Totally know what you mean, Calli -- I think the only reason I was cool going alone is because I knew it would be smallish and completely peaceful (so not having a buddy seemed fine) and, therefore, less intimidating somehow. Also, I hid behind my phone camera a lot!

But, one of the organizers invited me/gave me a QR code thingy to the NoVa Childless Cat Ladies group, so I'm hoping maybe I can find some political community/activity there. I do have friends here of the same political bent, but we are spread out enough geographically that, unless we were all doing a DC march, our community activities are separate.

Dreary day today. Third wedding anniversary, so we're going to dinner tonight. And we just did our anniversary morning crossword, because almost everything gets the word anniversary added to it today. Like, I'm drinking my anniversary iced coffee, and DH is anniversary web surfing at the moment. This way, we don't have to bother with gifts or cards -- everything we do, say, or touch is the gift. Genius!

I love that anniversary routine! Great plan.

I did not venture down the beach for the protests because I know I can't take the heat—very nice turnout. My only disappointment is that it didn't downpour in DC as was forecast.

DH has a packed basketball schedule today with games and practice. Good thing since Father's Day is rough for him.

Today's house chores include travel planning, meal planning, and house cleaning. DH and Scully leave on Wednesday, and I leave on Sunday. Going to my sister's first to check in on my brother and pick up my road-tripping NY sister.

skip over icky health stuff ahead

My brother is not good in the hospital with fluid in his lungs. They are saying nodal metastasis. The tears in his rotator cuff and his lungs have him in a lot of pain, so morphine and oxygen are being provided. Tomorrow, maybe a cortisone shot in the shoulder, and a scheduled draining of the lung fluid, including biopsy. Although the tumor in his esophagus was eliminated and he can eat again, he hasn't been interested in food for the last week or so. So, there is nothing good in the current situation.

Well, let me get to my list.

Oh, geez, Laura -- I'm sorry it's so awful for your brother right now. Love to you all, including B on a rough day for him.

I should do some meal planning and prepping myself. I made an Instant Pot tikka masala chicken (which is to say, dumped Aldi frozen Chicken breasts and Aldi tikka masala sauce + some onions, potatoes, and corn... and maybe chickpeas?) and pressed a button. It's good, and voluminous, and in the freezer, mostly, but I could stand to add some variety to my choices for the week. Maybe you have inspired me to (anniversary) find a casserole or something to make!

It could be a combination of my aversion to shopping and my passion for cooking that makes me a meal planner. My life is vastly improved when I plan out an entire week so I don't have to make decisions and can get all the groceries at once. The decision-making in particular. When I am hungry and/or tired is no time to make food decisions.

It's rough on the three big sisters to know that our baby brother is going to go first. He is the only one of us who has smoked for over half a century, so it's not a big surprise, but hard to watch. Helplessness at this point and agreement that he gets to make the decisions.

It's rough on the three big sisters to know that our baby brother is going to go first. He is the only one of us who has smoked for over half a century, so it's not a big surprise, but hard to watch. Helplessness at this point and agreement that he gets to make the decisions.

It is hard. You want to but you can't really save people from themselves.

The fog is burning off in San Francisco and the blue sky is asserting itself. My MiL visited overnight, and I gave her a book themed cardigan I bought for her and she was very pleased. She and Matilda are headed off to church and to see Pastor Bea.

The cardigan in question: [link]

This evening I will make my children watch a movie of my choosing and we'll order pizza.

I think the movie will be...Local Hero. Though I haven't watched Rushmore in a while.

I liked "Local Hero"...haven't seen it in a while. We're not really doing Father's Day and everyone is pretending it's because of his surgery and all that. I mean, it would be kind of true, but that doesn't account for the other twenty times. He was lucky, but that is the one thing he'll never say...instead of "No cancer," he's been focused on the complications. Because, of course.(I guess I come by that dark streak natural on both sides.) Dropped him an e-mail which I might get an answer to tomorrow, maybe. "No Kings" was big even out in the burbs, not just by the university where I might expect a big one. I am pleasantly surprised and hope Dan, et al, could build some momentum up.

Just checking in to let you know that I'm OK, and safe, and also freaking tired. Took the cat and I'm staying with friends who have a safe room (my building doesn't have a safe space for Iranian missiles). We're living it one day at a time.

Gonna have a cup of tea and watch Taskmaster to try to unloop my mind and then fall asleep until the next air raid siren.

Also, the cat doesn't appreciate being in a cage in a small safe room with two other adults, two kids, a dog, and sometimes another cat, but guess what, kid. This is the best case scenario.

damn, yeah, pretty much a kitty nightmare.

cereal: Dad and I talked about Ugly Betty for a moment. As good as our shit gets, post-puberty. ETA: Good wishes for Buffista fathers and father figures...

Shir, I’m glad you have somewhere safer to go, but boy that sounds difficult.

Local Hero, it’s been ages since I saw that. We watched a movie last night (I think on Peacock) called The Ballad of Wallis Island and were generally charmed.