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Pi Day of Trill
Mar. 14th, 2024 09:25 pmHappy 3.14159 day! Holy smokes, what a week. Queenie and the Fireman arrived on Monday, got into the back of my car, and were driven through the countryside to the Duchess' house, where a tearful reunion followed by hours of conversation occurred. I had been up at an early hour, cooking a ham (just in case) and an eggless olive oil and lemon cake for the Duchess, who can't eat eggs any more. Queenie brought some extra snacks and flowers. The Duchess was having medical tests the next day, so we wanted her to feel pampered. The lemon cake was particularly delicious because I made it with some special Florida lemons that Queenie sent me. As the afternoon drew on, the men made some feeble efforts to get us to leave, but the Duchess very firmly informed them that she was NOT going to let her sisters go anytime soon. Eventually we did drive back to town and straight to a restaurant to get some dinner.
Queenie's oldest daughter, the Former Naval Person, and her boyfriend arrived around midnight on the train. We knew nothing about it, because we were finally asleep! In the morning, the Fireman went to his conference and we picked the rest of them up and went to see the butterflies at the botanical garden. We also walked around the Japanese garden. It was a very beautiful day. We stopped in the cafe and had a bite to eat, and then we drove them back to the hotel for a nap. All that fresh air tired them out. I couldn't believe how exhausted I felt. I iced my knee and recuperated by drinking tea and then coffee. When I was sufficiently refreshed, I dashed off to the grocery store to lay in needed supplies for brunch the next day. In a few snatches of free time, I tried to figure out how to resend my revisions so they'd come out the other end in usable form. I had received a note from my editor that the first effort didn't work.
Sometime between nine and ten the next day, all the guests except the Fireman (once again at his conference) converged on our house, plus Dr. Science, Dr. Music, and Bird Baby. I had prepared all manner of soft foods for Queenie, whose teeth are in dire need of repairs, but in the end she didn't eat anything but leftover lemon cake. The FNP and her plus one didn't get the memo, so they had gone out to breakfast previously. But all accepted coffee, tea, and various fruits, and the Dr. Nurse family enjoyed maple flavored sausages, scrambled eggs, and toast. And for Bird Baby, about a pint of "booberries," her perennially favorite thing. She really likes "Uncle Uncle," as she refers to the Sparrowhawk, and spent a lot of time playing with him while everyone visited. Eventually her parents had to take themselves away to their jobs, and her to a nap. The Sparrowhawk stayed home to recoup his faculties, while the rest of us went for a walk in another beautiful day. Soon after we came home, The Fireman arrived, and we went out for a late lunch at the restaurant by the lake. They came back to our house and stayed until the sun was westering. Alas, we all had to part again so soon! They all left town early this morning.
I took Madame out to lunch, since I'd had to skip yesterday. She only called me four times to make sure I was coming today . . . . It's been kind of a trip. She has lost her wallet, and had to write checks for everything. Her hearing aid battery died, so she was completely deaf. I was trying to persuade her to return to her residence to get a charged battery--difficult to persuade a person of anything when you're trying to drive and they can't hear a word you're saying!--when she revealed that she had brought the entire charging unit with her in her purse. This is strictly forbidden! However, since the deed was done, I plugged it in at the restaurant and got enough charge back for her to converse with me for a time. It died again just when I was dropping her off. Oh, did I mention it was pouring rain all day? A rude descent back to reality.
Good news!! The Nipper texted that he has resubmitted his paperwork, and this time, his remaining student loans have been cancelled! Callooh, callay! Also good news: my editor finally let me know the revisions had arrived in workable form. And now I'd better go ice my knee again.
Queenie's oldest daughter, the Former Naval Person, and her boyfriend arrived around midnight on the train. We knew nothing about it, because we were finally asleep! In the morning, the Fireman went to his conference and we picked the rest of them up and went to see the butterflies at the botanical garden. We also walked around the Japanese garden. It was a very beautiful day. We stopped in the cafe and had a bite to eat, and then we drove them back to the hotel for a nap. All that fresh air tired them out. I couldn't believe how exhausted I felt. I iced my knee and recuperated by drinking tea and then coffee. When I was sufficiently refreshed, I dashed off to the grocery store to lay in needed supplies for brunch the next day. In a few snatches of free time, I tried to figure out how to resend my revisions so they'd come out the other end in usable form. I had received a note from my editor that the first effort didn't work.
Sometime between nine and ten the next day, all the guests except the Fireman (once again at his conference) converged on our house, plus Dr. Science, Dr. Music, and Bird Baby. I had prepared all manner of soft foods for Queenie, whose teeth are in dire need of repairs, but in the end she didn't eat anything but leftover lemon cake. The FNP and her plus one didn't get the memo, so they had gone out to breakfast previously. But all accepted coffee, tea, and various fruits, and the Dr. Nurse family enjoyed maple flavored sausages, scrambled eggs, and toast. And for Bird Baby, about a pint of "booberries," her perennially favorite thing. She really likes "Uncle Uncle," as she refers to the Sparrowhawk, and spent a lot of time playing with him while everyone visited. Eventually her parents had to take themselves away to their jobs, and her to a nap. The Sparrowhawk stayed home to recoup his faculties, while the rest of us went for a walk in another beautiful day. Soon after we came home, The Fireman arrived, and we went out for a late lunch at the restaurant by the lake. They came back to our house and stayed until the sun was westering. Alas, we all had to part again so soon! They all left town early this morning.
I took Madame out to lunch, since I'd had to skip yesterday. She only called me four times to make sure I was coming today . . . . It's been kind of a trip. She has lost her wallet, and had to write checks for everything. Her hearing aid battery died, so she was completely deaf. I was trying to persuade her to return to her residence to get a charged battery--difficult to persuade a person of anything when you're trying to drive and they can't hear a word you're saying!--when she revealed that she had brought the entire charging unit with her in her purse. This is strictly forbidden! However, since the deed was done, I plugged it in at the restaurant and got enough charge back for her to converse with me for a time. It died again just when I was dropping her off. Oh, did I mention it was pouring rain all day? A rude descent back to reality.
Good news!! The Nipper texted that he has resubmitted his paperwork, and this time, his remaining student loans have been cancelled! Callooh, callay! Also good news: my editor finally let me know the revisions had arrived in workable form. And now I'd better go ice my knee again.
