If Only We Could Be Fools 7 Days a Week, 365 Days a Year: A Pie-Rat and A Parrot. We Made It What We Could

I have no problem being stupid. I decided a while ago that becoming a pie-rat would be easy, as I have patches for my eye, I found a sword that made swash-buckling noises, and I ordered a mouse nose, ears, and tail online. Easy-peasy. The mouse nose even made squeaky noises. I also handed out mini-apple and cherry pies. I told Leo my plan and he quickly ordered a parrot outfit. 

Pie-rat. Parrot. Parrot. Pie-rat. I handed out pies. No problem.

We didn't do much, but did order Chinese food and on the way back from picking up the order, Leo's "Alphas! Alphas!" was a no brainer. Why not run in, do a shot, and run out. There were a couple of witches inside, too. On the way in, all the neighborhood drunks were at the bar, sans costumes, so Leo announced, "A pirate and a parrot walk into a bar," and all the men raised their glasses to us. The bar tender served us right away. We didn't stay for the band. Instead, we came back for crab rangoon, egg rolls, and rice noodles. Pam and Bev were anti-costumes and anti-bars. Ah, we got out fix without them.

When shall we three meet again

In thunder, lightening, or in rain?

When the hurly-burly's done, 

When the battles lost and won...

Fair is foul, and foul is fair. Hover through the fog and filthy air. 

Now, it's time to hand out the candy and to do it all over again. Actually, it's time to grade, write, plan, and grade, write, and plan all over again.

Eye Think The Weather is Seasonably Spooky, and We'll See (Perhaps) What the Weekend Shall Bring

Wow. Two wind events in one week, all in time for the spookiness of the holiday. 

I am slowly wrapping up the the mid-term teaching assessments and trying to get my head around the projects that need the most attention. My neighbor, Deb, had surgery on her shoulder, so will be out of commission for 6 months, so I baked the Kentucky cake for her, then spent another part of the afternoon preparing a brisket to bring to Pam, Kaitlyn, and Patrick as they celebrated Pam's mother's birthday. I was unable to attend the funeral because of my surgery, so this was my way of paying respects, with food and flowers.

My costume is ready, but where to go? It's supposed to rain all day, and I don't think anyone has anything planned. Perhaps I'll only dress up for my trick-or-treaters. I'm ready to have a swash-buckling time (with some cheese and apple pie, too). 

I did manage to treat myself to a trip to the store and picked up 4 new pairs of running pants, all with the optimism that I may one day be able to run again. Perhaps from now on it will only be walking and hiking. Either way, I was long overdue for something warmer to put on my legs. Can't wear shorts for much longer.

All is good. My optometrist finally heard from the opthalmologist that my eye is good to go, so now I await a couple of weeks for getting a new pair of reading glasses.

And the winds blow, and blow, and blow. The rain falls and falls and falls.

Bless This Animal...This Bird. When a Friend Sends a Text. I'm There with Eulogy and a Proper Burial. The Older I Get, The More Important This Becomes

Simple text, really. A photo. The back patio.

"Seriously? Again?" 

This happened before. Bird meets window. 

"No, you don't need to remove it. I can have someone get it tomorrow." 

"No, I'm not letting it stay there over night. He needs a proper ceremony."

There was a welcomed 55-minutes between obligations, so I drove over to the house, singing Ava Maria the entire way. I texted my concern right back. This is what friends do. It was an emoji of me that needs more gray painted upon it.

I always think of my friend Kirsten when I see a dead animal. She always said, "Bless that animal," as we drove by roadkill in our teenage years. I admired that and think of it every time I seen something is gone. I should abridge that, as I don't have the same soul-wrenching feeling when I see a skunk or possum. I should be more empathetic.

I also think about the night when driving the boys of Syracuse from soccer practice when we almost hit a rabbit. It got away, but triggered a night of, "The first time I saw a dead body." I am so glad I listened and learned.

When I arrived, I got the little guy onto a shovel and started singing, 

I wanted to let you know, our little feathered friend,

that even though your life did end, and flying into windows is quite the trend,

We love you.

I got him onto a shovel and wrapped him in tissue, then proceeded to walk out to the nature preserve at Walnut Beach. I made Oona say a prayer, but she could only cross a heart and look to the sky as she sipped a martini and talked to her son. She wouldn't kiss him on his beak. Neither would Pam, although Pam did walk outside  in silence to be sure he'd be at peace.

That's when I startled a woman shooting photographs  on the access road. I came through the trees with the dead bird on a shovel. We were really close and she saw my eye. It's okay. I would run away, too, in absolute terror. I gave her a story. I imagine she called the police.

Then, as if I was an Olympian lacrosse player, I shuttled the little guy into the trees for his last flight. Pam prayed, "Good luck on the other side of the rainbow bridge."

And I channeled Jason Reynolds, saying, "If you can, share a feather or two. Many on the ground still need the wings."

 

 

 

In Search of Meaning Here: Logic, Data, Patterns, Predictions, Assertions, Knowledge, Truth, Surgical Masks, & Dog Poop. Of Course That Was My Yesterday

Doctoral studies and participation in research organizations kept/keep me loyal to reading the word and world, seeking out patterns, noticing, and curiosities to name truth and make sense of the phenomenon around me. Knowing patterns helps me with logical decision-making. It's scientific method 101. Don't touch hot stoves. They burn. That will lean ya'.

So, Karal has fascinated me. We walk 3 to 8 miles daily and she rarely stops to pee. I'd estimate on the 200+ walks we've done thus far, including long hikes, I've witnessed her squatting twice to pee...maybe three times Her norm is to wait until we return home, run to the gate, and do her thing in the back of my house...it's a cookie tray of her deliveries that I need to pick up each week. I've never had a dog like this, but it is what she does. 

Still, I always put two doggie bags in my pocket, in anticipation of her doing as dogs do on walks. I want to be prepared. Never once have I used them with this dog; instead, I find them in coat pockets, jean pockets, the pockets of gym shorts, and on tables where I put them because of the lack of use. I just want to be sure I have them when they are needed.

Yesterday, in a short window between ZOOMs, meetings, and courses, I said, "Let's get your walk in, shall we?" She ran to the door, I got her harness on, and then thought, "Shoot. Let me grab a bag."  I was lazy and didn't want to re-enter the house so I grabbed two surgical masks out of my car (there are piles there). I stuffed them in my pocked and we were off. I figured it was a back up if we needed something, but like I said, "The dog is a routine shitter."

And of course she pooped twice on our walk, and I was thankful to have surgical masks for each. Murphy's law, as alway. She totally chose today to be the absolute outlier of her norms and to prove me an idiot. Here I was walking around Stratford with two surgical masks full of dog turds until I could find a can to dispose them. They worked, but it felt odd....a tisket, a tasket, Crandall carrying his surgical basket.

The blame goes to the monsoon on Tuesday. I'm guessing she held in more than I thought because the winds and rain were ridiculous. 

But two substantial piles on one walk? That's just crazy. So out of character. Or maybe so in Crandall character to give him something to write about.

I'm noting this on my notepads just to make the case that patterns, rituals, routines, habits, recordings, predictions, observations, and data often state what they do, but there are always exceptions. ALWAYS. I love to have my hypothesis proven wrong...especially by a dog.

And yes, Mr. Jones and Ms. Brown, you saw what you saw when you drove by. I've learned my lesson. 

Yuck. I Much Prefer Winter Nor'Easterners More Than the Rain Event We Had in the Northeast the Last Two Days

Always an optimist, I saw a slight window of no rain to adventure outside with Karal for a walk. It had been a morning with winds and rain whipping sideways down Mt. Pleasant. Definitely a monsoon. And Karal wouldn't go outside. She had me up at 7 a.m., but when I opened the door she was like, "@$@#, NO!" She ran to my "ZOOM" chair and curled up before I could get on my first meeting.

A little later, I got wiser and threw a dog biscuit to the swamp and she had no choice but match her desire for treats with her apprehension to actually do her thing. Lucky for me, she did both  and seemed to be proud of herself. 

Then, it was more monsoon time before I took her for a walk. It had stopped. I didn't bother looking at the weather, and headed out. We were about a mile away when the skies opened again. Drenched. Cold. All of this before I had to head to campus for classes. I took a hot shower. I also dried her off with a towel which was a game of chewing, biting, wrestling, and squirming.

Ah, but it's all good. It's midterm time, and after presentations, I promised my students falafel. Not sure where we'd go, but with so many vegans I guessed it would be the best bet. None of them wanted to drive to campus, and I cannot blame them. Leaving was even worse.

Such is life. Better for spring blueberries. The more we get , the plumper they will grow. 

And Wola! MeCha Pho in Fairfield after class for the win. We didn't do falafel and went for noodles instead. Maybe I'm flavor deprived but this soup was perfect for a rainy day. My stomach, heart, and mind are now as happy as can be. Each flavor was stupendous. I wish I could mail a bowl to my parents in Syracuse - it's that good. Perfect dish for miserable weather, and now I'm thinking about the winter months, too.

Definitely recommend it. Bringing students, however, was a little pricey. Ah, we live once. And today I shall go fly a kit. These winds are something else.

4-Bell Alarm for "Only Crandall" or "Only You" - I Know, Because I've Had 49 and Counting Years of Being Me. I Can't Make This Up

I was back-to-back work from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m. yesterday and when I wasn't doing something in person, I was doing it digitally. I had a window from Lowe's of 8 a.m. until noon, where they would come to retrieve the unnecessary dishwasher. It works fine, but after almost losing an eye, my old one decided to work again. I carved space at home to be here for them, working with students, colleagues, and schools via ZOOM. 

At 9, I was called and told Lowe's was coming at 9:15. At 9:45, they still weren't here so I decided to brush my teeth...I had a window before my next meeting. As I reached for the toothpaste, I hear this horrendous alarm coming from the upstairs. Edem came home from his overnight job and was sleeping, but he was quickly awakened...so I knew it wasn't his alarm clock. When I ran upstairs, I found the fire alarm in Chitunga's room going off (so loud). I had a 10 a.m. ZOOM call, so we opened the windows hoping it would stop. There was no smoke...I wondered if it could be carbon monoxide (as my older sister had a scare and I didn't want to repeat that). 

Ah, but this alarm is way up on the A-Frame ceiling and I would need a ladder to get to it. Nope. My ladder was borrowed by a friend several months ago and not returned. I went into a brief-panic mode so called the fire department for a recommendation. I told them, it's not an emergency. I was told to go outside and wait, so Edem, the dog, and I stood out front. Of course, we hear the sirens from far away as they get closer and I said, "Watch. Lowe's will show up at exactly the same time."

Wola! They did. And all my neighbors were outside wondering what the commotion was.

The photo is actually the fireman and fire woman blowing dust out of the alarm. They had to bring their own ladder. The culprit? A faulty fire alarm. 4 years old. They usually last 14 years. The alarm wouldn't stop going off and they suggested I take a hammer to it.

Now, this was all from 10 to 10:15. By 10:30 I was online with students again.

And that was my morning...never broke a sweat, joked with everyone that this is the way my life rolls, and Lowe's drove away with the dishwasher.

Meanwhile, Karal thought everyone came to play with her. She was sad when they left and Edem went back to bed. 

Fa la la la la la la la la.

Ended #WriteOut 2021, @WriteOutConnect, With a Personal Hike. Introducing My Son and Karal to @WeirFarmNPS

It's the time of October to call it quits for the 2021 #WriteOut bonanza, and I made a decision to benefit me: to meet my son and bring the canine, fuzz-nugget to walk the trails of a National Park Treasure...Weir Farm National Historical Park. I'm limited with teachers to the trails that best fulfill the times we have together , but yesterday, I wanted to hike a little further, to take in the scene, and to embrace the brilliant foliage on my own.

In the words of Chitunga, "It really is beautiful there." Indeed, it  is.

Very thankful to Ranger Kristin for coming out to welcome us to the park. We did the waterfall trail beyond the pond, and I am  appreciative with how well-marked the trails were. I've been to many locations where I've lost my way because they weren't not hiker-friendly. Weir Farm is very hiker-friendly.

Before we arrived, I grilled mushrooms, chicken, and steak so that I could send Chitunga off for the week with a few home-cooked tastes. I brought the remaining to Bev, Leo, and Pam in Milford to fulfill a Sunday ritual. I joked with Kristin that I've never had directions to the location the same way twice and that was true yesterday, I got to take the winding, hilly tracks from Monroe to Wilton and the foliage was simply stunning. 

It won't be long before all the leaves fall, and such hikes will not be as inviting and colorful. The ducks were having a field day on the pond, and I appreciated that so many out-of-state guests were also hiking.

Chitunga is Legolas, and he and Karal keep a much faster pace than I do. I have longer legs, but there's something about the way feet and legs hit the trails that make some individuals faster than others. Obviously, this is the two of them. When I finished, they were already resting on a bench. It was all good, however, because I simply had time to commune with Maude, to put different muscles into action over rocks and hills, and to totally allow the oxygen to fill my lungs. Every angle and turn of the head proved absolutely beautiful. 

I'm entering a new work week thankful to MAKE time to get outdoors simply to enjoy the season. #WriteOut 2021, I appreciate the invitation to learn more about the beauty of our nation. I look forward to all still to come next year and beyond. 

Love Taking Advantage of Beautiful Fall Days to Hike with the Pooch and to Get Away from the Computer Screen

Ah, Saturdays. The blessing that gives back as a reward to the work week. We graded for six hours and then we went out for the trails to take advantage of the crisp air and to refocus what is most important. 

Happy Birthday little sister: K. Dot. C Dot. My little "brother" with the beautiful family, humor, and silliness from our childhood. 

Phew. Pushing 50 and feeling the age in a way I've never felt before: sore, cramped, pained, and irritated. I keep thinking it should be more of the same, but it's definitely a different body than the previous 49 years.

I helped put up blinds, got a dinner out of it, and kept myself away from the tasks that needed attention. House needs to be cleaned, laundry needs to be put away, lawn needs to be mowed, and classes needed to be organized, but I got outdoors and that is most important. 

Karal collapsed early at night and I'm sore from being handyman Crandall - it shouldn't hurt so much to twist in screws, but it does.

Today is a day for refocusing, rest, and paying attention to what needs to be done around the house. I imagine aspirin will help the aches and pains from yesterday. I'm also thinking we might want to winterize the house, even though I keep hoping we'll have a few more weeks on the back porch and at the fire-pit. 

In the meantime, I'm thankful that I live so close to the water and can get afternoons along the shoreline for a 5 mile hike. The skies and waterway were beautiful. It really does calm the soul. It's what I carry with me into the week. 

I am thankful. 

All Clear. Phew. The Ophthalmologist Gave the Thumbs Up & Said, "Stop Listening to the Hypochondriac People in Your Life"

The Great Eye Injury of 2021 is not as bad as others led me to believe. I went a week as normal and didn't know I was as disgusting as I am until people freaked out when they noticed my eye was red. My glasses stem stabbed me a week ago when I was rewiring the dishwashersin the pitch black - they fell off and I rolled over and was jabbed. You can't rewire a dishwasher unless you're on the ground.

No pain. No problem seeing, either. Just the grotesque bleeding. 

Yet, friends and family had me paranoid about infection, and when I went to the optometrist for a yearly checkup, I was told by the Dr., "I can't see you. You need to go to a professional right now." Needless to say, the scheduled me for the afternoon, I left from her office to my office, and my imagination began running wild. I was convinced I'd have to have needles stuck in my eye and knives slicing the eye lid. This, of course, made me queasy and as I drove from here to there. I thought, "Oh, I just might pass out."

Then I stopped thinking about it. I worked for a few hours on campus and didn't return to the paranoia until driving to the afternoon appointment. I was convinced my eye would have to be removed (which would be fun because I'd ask to keep it. I'd store it on a mantle).

Nope. The assistant, then the doctor, both came by to say there is no injury to the eye. It's just the way a punch hits, and how the blood vessels release blood around the eye, getting trapped in the "Siran wrap" that encases it. Fun. I was told not to get all stirred up by the worry-warts. I told them, "Well, they made me nervous. They even told me I'd never be able to drive again if I became a Kyklops." 

I feel better knowing that all I need now is moisturizer drops and that I should throw my Visine-anti-redness drops away. They were not fans of Visine at all. I was also told it'd likely get worse before it looks better, which excited me because I want it ripe for Halloween. They couldn't promise me anything, but offered the chances were good. The doc said, "It might even turn green for a while." YES!

Meanwhile, I need to reschedule an appointment for new glasses. I picked out a pair before they said, "Yuck. We can't serve you," and I hope I can find the same ones when I visit again.

Eyeballs are fascinating. 

I Remain a @Saucony Fan & Will Be Loyal for Life, but Phew! The Online Colors Versus the Delivery are Something Else. Hello, Bright Kicks.

Let me start off by saying, "Yes! Brilliant comfort and I'm ready to pick up running again after a 7 month leave, surgery, and slow recovery. These are the ones! They fit like I hoped they would. Super."

Ah, but the color ordered online, versus the color of in-person are almost as if they are two different shoes. I was drawn to the orange and red, because of my Syracuse and Louisville alumni-thing. I thought, "Perfect match."

This orange, though? I deserve all the crazy remarks I anticipate will come my way. Yes, these shoes can be seen from outer space. The orange is like something out of Wham's "Wake Me Up Before We Go-Go" video. They are orange highlighters. 

I'm good, and I can take it, even if my green Cross-Trek which is equally obnoxious is likely to get in a brawl with my new kicks. Call me Tropical bird man. I will be seen when I arrive, by wheel or by foot. 

Again, I'm so thankful to have kicks that feel incredible and offer support in all the right places. But, perhaps the website needs to be a wee-bit more honest. It's pretty intense how drastically different the online hue is to the ones delivered.

Now, I'm still afraid to take off, because I'm not sure I can, but these are the 'feel' for doing so. "Hey, Mr. Can you help me highlight my text with those shoes?'

Why, yes. I guess I can.

Saucony makes the perfect runner's shoe, and I've strayed from time to time and regretted it. These will definitely NOT be shoes I wear with jeans when going out, but will be the ones I move in when sweating. I probably can use them to play Light Bright, too, if they still make that childhood toy. 

Yikes, I'm afraid I will look funny when I start running again. Well, I have the shoes to match. 

For this morning...it will be just a walk. I imagine I'll attract bees and hummingbirds.