Thursday, July 21, 2022

An Umbrella Stand by Any Other Name Weekly Link Round-Up

 


It's occurred to me that, over these weeks and weeks that Denis has been hospitalized and in rehab, I've gotten used to living by my lonesome again. It's been twenty years since I've been solo in this old ranch house, and although I seem to have slid easily back into that old lifestyle, I'm looking forward to having my darlin' man back with me. For one thing, I'm tired of talking to myself!
 
I've been bustling around trying to put the finishing touches on things, and our caregiver and I have a To Do list to get through on the day this posts. The tentative date for Denis's release is July 24, so I want everything to be ready.
 
One recent purchase was a flat-pack umbrella stand. Now, you might think that's a strange purchase for a desert dweller to make, but who says that just because it's called an umbrella stand means that you have to put umbrellas in it? 
 
Starting to put it together. Technicians were installing a new coil in our air conditioner while I was doing this.

 
All done!

 
The finished piece of furniture holds two purple canes, one orange cane, two camera monopods, and Denis's collection of four "grabbers." (I use a foldable grabber, and have a few stashed in important areas of the house.) In case you're wondering, that canvas hamper holds my yarn leftovers.
 
That may be an umbrella stand, but in Casa Kittling, there's not one umbrella to be found in it. In fact, the last time I had to use a bumbershoot was in 2015 when Denis and I were in the UK.
 
Enjoy the links!
 
 

►Books & Other Interesting Tidbits◄
 
►Book Banning & Censorship◄
 
►Channeling My Inner Indiana Jones◄
 
►Channeling My Inner Elly May Clampett◄
 
►The Wanderer◄
 
►Fascinating Folk◄
  • Meet Diane Nash, the Civil Rights icon awarded the U.S.'s highest civilian honor.
  • Mary Sears' pioneering ocean research saved countless lives in World War II.
  • 13-year-old Alena Analeigh Wicker has made history as the youngest Black person to get accepted into medical school.  
  • The hidden history of Anna Murray Douglass (wife of Frederick). 
  • Where the Crawdads Sing author Delia Owens  is wanted for questioning in a 1990s murder. Here's another article about it from Vulture.
  • Ada LĂ­mon has been named U.S. Poet Laureate. 
  • Susie Steiner: An appreciation. 
  • Anna Essinger, the schoolteacher who saved her students from the Nazis.
 
►I ♥ Lists◄

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 cool. Stay healthy. And don't forget to curl up with a good book!
Enjoy the summer!

28 comments:

  1. Now that is a clever use for an umbrella stand, Cathy! I think that's fantastic! I'm so happy Denis should be home soon, and I hope it all goes really smoothly. I'm off to that Roman shipwreck, and sending you wishes for a smooth transition to 'back-home-ness' for you and Denis.

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    1. Thanks, Margot. Someone/something saw fit to throw a monkey wrench into the works. The new part in the heat pump was not installed properly, and now I have soggy laminate flooring in the hall. It's extremely humid in here, and I'm waiting for them to show up to fix it. If it ain't one thing, it's something else!

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    2. Oh, Cathy, that's horrible! How miserable! I hope the repair company gets someone there really soon, and that it gets fixed quickly. And they'd better not even think about charging you for that visit!

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    3. I might have a word or two to say to them if they do try to charge me!

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  2. That story from Vinton, Iowa is absolutely infuriating! What is the matter with those people and what century do they think they are living in?

    I grew up near a couple of mounds similar to the ones in Indiana. They were always a source of great interest to me and piqued my interest in ancient American cultures.

    I had just read that story about Delia Owens. I wonder what the resolution of that inquiry will be.

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    1. (1) Thank goodness I don't live in Vinton! (2) Ancient American cultures have always fascinated me, and I loved visiting Cahokia. (3) I'm curious about how that whole Delia Owens story is going to play out, too.

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  3. Clever use of an umbrella stand! Have a great weekend. :D

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    1. I would be, if the new part in the heat pump had been installed properly. Waiting for repairmen has never been one of my favorite things. :-/

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  4. I bet you will be glad to have your darling back! I love how you used your umbrella stand. Have a good weekend!

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  5. The Faithful Reader who has her paperback library set up in what a realtor would call a linen closet definitely approves of your approach to walking stick storage :)

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    1. Sounds like the perfect use of a linen closet to me!

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  6. That was very smart, the umbrella stand fits perfectly!

    I hope everything goes well and he can be back home on the 24th. I can only imagine how badly you miss him. Me and my husband started as a long-distance relationship couple before I could leave my country and move here to live with him. It's still fresh in my memory how much I hated the distance and the waiting in between visits. But it also made the meeting moments feel even more special and full of happiness for finally being together again. I am sure Denis will love all the work you put in every single detail of the house to welcome him back.

    Also, I loved the outdoor oasis ideas! Saved as inspiration for when I can remodel my back porch and garden area

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    1. I know about long-distance relationships-- I met Denis online over twenty years ago, then eventually imported and married him. :-)

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  7. LOL! guess that answers my question about your air conditioner.

    Here's hoping the estimate for Denis' arrival holds true.

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    1. Oh, the work they did on the AC had it throwing out plenty of cold air. The problem was that it was also throwing out plenty of water... which was then being soaked up by the laminate flooring.

      From the looks of things, Denis should be arriving home sometime Monday morning. He gets unhooked from his hated IV pole today, so there will be all sorts of celebrations. :-)

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  8. So glad Denis is coming home, and hopefully, the water damage problem will have been fixed by then. I like the use of the umbrella stand for other purposes. It works for me. Lots of great links. I am also furious about the book banning and what is happening in Iowa. I like the fascinating folks section. Diane Nash deserves the award for her leading role in the Civil Rights Movement, and I would love to read about Anna Murray Douglass. Am so sad Susie Steiner died. Her three books are very good, but also sad for her. She was young and has children and a spouse. Lots of fascinating links on animals, nature, etc.

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    1. The tech came Saturday evening. The pump had packed it in, and that's why the floor was soaking up water. He put in a temporary replacement, and now I'm waiting for them to call to schedule putting in the "permanent" pump. As Denis said last night, this whole Ac thing is turning into a saga.

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    2. Everything is a project is my motto, and then if it continues, it becomes a saga. True.

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    3. Hopefully I will soon be able to say, "Thus endeth the saga."

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    4. And then write a book about "The Pump Saga: a trilogy."

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    5. It looks as though I will have no joy until next Thursday. *sigh*

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  9. Hope your Denis has perhaps gotten home and that your heat pump issue has been dealt with. Take care and thinking of you guys!

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    1. He gets home sometime tomorrow (Monday) morning, and it looks as though he'll be able to get in on the end of the AC Saga.

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  10. My hubby turned a large white porcelain jar into an umbrella stand that, like yours, holds other things besides umbrellas. Namely canes, ice scrapers, etc.

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  11. There is some type of royal title we should give the people who can fix basic, but monumental problems in our homes, those which throw us out of kilter, but make life better when they are fixed.

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Thank you for taking the time to make a comment. I really appreciate it!