Day One-hundred-and-thirty-nine: Warmer than summer

Today, November 17, 2008, it was every bit as warm as the warmest day I recall during summer, 78 degrees. The sun has set and it is still 73 degrees outside. It was so nice out that even though I didn't skip out on my work and go on a motorcycle ride like I should have, I still spent over an hour just sitting in the sky chair. I truly enjoyed all the animal noises and didn't mind the human noises, even the human created technology noises. While I couldn't hear the words, the voices I heard sounded joyous, probably reflecting the lopsided victory that the 49ers had over the Rams. I could even ascribe joy to the passengers of the jet sounds overhead, although they did sound a little bit more distant. Even my woodpecker friend was back.

When I opened my eyes, I just sat and watched the variety of birds. It was amazing to see hummingbirds land on the barest of twigs without causing them to bounce. When I return, I will have to get a hummingbird feeder as the nectar they acquire from flowers can't be very much in a yard now very depleted of flowers.

I stank up my front yard again and will do so one more time before I take off cross country. I hope the double application of stink will let it last six weeks.

I learned my lesson about late afternoon caffeinated coffee. I was up until 2:00 AM this morning although I gave up doing anything constructive about half way through my review writing. I never enjoyed review writing and am now even less motivated to write them. However, even though short, I am making them quality reviews. I can do no less in my Life after Layoff. If it turns out that I need to take a job, I will try for a consulting type job that hopefully will not involve anything that I don't like to do in some way.

Part of my grocery purchases was a tub of Earth Balance margarine. This allowed me to make the brownies that my daughter and son-in-law bought last weekend. They were good. (I guess I should say "are good," because I haven't been able to eat them all yet.) I will have to finish them this week as I baked them in my gingerbread pan, one of the dishes I intend to take to the Thanksgiving dinner I've been invited to.

I still have a decent amount of work yet to do tonight. I have just one more review to finish. I still have the trash to take out. I wouldn't mind getting something other than the reviews crossed off my to do list, but I'm not going to stay up until 2:00 AM just to do so.