Alas, a former Cincinnati mayor has passed away.

I texted my brother to tell him that, and he replied "On Sunday he will rise, more powerful than ever." We do NOT need Messiah Jerry Springer, I tell you what. (Or vampire Jerry Springer.)

Although he's broadly famous for paying a sex worker with a check, he's most famous to me for hitting on my mom during her partying/bar-hopping days in the mid- to late-80s. She was hot, he was a creeper; it probably happened more than once. He was also known for showing up to clubs with a live band playing and bothering the band until they'd let him sing with them.

I feel like I know a little too much about Jerry Springer. He was a dumpster fire, but he was *our* dumpster fire.

Ugh. My tummy has been very unhappy and rumbly for the past day and a bit. I am not managing to get any work done (took yesterday as a sick day, feeling a bit better today but still not wanting to work). I have tons of non work stuff I need to do too (like pay bills and clean my house) that I have not accomplished either. I’m feeling very unable to get things done lately.

We went to the symphony last night. It was an absolute delight. First was Rachmoninov's Piano Concerto #3, which was glorious.

The BF is so jealous. He plays and Rachmoninov is his favorite.

I hope your sister decides to come with you.

We went from basically winter to summer in less than a few weeks. Spring was more aspirational and didn't hang out long. But the insane rain and snow has made for a fantastic superbloom so far. It's warm but not so hot the flowers are dying. Joshua Tree National Park is quite popular currently.

My yard is a mess of invasive mustard, local mustard, grasses and wildflowers. I pulled a lot of the invasive mustard a few weeks ago but left a bit because it was the first thing blooming and was covered in hungry bees. Once everything else came up, time to get the mustard out.

So we've spent a decent amount of time doing yard work. It's coming together and I'm going to plant a few shrubs for the dog so she can look for lizards. Replacing two trees that the wind murdered as well.

The wind, not content with just taking trees also took about 35 feet of fencing and damaged a bunch more. The upside of the fence is that one side of the yard had old fencing that was completely different than what we did for the front yard and now all of fencing is the same.

I want to put in a jacaranda for shade (and the insane purple flowers) where the Chinaberry succumbed so a massive wind story, but it's not great in the wind. Chaste trees are lovely (and include purple blooms) but do not provide the strong shade I am looking for in this spot. Acacias are also small leaved and take a while to mature. I fear it's gonna be a mesquite which I love but I was hoping to get blooms as well as shade.

When we finish cleaning up and planting, it'll be so nice.

Timelies all!

This weekend is Malice Domestic, in Bethesda, so I will be commuting to it.(It's literally two stops down the Red Line.) Mmm, books.

Well it's been raining all day. I have been just reading and napping most of the day and not doing any art. Because it's been raining all day I should have gone into check in the computer/art room. I finally did and the ceiling is leaking. And of course I was forgetful and left a bunch of stuff in the area where the leak was and a cube organizer thingie of stuff got soaked through. All of the stuff I got second hand but it was a bunch of cool papers and a journal/scrapbook thing that looked like an old ledger and some old magazines I was planning to use. All soaked through and ruined. I mean soaked to the point that when I was trying to move some of the papers they were ripping in my hands.

Of course M's mom didn't say anything, actually no she yelled for M to do..something . I'm not sure what. I'm getting a bunch of plastic containers with lids and putting everything in those. The computer seems to be a way from where any leaks are but I might get some plastic sheeting or something to cover it just in case. M's mom has only done the bare minimum to deal with the roof issue--- put some tarps up in the attic and then had tar applied to the roof. She's known about this issue and we had a solution and she won't do anything. She made sure the roof on the addition that is her bedroom was replaced though.

just want a settlement from worker's comp and to be working full time and at this point I wouldn't care if M and I and 2 of the cats had to cram into a tiny apartment just to get away from this.

Oh the roof is leaking in 2 different places.

I hope your sister decides to come with you.

She did! I will be bringing my sisters home with me tomorrow for the weekend. YAY!

But the insane rain and snow has made for a fantastic superbloom so far.

I've always wanted to see this, but from my understanding not something that can be planned in advance easily. Also, I am tired after reading about the yardwork.

Askye, I really hope you can remove yourself from that situation soon.

Yeah, agree with Laura on that, askye. So sorry.

I went to a Nat'nl Symphony Orchestra rehearsal at the Kennedy Center this morning, which was lovely. Schumann’s Konzertstück for Four Horns, Mendelssohn’s Overture to The Hebrides (Fingal’s Cave), and Schubert’s Third Symphony (I copied that from the site, no programs, obvi, and I didn't remember). I feel like there was actually an additional piece, but I'm probably wrong. Really fun.

Then tonight we went to the Theater Lab to see a production of a musical adaptation of As You Like It, which was charming and funny.

Performance Day up in here! I approve.

So tired now, though. Sleepytime.

Performance Day up in here! I approve.

Indeed!! This needs to become a habit.

My sister's flight got in late. I opted to let my brother drive so 3 sibs picked up our 4th. My brother changed his radio station off of Fox news and on to rock 'n roll after our gentle prodding. We joked and found topics to discuss that didn't make him feel ganged up on by his older sisters. So we were up until 2, when I told them I had to go to bed. Still up at 7, which later than usual, but I just can't sleep in.

After my sisters wake up we'll breakfast then head to my side of the state. I'm drinking coffee, decaf, but still my morning routine.

And there is more!

My son Brendon said we really were supposed to have a nice family brawl in memory of Jerry.

And! Fifty years ago this very day I married for the first time. RIP Bob. You may not have been the best, but you were the first and we had a dozen years I don't regret. We stayed friends until he passed away. He's been gone 18 years, and divorced about 40 years, but I think of him from time to time. So brilliant, and so flawed. Ah, humans can be complex.

That is a momentous anniversary date Laura. Complex indeed -- I'm glad you were friends after the marriage phase ended.

So glad you're hanging with your sibs! Have so much fun.