I'm writing this on Wednesday, sitting here at the window and having the rare treat of watching it rain. I can't remember the last time that happened, and for once it's a summer rain that's gentle and every drop is soaking in. A bird landed on an arm of the cactus right outside, spread its wings out and just sat there for a long minute before shaking itself and flying away. A hummingbird flew up to a different arm and sipped from the water running down.
Today we finally got some good news concerning Denis's worrying eye infection. That crap just kept growing back on his cornea and was beginning to damage it. The eye doctor made an appointment for him with a specialist (the same doctor who handled my cataract surgery) and put what she called a "bandage contact" on the eye. He went back to see her today, and the infection is completely dead. The spots on his cornea should heal themselves, and if he gets the all-clear when he goes back Friday (the day you'll be reading this), he won't have to go to the specialist. Good news at last!
I'll end this by showing you some more photos of my nest here in the living room. The first will show you that I know a thing or two about getting comfortable. It will also show you a long-distance shot of my laptop stand. The other two photos will be closeups of that laptop stand. Not only does it perform as named, it holds my book/Kindle and thus prevents head/facial injuries in the event I nod off while reading. It also holds my phone which I use to listen to audiobooks. The holes in the metal are handy for threading my needlepoint yarn through and hanging my embroidery scissors from while I listen and stitch.
I know I was forced to do it, but I think I've managed to make some tasty lemonade from my lymphedema lemons.
Enjoy the links!
►Books & Other Interesting Tidbits◄
- From Jeopardy! to Wheel of Fortune, this archive will preserve game show history.
- Yes, you can recycle magazines. Here's how.
- How the pandemic has revealed the promise and peril of life lived online.
- How stories change when they move from page to voice.
- Learning about life from crime fiction.
- On letting go of toxic silence and acknowledging the hardships of mental illness.
- Yes, Marlon Brando, eclectic bibliophile, wrote in his books.
- In the UK, authors can earn royalties on secondhand books for the first time.
- Publishing's cancel culture debate is boiling over.
- Why yarn lovers are good mystery solvers.
►Channeling My Inner Indiana Jones◄
- Is this Florida island home to a long-lost Native American settlement?
- This fancy footwear craze started a "plague of bunions" in medieval Europe.
- A 7,000-year-old letter seal found in Israel hints at ancient long-distance trade.
- The world's most valuable coin sells at auction for $18.9 million.
- Archaeologists discover-- and crack open-- an intact 1,000-year-old chicken egg.
- And while we're talking about them, how about the 1,700-year-old Roman eggs that were found in England?
- Infrared reveals Egyptian mummies' hidden tattoos.
- Archaeologists found hair dye bottles used by self-conscious Civil War soldiers posing for portraits.
►Channeling My Inner Elly Mae Clampett◄
- Harley, a Goldendoodle living in Virginia, saved a fawn from drowning and then refused to leave its side.
- Shades of Jonah! A Cape Cod lobster diver was swallowed by a humpback whale and then spat back out.
- An Oregon woman calls out her pet cat Esme for stealing from the neighbors with a "My Cat Is A Thief" yard sign.
- Humans, we've shrunk the whales.
- The winners of the 2021 BigPicture Natural World Photography competition show the resilience of nature.
- Puppies are born ready to communicate with humans.
- Let's celebrate the first Tasmanian Devils born in the wild on the Australian mainland in 3,000 years.
- The monkeys at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport are the descendants of zoo escapees.
►The Happy Wanderer◄
- These are America's twenty deadliest national parks.
- The gothic elegance of Venice in the winter.
- Fire destroyed 10% of the world's giant Sequoias last year. Can they survive climate change?
- Here's the latest list of the nation's most endangered historic places.
- French Polynesia's Teti'aroa has been an A-lister retreat for centuries.
►Fascinating Folk◄
- The many cons of Joseph Weil, AKA the Yellow Kid.
- The Angels of Bataan: the World War II nurses who survived three years in a Japanese prison camp.
- Virginia Apgar: the doctor who saved countless newborn babies by inventing the Apgar score.
- Bill Clinton: I always wanted to be a writer but doubted my ability to do it.
- Author Kerry Greenwood's life in crime.
►I ♥ Lists◄
- 93 names have been retired for Atlantic hurricanes and tropical storms. Is yours one of them? (Mine isn't.)
- Mysteries and thrillers about marriages gone wrong.
- Eleven old words and phrases for depression.
- Eleven odd bits of Victorian sex advice.
- Authors on the children's books that inspired them.
- Fictional serial killers you can't forget.
- Eleven novel facts about War and Peace.
- 77 strange, funny, and magnificent book titles you've probably never heard of.
- 18 of the most anticipated books coming out this summer.
That's all for this week! Don't forget to stop by next Friday when I'll be sharing a freshly selected batch of links for your surfing pleasure.
Stay safe. Stay healthy. And don't forget to curl up with a good book!
So glad to hear the news about Denis' eye, Cathy. I hope it'll be all healed up soon. Thanks for sharing the pictures of your nest, too. It really is a fantastic-looking place, and so comfortable. Now, I'm off to that Native American settlement, I think...
ReplyDeleteI thought you might head there!
DeleteWhat good news about Denis's eye! Happy that he will hopefully see well again with no issues soon. Love your little 'retreat'!
ReplyDeleteI can't tell you how happy the two of us are about his eye. Him because his sight is restored and the pain is gone. Me, well... because he's such a fun patient. *ahem*
DeleteA great nest, Cathy! I am so glad to hear that the cure for Denis' eye is successful. One of my worst fears is losing vision, and I'm thankful for modern medicine giving us all the options for preserving sight.
ReplyDeleteSo am I!
DeleteI think you certainly have made lemonade out of the lemons you were dealt! So glad to hear Denis' eye is on its way to healing. Your nest looks very appealing. Enjoy your weekend!
ReplyDeleteWell, I surely don't have to look upmy name in the list of not-to-be used hurricane names, since you did it.
ReplyDeleteIn this instance, it's a good thing that our name hasn't been retired. The retired ones are mainly the ones that caused the most damage and loss of life. I'd rather be a little, piddly one that changed its mind halfway through.
DeleteI can agree with that!
DeleteThat's really wonderful news about Denis's eye, Cathy. I can imagine how relieved both of you must be to get that problem solved.
ReplyDeleteAs usual, I enjoyed browsing many of the links you attached to this post. I was particularly surprised to see that the Big Thicket National Preserve is the fourth deadliest national park in the whole country. I grew up within a few miles of the Big Thicket but never ventured very far into it at all...maybe that was a good thing.
I love the fact that Brando wrote in his books. I am always intrigued by what avid readers write inside their books when I find one of them in a used-book bookstore. It's a legacy of sorts.
Yes, it is. I did a post once that included a photo showing all marginalia in a book. I very seldom ever write in my books anymore unless they're reference books that I'm keeping.
DeleteBy the way, that kindle looks like a good one. Would you mind mentioning the type and brand? It has a nice binder and is a good size. Some are too small.
ReplyDeleteAnd everything looks very cozy in there. I trust you have the right snacks.
It's an Amazon Fire tablet HD 8 tenth generation. I like it and the cover, which I searched for until I found the "Starry Night" one that would fit this model. In some ways, I think "tablet" is misleading because most I've seen are twice the size. This one is like a large Kindle to me.
DeleteAs for snacks? Ice cold green tea and my healthy Omega 3 trail mix. Not very exciting, but I'm trying to get my leg to behave.
Anything to help your leg heal! But you have the perfect nook in which to do so.
ReplyDeleteYes, I do. Denis is jealous. One of these days, I'm going to go out there and find out he's already taken up residence.
DeleteMaybe he'll make his own cozy nook?
ReplyDelete*snort* You just made green tea go up my nose! At least I went to bed laughing, for which I thank you.
DeleteI guess I can figure out who does the home designing and decorating. Glad you laughed.
ReplyDelete