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Oh, sweet zombie Jesus, the pain
June 09, 2010
I threw my hip out again. Slipped in the rain yesterday and wrenched that sucker right out. Probably pulled a muscle or two, as well. Dammit, if I would just let myself fall down, I'd probably do less damage than trying to catch myself.
It cost me quite a bit of sleep last night, even though I'm more comfortable stretched out in bed than anywhere. Spouse offered to drive me to work this morning, but I wanted to be able to leave if it got too bad--or if I got too worn out. I stuck it out, though.
I'm posting this from Spouse's laptop, because my netbook got nailed by a stinking virus that attacks Firefox. I checked Geek Squad's prices for fixing it, and the greedy pricks want two to three hundred dollars for virus removal and any necessary repairs!
Christ on a crutch--I can get a brand new netbook for that! I'd be better off quietly burying it in the back yard and starting fresh.
Speaking of the back yard, our handyman came on Monday and tore down the shed. He hauled away all the junk and building materials, too. And all he wanted was salvage rights! Spouse, however, insisted on paying for the landfill fee, so Keith wouldn't have to take the hit.
While i'm glad to have the rickety old thing gone, I am not enamored of the big, muddy hole in the yard where it sat. Or the additional exposure to the view of the trashy neighbors at the back. I'm going to see if Spouse can build some kind of privacy screen that blocks their windows. I'd plant bushes, but that corner wouldn't get enough light for them to thrive. Between the garage next door, the aforementioned trashy neighbor house, and all the damned trees, that spot has the sun blocked a good chunk of the afternoon.
What I'd really like is a new shed, but I'm not sure we can afford it.
The Outdoor Girls
I was right about the lack of racism being due to a lack of diversity. Now that our girls are in Florida, we are introduced to a good, old-fashioned Mammy and find out that the "colored folk" will sieze any excuse to stop working. And frankly? That's the LEAST offensive of it.
Stratemeyer Alert: Plot point from Moving Picture Girls series shows up in Outdoor Girls. Their boat got stolen by a manatee(!!!)
On the upside, the whole concept of villains is maturing nicely in the last couple of books. Young women abducted, young men pressed into forced labor, honest country folk swindled--things are really looking up.
But still, I'm worried about Grace. I understand the purpose of giving the character an easily identifiable trait that helps a reader to recognize her. But I'm on the 6th book of the series at this point, and her fondness for candy has gotten to the point where it's more or less constant use. We're talking a serious addiction here. Girl needs help. The other girls have traits as well--but they are more about personality. Mollie's quick temper, Amy's sensitivity, and Betty's calm demeanor stay prety constant, but poor Grace got stuck with a bad habit. Seriously:
"We will," promised Grace. Then as she carried up to her room a box of chocolates she had purchased--the third that day--she murmured to herself: "I wonder what that secret of Will's can be about? I do hope he doesn't get into any more trouble."
A three box a day habit? Even allowing for her generous sharing, that's a serious habit.
Reading: Hobby related--"The Outdoor Girls in a Winter Camp; Glorious Days on Skates and Ice Boats", "The Outdoor Girls in Florida Or, Wintering in the Sunny South", "The Outdoor Girls at Ocean View Or, The Box That Was Found in the Sand" by "Laura Lee Hope" (Howard Garis). "Phyllis", by Maria Thompson Daviess.
Modern--"Say Goodbye", by Lisa Gardner.
Surfing: Well, no. See above.
Listening: King Harvest, Van Morrison, Jimmy Nail, Bill Nighy
At Random:
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