Dept. of Whoah

[kaffy_r]

A Few Things I've Thought About Lately

1. Watching Her Majesty The Queen (cor bless 'er) do her 4-minute address to the UK, the Commonwealth, and those who tuned in from a former colony, concerning what we're all going through, I was struck by how little she resembles a 93-year-old. Genes, I guess; her mother was similarly blessed with always looking 20 years younger than she really was. Also, I liked the address. Color me "royalist looking for non-partisan comfort" these days, I guess; I'm told she wrote it herself, and I love the tiny hint of steel in her voice at the very end.

2. I've been amused a couple of times over the past few days at something I've noticed in myself on those occasions when I have to drive around, and something that I may have observed in other drivers: instead of cars lining up bumper to bumper at stop lights, everyone seems to be practicing safe distancing. With their cars. Yeah. It's given me a giggle more than once. 

3. I cannot bake cookies without making sure that most of them exit my domicile superfuckingfast. If I don't make that arrangement (with some left for Bob), I will do something vaguely equivalent to going face down in the cookie jar and coming up covered in crumbs. This is not a good look for me. 

4. Today we had temperatures in the mid to high 70s (Fahrenheit). We wrestled a couple of our windows open to enjoy fresh air and a cross breeze. We'll have weather that's almost as warm tomorrow, and I am going to enjoy it like whoah. 

5. I've managed a few more sentences on my cross-over fic. Having figured out the ultimate reason for the opening dilemma, my next big challenge is determining which characters from which canons get to talk to each other, and how. 

6. Finally, here's the late, great Bill Withers doing a live version of "Ain't No Sunshine," complete with violins. I could quite happily listen to this on a loop almost any time, despite the heartbreak implicit in the lyrics (or perhaps because of it). Today it sounded even more lovely to me. 

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Comments

[ljgeoff]

I've noticed that about the cars, too. And I've noticed my self doing it :)

What crossover are you writing?

[kaffy_r]

What crossover are you writing?

Dr. Who based, with visits from the Vorkosiverse, the Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension, Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, and the Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch.

Why yes, I did bite off more than I can chew, why do you ask?

[ljgeoff]

Re:crossover. Oooh! Can't wait!

[kaffy_r]

We'll see how it goes. Cross your fingers.

[pameladean]

Your description of the behavior of the drivers would make my mother so happy. She haaaates having people pull right up behind her at a light. But she's not driving anywhere right now. I myself haven't been in a car since March 14th. I might have to get a ride from somebody in the house to actually obtain toilet paper at some point, but that point is not yet.

Re: cookies, I know people who will only bake half a dozen or a dozen and freeze the dough, but I always end up baking the whole batch.

P.

[minnehaha]

Yes, I was going to recommend portioning and freezing the dough also. I made some shortbread at some point in the past and froze the cookies. We still have lots. I am contemplating making banana bread of similar but .... I know it won't last so I haven't.

(One of the late night comedians said that his calendar icon had become a shrugging emoji with a glass of wine.)

That said, I got to hear BB and you singing today, courtesy of a mutual friend, and that was gladsome.

K.

[kaffy_r]

That said, I got to hear BB and you singing today, courtesy of a mutual friend, and that was gladsome.

That's good to hear. The mutual friend sent me a link - I haven't clicked on it yet, probably because hearing our recordings always made me wince. I'd hear the instances when we were off-key or off pace and it would make me crazy. But perhaps I will get around to it.

[kaffy_r]

I know people who will only bake half a dozen or a dozen and freeze the dough

Yep. That's what I've done in the past, and I did it this time, since I had enough dough to make about 6 dozen ginger snaps. I put half of the dough in the fridge - and a day and a half later took it out, rolled it and made 2.5 dozen more. Which are almost all gone now. In both cases, the first and second batch, I sent 10 cookies upstairs to our young neighbors. So I was freed from the blandishments of 20 cookies at least.

[pameladean]

Oooh, ginger snaps. I wonder if I have any molasses.

It is very important to have good cookie receptors during a pandemic.

P.

[kaffy_r]

Molasses is part of my childhood - my Nana always had it in the larder and I think I thought everyone used molasses to sweeten everything from cookies to, no shit, toast.

[sideways]

Your description of going face-down into cookies is what won my giggle :) Very relatable.

[kaffy_r]

I'm so glad it resonated with you. Heh ....