General Topics

Today as I was running some errands I noticed that the large cloud of smoke was once again in evidence.  The last time I saw it, I wasn't sure which wildfire it was.  It turns out that it is from the Las Conchas fire up near Alamogordo.  Today, there was more smoke around the base of the fire which the local news said was due to some back burns being done by the firefighters.  All in all, it's an impressive site considering it's more than an hour's drive from Albuquerque.

On another topic, I just started reading a fun new book, The Wilder Life, by Wendy McClure.  The author, as did many of us, read the Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder while growing up.  She enjoyed it then.  Later on, she was reacquainted with the books.  She started re-reading them and liked them as much as when she was a kid.  Over time, she developed a mild obsession for reading as much as possible about the family and the actual time line of their lives.  Going to the places where they lived.  Trying things they had done in real life - like churning butter.  (It turns out that finding an actual dash churn to use was much harder than the actual churning.)  I'm only about a third of the way through it but am enjoying it so far.  It reminds me a bit of Julie & Julia from a few years ago.  Relatively normal person becomes mildly obsessed with famous author (yes, Julia Child wrote a book, albeit a cookbook, and thus could be considered an author).  Ends up writing a light-hearted book about their obsession.

I'm rather annoyed with myself.  Lately I've been feeling frumpy, lumpy and dumpy.  (The three cornerstones of a marked lack of self-confidence.)  I should be feeling good since I recently landed a job after an extended period of unemployment.  I start in about a week.  A large part of my problem results from my decision to buy some new tops.  It's been a while since I've done so and I've put on several pounds (OK, more than just several).  I tried on some tops in women's size Large.  All were too tight.  Some across the shoulders, some in the belly area and one weird top where the sleeves were too tight.  I then moved to Extra-Large.  The tops fit a bit better but some were still slightly tight.  Only one looked reasonably decent and it just wasn't what I wanted.  Sigh.  So I walked into the store feeling OK.  I walked out of the store feeling - lumpy, frumpy and dumpy.  I know I'll get over it and I'll find some clothes that will work.  But in the meantime, I'm feeling rather down.

Papillon