kvetching up

  Not even a knife from the business itself could cut through the stench. Friday night we went bar hopping. I think bar crawling would be more accurate. We hit 2 bars--maybe 3, if I am not mistaken. I had almost no food in my system (save for the exquisite mushroom and leek quiche made by L), thank you GLP-1. 2 or 3 drinks later I was hammered. No idea the name of the first bar. Next, we went to the great-uncle's famous Admiral Benbow Room, where he was karaoke king---I learned only at his funeral 23 years ago-where his music was played exclusively during the viewing of the body (why do we do that viewing thing, anyway?). He had a helluva voice, Gene Smith did. I wish I would have known his talent--it would have been fun to sing a duet with the man I didn't know whatsoever, but with whom we spent a few holidays and saw at family weddings and funerals, until the last funeral he attended---his own. We had so much fun, laughing at terrible jokes told by the bartender and me--I sta...

  A proud heart can survive a general failure because such a failure does not prick its pride. It is more difficult and more bitter when a man fails alone.” ― Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart   The tree on the right side of the fence --Did it fall of its own weight? Abby came home night before last, her plane arriving around 1 a.m. I was so ecstatic in anticipation on Thursday that my joy spilled over so much at work that people noticed. On the drive to and from the airport, a slushy rain was falling. I was fairly convinced that would be the extent of it. I hate snow and the cold, if you didn't know, so  I was relieved that this was all coming to an end. I woke up to this beautiful mess yesterday. The plum trees in the foreground had bloomed this week and had been absolutely gorgeous. I presume that two of the three won't fruit this year--which is fine. I  am certain the third one, the tree on the right side of the fence and closest to t...