MaJoC, I used to check in first thing in the morning on the phone, but there are two problems with that. Even with readers, it kind of messed up my distance vision (otherwise 20/20) if I focused for very long on the phone small print. And it phucked up my mood for the day. Now I try to keep it to a couple of headlines (not opening the stories) from NY Times or WaPo, and check the weather, then don't read any more for a while.

My letters were mailed today. I should make one call, and be done with that.

Since this is my birth-month I've had my eye out for pampering myself activities, and the next, probably the final one, is taking my 4x6' Persian carpet in and having the fringe repaired on each end. I had it cleaned a couple of years ago and since then cleaned and repaired two smaller rugs. I've decided having the fringe repaired on this will give it another 100 years, and since it is in my bedroom I'll see it every day. (I vacuum regularly, but in preparing to take it out I vacuumed and turned it over and vacuumed - and was astonished at how much dust dropped out of the top side onto the floor. I repeated the move several times to get most of it.)

Someone across the street is using a stump grinder saw-device but they must be a novice at it; they keep twisting horizontally when the saw is fully into the stump getting a horrible squealing from the mechanism. I found myself thinking about what I would grab for first aid if I have to run over there, should the blade break and fly off of the axle. I finally had to come in the house and hope they survive that operation. If they borrowed the tool the person who loaned it to them would be peeved to know how badly it is being treated.

In quieter pursuits, I downloaded a book I've been meaning to read in my Libby account and will test the new earphones this evening during a date we have with a jigsaw puzzle. I can multitask in that way.