I got the garbage out before the trucks came. Take that, The Man!

My roommate, in a not-unusual-for-her-haze, had put out the garbage and recycling cans... which were empty.

(They have lids, and they are heavy, even when empty -- but geez, how hard is it to actually, you know, check to see?)

(Recently, she helpfully gathered up a bunch of mail I'd left on the coffee table... and put it all into a brown paper bag, and put the bag right where we leave the recycling to be put out. This, I am sure, was not passive-aggressive, given the genuine surprise she had when I pointed out what a bad idea that was.)

I got up at three to see the lunar eclipse enter totality, and that was a good call because it was a beautiful clear night, chilly enough for my fleece robe but not so cold that standing around barefoot was a problem, and the moon and stars were lovely. I went back to bed but not really to sleep and now I am made of gronk and the moon seems weirdly bright.

grown ass humans with a firm grasp on the concept of time

How do I become one of these fabled creatures? Or, where can I get me one?

signed, woman who sets a weekly alarm to remind her tomorrow's trash day

I used to have a note on my door, but now the neighbors' barrels remind me.

I have a recurring task the night before trash day.

The moon was GIGANTIC on my way into work. Beautiful. Was not quite able to see the moon setting and the sun rising at the same time, too many trees and buildings on the horizon. And now I have coffee, so the day is seeming more manageable.

It was too cloudy here for seeing astronomical phenomena, alas. But I have seen a blood-red lunar eclipse before, and it is amazing. Watched it with my mom, in the backyard of our old farmhouse. Good memory.

There was a blood red eclipse at a Society for Creative Anachronism event I attended. Lots of people bouncing between modern enthusiasm for a cool celestial event and medieval dismay at something eating the moon.

I was already up so I saw the tail end of the eclipse. It was particularly gorgeous in my neighborhood -- had difficulty photographing it, though.

Anne, if you need someone to talk to regarding DV issues, you're welcome to email or I'll give you my number. I worked at 3 different shelters. The best thing for your mom right now is what you're giving her -- time and space and acceptance -- but emotional abuse paired with medical issues is an incredibly hard thing for an entire family to go through.

I tried to use our crock pot to make oatmeal once, and it was a hot, gluey mess. And when I make chili, I make it in a giant stock pot, because D will eat it by the ton. But it truly comes in handy to make something like lemon chicken or BBQ pulled pork -- something that's one meal the first day, then you use as a different meal, like taco meat or cut up on a salad, the next day.