Spring, Misfits and nearly therrrre

Here's the original plainsong version of Sumner is icumen in, which you'll be able to read if you know the tune. This takes me back to school where we learned plainsong for fourteen different Masses and assorted other observances. No secular stuff like this though.

This used to be the first day of summer, if you count that way. It's also the Annunciation, nine (calendar, the Church fathers a bit hazy on gestation) months before Christmas. 

It's when the angel told Mary she'd conceived Jesus.  It's the doctrine of parthenogenesis, aka Virgin Birth. 

Not to be confused, though many do, with the Immaculate Conception, which refers to the conception of Mary herself by St Anne, when Mary was issued a waiver on original sin, the only human being so waivered. 

Moving right along to plumbing..

Gary, being reminded I still had no water, off to shop. I had called him, said let's cut out the repair efforts, just go for a new toilet. And sent a screenshot complete with model # of what was needed. 

Asked him if he'd rather I call the plumbers, I keep offering him off ramps, but he said no, he could handle a two piece. One piece design is too heavy for one person.

And so it came to pass, and later he arrived with it, after a couple of consultations from the shop.

It's almost done except it needs a longer hose, which is another trip because he forgot it first time.

In the middle of all this, my Misfits box arrived and was set down among the debris on the front step.

All present and correct. Salad for dinner. Maybe stuffed into pita bread. Look at those giant carrots. The greens will go in the stock bag, now ready to use. And the carrots and cashews along with sweet potatoes I already have, will be the next soup, using the whey from the cream cheese.

Which came out for lunch, open face whole-wheat, cream cheese spread and roast chicken. 

I burned off a lot of anxiety by cruising through the second sock, which needs to be pressed with its friend, and wrapped for shipping. 

I'll make a couple more pairs to send in one package. 

With any luck, the bathroom will be usable by end of day, and maybe even with running water. When you consider that I'd be lucky to get a plumber before Monday earliest, this is great. 

I do feel guilt about how hard Gary is working, and with a lot of other family related issues on his mind. Jackie too gets summoned to hold things frequently. 

I carried a few buckets of water from their house this morning -- that's when Gary remembered my water was shut off and put on a spurt. 

All in all, if Gary's been doing all this heavy work, why am I so tired?

Let's hope NATO realizes they may as well help Ukraine directly. Things can only get worse if they don't. They may also get worse if they do, but action says more than waiting around. 

They really should have invited me to speak. That was a missed opportunity on their part. I could have thumbed a ride on US One.