teddy_radiator | SED - 23 October 2013

Well, quite a few things happened today. We worked today, and for once in a long while, work wasn't just the grueling physical workout that it's been. I suspect that will change as the holiday season comes upon us, but I for one am grateful for the temporary respite.

It's pretty chilly right now, which I'm thrilled about (currently 47F and windy-brrrrrr :) The wind picked up about noon today, just as my mother drove to pick up a few groceries. When she returned, she saw to her horror that a very tall tree in her backyard had been uprooted, and was literally hanging on by a single taproot. And yes, it was leaning in the direction of her house. She could hear it creaking and popping thirty yards away, from her porch.

She called an emergency tree person, who got there about thirty minutes later. He had managed to cut off the topmost branches when the taproot gave, and it crashed down, missing her house by inches. She said it sounded like an earthquake when it hit. The tree guy said the tree was rotten and she was pretty lucky that it had hung on as long as it did. If it had fallen in the night, it would have pretty much demolished the house and she would have probably been killed, as it would have fallen directly over her bedroom.

She was shaken, but I think she'd got over it by the time she called me. She was laughing about it and asking me if I knew anyone who needed some firewood. She was out $350 but that was pennies compared to the damage that could have been done.

On lighter news, TheHubs(r) and I were out looking for a pin-stripe suit for his Halloween costume at our local thrift store, and I came across this little glass dish. It was covered in about 10 years' worth of greasy grime, and they wanted 50 cents for it. Something about it really appealed to me, and it cleaned up a treat. It's in perfect condition except for tiny hairline crack which looks like it happened when it was created. It has no maker's mark, and while TheHubs(r) thought it was a fancy ashtray, I thought it was more like a candy or bonbon dish. Well, he did a tasty bit of detective work (once a Met Police Analyst, always a Met Police Analyst), and we found one on line:

Glass Dish

Someone is selling one (mine is identical to this one) on eBay for $10, so I feel like I got myself a bargain. And it's really a sweet little dish.

I should be writing on my promptfest, but I'm just bogged down at the moment. I banged out another chapter, and the end it in sight, but I just can't get myself going.

I think I'll have a bit of a read tonight, and perhaps get myself in a better frame of mind. I can tell I'm pushing too hard, and It's not too great right now. I just need to get more receptive. That's what tiredness will do for you.

Still can't get onto the Healthcare website.

I will leave you with this delightful image that came on one of

reynardo's wonderful postcards. Receiving these is just such a day brightener. This is called 'A Handful of Civilised Friends' by Katrina Rhodes. It is captioned:

She dreams of men and foxes'
With your head and my purse I could do anything. ~ Queen Elizabeth 1 to William Cecil

According to her website, it sold for $4,500. And here I thought my paining of four dogs playing cards wasn't worth all that much. In all seriousness, it's part of a delightful collection of charmingly whimsical characters. You can see the entire collection HERE.