“I told you we got here too early, but no–you said spring had arrived.”
Yup, after all that nice weather: the temps in the forties; the clear blue skies; the good riddance to that winter white stuff because it rained for three days; and the daffodils starting to poke up their little green noggins, we woke up to an inch of snow with more falling down on Saturday which eventually melted in time for the spring equinox.
So is it spring or should I be prepared for disappointment once again?
Well, it’s a good thing my holds arrived at the library and I still have cocoa mix…
January 29th is going to be a puzzling day. Literally.
It’s National Puzzle Day. And we are finding puzzles have found their way into our lives.
I grew up with puzzles. My dad had a special table set up and would spend hours piece by piece putting together some scenic masterpiece. I wasn’t too interested in doing puzzles then and barely acknowledged them over the years.
When my hubs sprang his knee skiing it looked liked the long winters were going to get a more tedious since heading up to the slope would no longer be a viable option.
Of course I brought him books from the library. On a whim I brought home a puzzle because why not? There is a free puzzle exchange on the lobby.
As Hemingway said “One puzzle leads to another.” Well, he kind of said that.
We have now been puzzling for several years and we have come to realize there are some etiquette aspects:
Borders first. Creating the perimeter makes it easier to get the picture in perspective.
Sort pieces. A half dozen plastic picnic plates do nicely in separating out the many pieces into a manageable order.
Clean Hands. Yeah, learned that one day while eating my almond butter with honey toast.
No Pets. Cat hair. Dog hair. Not good companions with puzzle pieces.
Track Pieces. Drop a piece. Oh, oh. Better find it. Or at least mark “piece missing” on the box. Don’t forget to circle the place.
No hogging. Sharing is caring. Set a timer if needed. *Oh no, honey. That a general comment—no worries*.
Break down. Just like the last person to use the milk replaces the milk, the last person to finish the puzzle breaks it down and puts it in the box.
Those are the basics. Did I miss any?
Happy puzzling.
Hometown are faves. Liking all that detail.Ugh. Sky. An unspoken rule—leaving the sky last is, well, ugh.
Humans are prone to utter the most interesting interjections. Understatement, I know. Leaving aside those words that will get you making a deposit in the swear jar, let’s explore those odd guttural responses to surprise, getting hurt, and showing displeasure.
oof Surprisingly, “oof” is an invented word. It’s most connected with pain, dismay, or even sympathy. Apparently, there is connection to the game Roboblox and “oof” which is uttered when the Robos are hit or regenerated. Tommy Tallarico, the original creator, is surprised how “oof” has become such a popular utterance, that is has become a verb, as in “I oofed my driving test by running up on the curb when I tried parallel parking my Mom’s suburban.”
ew This one is traced back to the movie Clueless when a character expresses her disdain for immature teen boys, although it had been in use since the 1960s as “Ew, what’s that smell in your locker?”
aye yi yi Probably derived from the Spanish/Latin languages, “aye yi yi” is often found in song lyrics, although it is also used to express pain, dismay, or even shock. For example, “Aye yi yi, the cat got into the meatloaf I set out for dinner.”
oy Another interjection borrowed from a foreign language, “oy” is often teamed with “oy veh” and can express dismay, sadness, or grief. Once upon a time I lived way out in the country and the main road was a county maintained thoroughfare (please read in a dismissive tone) that was dented with potholes and washboarded to every vehicle’s detriment. Someone spraypainted an addition to the road sign “Vay” the word “Oy.” Yes, driving that road daily initiated that response of dismay.
ugh Similar to “ew,” the interjection “ugh” was also made popular by Clueless; however, its use can be traced clear back to the 1670s. Trot this one when expressing disgust. “Ugh, we have a pop quiz today.”
yuck or yuk or yucky If it’s gross it’s usually deemed as “yuck” or “yucky.” Going back to the sixties, the Poison Control center’s warning label used to be skull and crossbones, but there was the thought children would be attracted to the pirate aspect of that emblem and so the green unhappy face with the tongue sticking out became “Mr. Yuk,” providing a clear message to steer away from the substance.
oops Then there is the ubiquitous “oops,” that interjection associated with making a mistake, a blunder, or being clumsy. Britney Spear’s gave “oops” some spotlight with album Oops!… I Did It Again.
I once worked in a Petri dish. Working in a school there is always the possibility getting infected with something–simple stuff, like a cold to gross stuff like pink eye. In twenty years teaching I managed to avoid the worst of it: Covid.
BC: Before Covid there was the usual dealing with colds, flu, even walking pneumonia, yet knowing recovery would be around the corner helped get through those times. Sick days taken, taking time to get healthy–all a given.
Then–2019. Masks, disinfectant, isolation, on-line education, tests kits, and other aspects became de rigueur.
Going back into the classroom amidst a pandemic compounded the usual stress that comes with working in education. Early retirement sounded better and better.
Wait a minute, two years into retirement, essentially living like a hermit, picking and choosing which places and opportunities to go and participate in, living a careful preventative life (get a booster, wear a mask if feeling sniffly) just how did Covid arrive on my doorstep, especially having avoided it all that time surrounded by it when teaching?
Well, it began with that little back of the throat tickle, the one that says “Hey, a cold might be coming–take care.” Not being sick for two years (funny how getting away from that Petri dish almost guarantees better health), I thought, “I guess I can handle a cold. Three days tops.”
It wasn’t a cold.
DC: There was that niggling suspicion something was amiss. The next day I woke feeling miserable. The yuck truck slammed into me with a fever, aches, and the need for a constant supply of tissues. Deciding to finally make use of that little government kit that’s been up on the shelf gave me that dreaded indicator: Covid.
The shock hits because of all the horrible stories come to the surface: losing smell and taste, getting hospitalized, even dying. It’s almost akin to getting snakebit. I absolutely did not seeing it coming.
Sparing details. I did cancel appointments (even one that took four months to get and now it’s pushed back to February) and isolated. Awkward and inconvenient in a small house. I immediately put a request into our church prayer chain and hunkered down. Three weeks later the symptoms are abated although stamina is not quite 100%, I am feeling better each day. No fever for over two weeks and so I hustled over to my pharmacy and got both my Covid booster and my flu shot. I’ve lost five pounds (no complaints) and my appetite is severely reduced. That could be a positive.
AC: After Covid? I’m cautious about being caught in close crowds. While I did not wear my mask as much once getting my initial booster I do now, learning that getting a booster helps reinfection is possible.
Exactly how I felt
What’s really strange is my son called to check on me, unbelieving I had never had Covid considering I was teaching during the height of the pandemic. He had already gone one round with it (living in a large city has its disadvantages) and the next day he texted to let me know he had woke with a fever and tested positive. Can Covid be transmitted by phone call? Yikes.
So–stay well and do what you need to do to stay healthy. That yuck truck is a reckless driver.
Naming a group of something is a job I wouldn’t mind applying for. Someone gets to do it and the results are pretty fun, especially when it involves animals.
Summer events that create a more memorable season start with graduation ceremonies. Toss in at least one wedding or a wedding reception along with a church picnic, add in the county fair, include a bit of company to round it all out.
While those events add some pizazz to the summer months, I do count on Shakespeare in the Park. The one day performance arrives in the middle of August and I stop, drop whatever I’ve planned, and position my camp chair on the lawn at the designated park venue and for two hours I revel in Shakespeare.
This year The Montana Shakespeare in the Parks presented their two hour adaptation of Hamlet. Their version focused on what seemed to be Edwardian costume style adding a reserved aspect which offset the emphasis on pulling in the comedic components of the play. I never considered Hamlet a comedy; then again some of lines are quite witty when said with panache.
All the world’s a stage or at least a park is for a summer evening
I didn’t become aware of Hamlet until I began teaching high school English. In fact, I wasn’t aware of Shakespeare until I began teaching his plays. That’s right. Somehow twelve years of public schooling and six years of college and no Shakespeare classes. Shocking, I know.
Once I discovered the tragic Dane there was no turning back. Not only did I teach Hamlet, I set out to watch every version available (still trying to find Jude Law’s Broadway version). One year I flew back to Washington DC to join 29 other teachers for a week of Hamlet Academy at the Folger Library. I then went on to write a choose-your-own path Hamlet, and created the play as a contemporary murder mystery.
Yes, I have become Hamletized and I am okay with that.
Which Shakespeare play has grabbed your attention to the point of almost unreasonable fascination?
I grew up with movies being a big deal. Going out to the movie theater was a special event involving dressing up and best behavior. Stars like Sean Connery, Elizabeth Taylor, Barbara Streisand, and Gregory Peck graced the screen. Bugs Bunny cartoons opened the show and it wasn’t unusual to have a double feature with “B” film sometimes being better than the main movie. Theaters had only one screen, with two floors, complete with balconies. There were even smoking rooms and crying rooms for babies. I really aged myself there, didn’t I?
Velvet plush seats—no cup holders—very retro
Of course television changed access to movies, which changed how we watched movies. Then VCRs, DVDs, Blu-Ray and now streaming has all but obliterated the theater experience.
I held out for the theatre experience for the longest time. Going to matinees with my girlfriends, then moving on to boyfriends, and finally creating my own family outing.
Then the movie experience changed. People used to watching movies at home brought that casual attitude to the theater. Talking, feet up on the seat backs, and don’t get me started about phones during the show.
“Let’s wait for the DVD,” became the going phrase in our house. Plus, we like those special features. As discs gave way to streaming I remained hesitant, especially since it involved paying for a service that I might not use enough to justify. Besides, I can check out free DVDs at the library.
No more little envelopes in the mail
Then my phone carrier offered free streaming for two major companies. “Why not?” The problem is that there are hundreds of choices. Selecting a movie has gone from one of several up on the marquee or grabbing a couple off the library rack to an involved decision-making process that can take longer than watching a movie. There is also the issue of internet connection cooperation.
I admit I haven’t been in a theater for over three years. I still have an AMC gift card from 2019. I’ve become just another streamer and I am not sure if that is considered evolutionary progress.
Simple question: do you prefer the theater experience for watching a movie or appreciate watching from the comfort of your home?
As much as I am a fan of the new year because it provides a fresh start, I am not a fan of the cold weather January brings. Most of the first days have been in temperatures of single digits and in minus increments. And then there was those two four days of snow. Going outside has become a matter of great consideration and since cold weather is keeping me more inside than outside I’m looking for day brighteners. Words are often my go to happy place. There are some words that when I hear them bring a smile because of the way they sound, and sometimes their meaning is amusing:
hobbledehoy: an ungainly youth—I had a few of these in class
sklent: any slanting surface, such as a slope—noted, when it freezes after a snowstorm
feirie: healthy, strong—are fairies feirie?
cakeage: a few a restaurant charge for bringing in an outside cake—you can have your cake and eat it too, as long as you pay for it
kvetch: to chronically complain—the extra snow has me doing plenty of this
No more snow!!!
tintinnabulation: the ringing of bells—which gets tinnitus riled up
yestreen: during yesterday evening
elsewhither: in another direction; toward a different place or goal—I travel here often
nibling: a child of one’s sibling—a solution to gender identification?
quiddity: the essential nature of a thing—snowy days create this feeling that winter is essentially cold and annoying
pulchritudnious: physically beautiful—this one is baffling in that it is an unlovely sounding word to describe loveliness
skookum: large; powerful—can’t wait to try this one out
mountweazel: a decoy word used in a dictionary or encyclopedia to catch publishers who might try to copy the content—like paper towns
cromulent: acceptable or legitimate—reminds me of crumpets
And an appropriate word to end with is:
jollify: to make merry—when the snow fades and spring begins to be a reality
Pam Webb 