I always get Simple Twist of Fate and Leap of Faith confused. I don’t think I’ve actually seen either.

I remember liking Leap of Faith and I also remember how surprised I was to have liked it.

I really liked Leap of Faith.

The Silas Mariner movie is less surprising when you remember the Cyrano movie (complete with nose). Which are both less surprising if you're read or seen Picasso at the Lapin Agile.

I have seen Picasso at the Lapin Agile! When I was living in Philly. That was a good play.

Pix, all the ~ma and safe travels. {{}}

I saw that movie, and it was Steve Martin, based on Silas Marner. How funny.

Gentle solicitations and consolations to those of us who need them. And joyous days for those of us to whom that may come.

Safe journey, Pix, safe return. And may your visit be of help.

What a lovely tradition, David, of Emmett bringing home the tree. I miss my 'traditions' boy every year. It doesn't lessen, but the memories get a little sweeter over time.

Muddy puppies are a mess, but they also provide a lot of laughter and have such joy in being muddy, and are so sweet when they're all clean again.

Tomorrow I have to clear off all the surfaces of ordinary objets, so I can replace them with the holiday ones. I got a whole big packet of flameless tealights and we used them tonight--they do very well. H has bad memories of church candles and the smell of smoking wick is something he can't stand. So no more Shaolin temple or Police video in my living room. But now I can recreate them with flameless tealights!

JZ, I have names. I will make paper leaves and write the names on them, and find a bare branch to place in the house and pin the names to it. Send me names if you'd like me to add them to my homemade memory tree, anyone who'd like to.

H made a pot of vegebarleybeef soup, which is the very best thing for winter suppers. And pumpkin bread with cream cheese to follow. The evenings are sweet here, right now. I'll enjoy them, gratefully.

Pix, safe travels. JZ, sending many many hugs. Thanks, everyone. I really appreciate the health~ma.

Health-ma, hippocampus.

Oh jeez, Pix, good luck with all of that! What kind of help?

Dad has been having some cognitive issues the past couple of years, and he recently sold the condo in Florida he’s been renting out the past 6-7 years. During that process, I uncovered he’s been having issues with overdrafts due to his confusion between banks (he still has one back in Connecticut in addition to the one in Florida where he lives), and he’s been getting confused about some other financial stuff. He actually asked me for help, so I needed to go. So flying today (since I can’t fly on a weekday while I’m teaching and next weekend would be much busier with holiday travel), quarantining at an AirBnB for a week, and then will have about five days with him to get the old bank accounts closed and all his income and bills over to his new account.

On the plus side, his 78th birthday is tomorrow — I won’t be able to get close, but I can at least drive to his place and wish him a happy birthday from a distance.

Health ma for hippocampus

Travel ma for Pix and health ma for her and her dad.

Also I am glad to hear I am not the only one who saw this Silas Marner movie. I am not alone, and maybe I can take the red Sudafed again.

Reminder that the Holiday Zoom call is this morning and shortly.

Chez Zmayhem will be joining midway once JZ and Matilda get back from church.