a meal that would please everyone (spaghetti with meat on the side, salad, rolls, grapes.)  Warned RoutineGirl that something different would happen and got her preapproval on the food.  Bought the food.

But, Forgot to either clean up the Saturday night kitchen, or make a kid do it.

So, where I needed to have the meal on the table at 11, I was instead trying to clean up the ubermess the kids made while I was out Saturday night.  And, KoolAidGirl wouldn't clean up her mess unless I left the kitchen, because she's "claustrophobic."  So the kitchen wasn't usable until nearly noon, and dinner didn't get on the table until 12:15.  When RoutineGirl said she couldn't stay to eat with us, because she would be walking to church with her friend.

But at least RoutineGirl noticed how pretty the table was and seemed to have some regret.  She said she's come back after church and eat grapes and salad.

So, we shoveled down our food, frantically changed into church clothes (which couldn't be worn near spaghetti sauce,) I had to take some time to box up and refrigerate the perishable leftovers.

We got to church ten minutes late.

And saw it was Fast Sunday.

y'know, it's okay.  i'm that much closer to having it work next time.

Progressive Lens

I have my new prescription but I haven't filled it yet.  My optician said the new glasses need to be at least 27 mm high, and my current glasses, which I love, are only 23mm.

He helped me pick out a flattering and inoffensive new frame.  And I didn't order them.  So boring.  So old.  Needing the modern equivalent of bifocals has me feeling SO OLD.  and not in a good way.

I think I'm going to be disloyal and try a different optician today.