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Weather be doing it’s weird weather thing as of late. Hot, cold, wet, dry, windy, rainy, snowing, blowing, somewhat frozen, and generally uncooperative. That’s the current state of our weather map, and nobody seems to be able to account for all of it, so we’ve been reduced to wearing disparate items to hedge our bets and combat this ridiculous weather. Almost need to have a travel bag in the car full of gear for each eventuality. Things are getting out of hand. It’s currently 23° cooler today than yesterday. Spring flowers must be very hardy to grow so well with the outdoor elements being this volatile. I for one can’t stand it. Spring should mean rain showers, sun shine, and temperatures between 8° and 16° for seven or eight weeks, and then it ticks over into the high humidity, and scorching highs of summer.

Instead we will get only a handful of days in the teens, mixed in among flurries, high winds, major storms, lots of rain, and too much grey fog, and absurdly cold temperature swings. It will get sunny, but then be minus six and have a biting wind to go with it. Nasty.

We used our first day of the holiday to do an Easter egg hunt at the farm, and walk the dog a bunch while it was sunny, and above seasonal temperatures. My wife took a few hours to sort through her Girl Guides gear and throw some of her stuff away. The basement is filling up with the kids old toys as they outgrow stuff. They began their own purge without being asked to do so. My wee ones are growing up!

I think we might go out as a family to see the new Super Mario Bros Galaxy movie at some point this weekend. I don’t know if it will be any good, but the kids seem excited about it. I don’t imagine it’ll tickle the same fancy that Project Hail Mary did. Different demographic, looking for a different movie going experience.

Oh look it’s raining again. April showers bring May flowers, and all that Jazz. All I know is, everything will feel damp and chilled for the next thirty or so days. No matter what you do you will be both too hot, and too cold regardless of clothing choices, number of layers, and materials chosen as part of the make up of those layers. Do you go with breathable but get taken out by the piercing winds of icy goodness, or go with polyesters and sweat at the first sign of the sun, or stillness from the air. Shorts with a thicker sweater, full length pants but with full zip lighter sweater combo? Choices…choices. the other choice is to carry a back pack with upgraded gear, or a lighter option because if you are like me you always assume incorrectly how the weather will play out. It’s a hard won skill.

Now these novels are topping out at 700 to 800 or more pages. The pace of play has slowed considerably, but I only have this and one other to read before the final book of the series drops at some point in the middle of May. I’d like to be ready and waiting for book eight, and not be in the middle of any other novels at that time.

That being said I have another Martha Wells Murderbot book coming soonish, as well as a James S A Corey new release coming at some point soon too. I went all in on new books this year. It might have been a tad foolhardy. My bookshelves are quickly refilling, but on the plus side it’s by books I have actually read.

The orange book I have here is 812 pages. I think the next one is 700 pages or there abouts. The fifth book was 707 pages. I can’t keep up this pace for too much longer, but I’m glad that I got over having to use my reading glasses, and can now actively enjoy digging into a good book series once again.

Maybe after I finish all the new books I’ll try to complete some older books I started but never finished. Elantris, Mistborn, the Black Leopard & Red Wolf book I shelved quite some time ago.

Kids are off for four straight days for the Easter Long Weekend. Dog walks, late breakfasts, movie marathons, and outdoor clean up are all on the itinerary for the next few days. Nobody was unwell during the night, so as far as I can tell we are on the mend. That is unless somebody else comes down with something in the meantime. Looking forward to some holiday meals with the extended family this weekend! That, and chocolates. Ha!

I kept both kids home yesterday because we all are the same dinner but one child was up throwing up, and I figured it was only a matter of hours before the second child, and the rest of us followed in their footsteps.vbur, luckily that wasn’t so. My oldest is still sick today, but the youngest who never threw up or felt I’ll went back to school, much to her chagrin. It was a fight. Not going to be a fun weekend if the oldest remains sick for more than another day or two. Poor kid.

Some colour has returned to her face at least. She’s able to keep the Gatorade down, for an hour or so this far. Looks like she can nibble on dry toast, and that’s a promising sign for day two anyway. No fever, no cough, no runny nose, just the pukes. I still would love to know if it was a food borne illness, or something she has picked up from school. One is localized, the other will go through all of us in the house, as well as her classroom. Time will tell.

It is now Thursday, with a four day long weekend for the kids & spouse on the immediate horizon. Which means tonight I watch the next episode of The Pitt. How will we be lead into the final episodes! Oooh…ahhh, OH! Can’t wait. It’ll be hard to top the last few from season one. Short of a bridge collapse, or a massive building fire I don’t know what major type of thing they will do.

It could end with them all charting quietly I guess, go the Sopranos route. End on the mundane rather than anything lavish or extraordinary. Just life as usual. Would be fitting the end the entire series that way.

That’s a new record for pages read, from the same author, in one month. That’s four full books plus slightly more than half of the fifth one to boot. I’m on a real solid page turning tear right now. I don’t know for how much longer it will last, but first quarter of 2026 will be remembered as the Dungeon Crawler Carl session for the ages. I can see myself going back to painting minis soon, or sculpting a busy for the fair, or returning to my resin model kit, or playing new songs on the guitar, or getting back into the wood shop for some much needed furniture builds, or painting some canvases. Who knows where I’ll go next as I jump from hobby to hobby, and back again. Life’s fun!

Both kids are home today after throwing up last night. Well, no correction. One was throwing up, several times in the night, and the other woke up because of it, and was too out of sorts to function this morning, so now I have them both at home, in their beds, quietly dozing. My wife is on her way to a Blue Jays home game against Colorado, so hopefully they pull out a win today, and that this illness business was due to the food. And not a communicable thing we will all get at some point this week, just for funsies.

It was supposed to be a short week for school anyway, so now it’s much shorter than intended. I still have work to deliver, so the kids will need to stay in bed, and be quiet if I have to field any calls. Shouldn’t be a problem, fingers crossed.

Heard at least one real solid boom! Of a thunderclap late last night, or very early this morning, I don’t recall which, but otherwise I was mostly unbothered by the electrical storm. We got poured on by the rain at school drop off, but it petered out quite quickly after that so I opted to take my mutt to the farm for a walk. We did stop off at home so I could scrape leaves out of the gutters to allow the rain water to drain more easily on the street directly out front of our house. No need for pooling water if not absolutely unavoidable.

Book five is moving along nicely. I’ve slowed up a touch, but that’s not much of a concern. When I tally all of the pages I’ve read in March alone it should be over 2,000. Potentially more than that if I have a good sit down with the book at lunch time, and this evening before bed.

The Blue Jays who had started strong fizzled last night losing to Colorado 14-5. Not a good look to lose the pitcher in the third inning to a leg slash knee & ankle injury. Oh well! That’s baseball. They really do need to pull something together in the bullpen though to remain competitive because their current closers aren’t anywhere near good enough to stave off a one run lead to finish a game, and remain ahead. It’s upsetting to watch happen over, and over again, with no remedy in place. But I digress.

Tuesday, and the recycling truck came really early this time. I do not know if we are at the start, or end of the route but they can come at 7:00 am, or they can come at 5:45 pm, no warning one way or the other. It’s a gamble.

I can see the sun trying to poke its way through the clouds and fog. I don’t think it’ll clear up, but I appreciate the effort! Ha.

How is it a ridiculous comment on Threads has now garnered more than 4,800 likes. I don’t get it. Must be bot activity once you reach a certain threshold they just jump onboard. I had another comment get to 1,600 or more and that I thought would be the pinnacle. Nope. Apparently people love the mention of a Motorola RAZR to kill two birds with one phone. It’s doing numbers people! Get a grip.

With all that set aside, it is now Monday, the last one in March. Not only that but we have a four day weekend hot on our heels coming in fast for Friday through Monday. It’s Easter, already! Holy guacamole! Also, today the temperature could rise up to about 18 degrees. It won’t last, but with some sun it will be really, really nice.

I borrowed my FIL’s truck yesterday to transport some brush, and downed tree limbs to the farm for disposal yesterday. Felt good to clean up that massive pile. It was supposed to go in the fall, but farming, weather, and a suite of other factors got in the way. Gone now, so that’s all that matters. I even cleared out some more garbage wood from the garage since I was making the trip, and I had the room to haul more stuff away. Tried to not get carried away, and I think I was successful. I do have some slabbed logs that could go from beside the shed, but I’m not totally sold on getting rid of them just yet. I know I’ll dump some of it, I’m just not sure which parts will go, and where I’ll put whatever is left over. I need to do some thinking, and planning around it before I act rashly.

So yeah, one morning I woke up with six hundred Threads notifications, and it just keeps on steadily climbing. The comment has to be several days old by now, so it should wind down now, right? There’s no money in it here in Canada for Threads engagement, so beyond an odd sort of interruption, it’s not doing me any favours.

I get why US social media is so horrible, people get paid for interactions, and hateful, spiteful, awful comments garner a lot of interactions, whether the OP feels that way or not. It’s for a pay cheque. Money is involved. People will do bad things for money.

Whereas my shenanigans are fun, and delightful.

I cannot tell you the last movie that I’ve been to where the theater was populated predominantly with adults forty years of age or older. The film was wonderful, but what’s more was how pleasant the viewing experience was in a quiet theater with other adults there to WATCH THE MOVIE, not to live stream, or be influencers, or be chronically online for the film’s duration. It was pleasant to go two hours and thirty six minutes without seeing, or hearing a cell phone, tablet, or laptop computer peep once. We all sat back in our seats, looking forward, and sniffled through the tender moments, and luxuriate in the emotional tension the film doesn’t shy away from. No quick snap to a joke to alleviate the pain. It was tremendous.

I read the book several years ago, so while I am aware of the story, it isn’t exactly fresh in my mind, so I enjoyed the adaptation. It felt authentic to the source material even if much was left out. I’m ok with that. It’s the price you pay from moving from the written word to a visual medium. It’s still good. I also like the fact it isn’t all explosions, gun shots, fighting with no character development like much of our modern Netflix direct to home video type content. Faulty people with human responses to stimuli. Refreshing. Also, doesn’t need a sequel. Great as a stand alone. Why not develop Artemis as well if you want more Andy Weir characters to follow around on screen.

I can see why some folks felt it was slow, I get it, I understand your point, but I reject it whole heartedly. We’re so impatient we skip the build up for drawn out, exhausting spectacle, in a lot of tent pole movies these days, and there’s no pay off for anything anymore. The ending here feels earned. I like that. The film will let you sit with your glassy wet eyes, tears or sniffles. It’s not a melodrama by any means, but it gave itself space to breath, and I appreciate the control it took to keep those frames in the movie, instead of cutting it short. Phil & Lord have made some well crafted movies together, and I hope that continues.

I have the next couple of months reading material on hand, so no more having to time my reading in order to minimize downtime between books. Excellent. I also pre-ordered the eight and final book due out at some point in May of this year. There’s like 9 to ten inches of pages here ready to read. Something like 700 or more pages for each book. It’s a lot. But I think I’m good for it!

I will need to slow down once I get through this series, and any of the other books I have pre-ordered for the year. I’ll reach twelve and then need to actually read old books already in my possession from years ago. No point going out and refilling all of these book shelves with brand new books! My bad. It’s not often I find a new author with a good amount of stuff ready to read, that I really enjoy reading. Once I find one I want to devour as much as I can while I can. Call it a weakness, I don’t care.

It has happened again, the delivery date shown by the price to entice me to buy mysteriously rolls back a day or more after purchase. Not that it matters, or is a big deal, because in the grand scheme of things waiting an extra 24 hours is an inconvenience of the slightest manner, but the way in which it happens is nefarious. Advertise it as next day, but get two day anyway? Blargh. Just say two day, I still would have bought it, I’d just have better managed expectations. I would have simply stressed the reading slower, or save myself the last fifty pages to read on the one additional days wait. I’m moaning about it because I can, not because it’s a big deal. I needed something to write about that I could articulate. This wins on a groggy grey Saturday morning.

I’m currently in bed trying to decide if 8 get up to pee and start my day, or hold it and try to roll over and try for another hour or so of sleep? The bladder holds all of the cards here. If I want a good lie in, I should pee, otherwise I will dream of not being able to locate a toilet for the next hour to ninety minutes. Not cool.

Bladder wins, I drank far too much water yesterday to be able to hold it for more than my full night’s sleep. I had blood work done yesterday so my holding capacity was down ever so slightly! Probably why my night time gummy hit me like a tonne of bricks. A ten Millie Tommy shouldn’t feel that potent, woke. I could have grazed the underside of the moon, Sheesh.

For some reason comments of mine are going on on Threads these last few weeks. I had one go up to 1.6K, and another is up to 830. I’m not a funny guy, so it’s a bit odd. But I can flog my book(s) again if you’d like. They’re here, on this site, and can be downloaded for free. Just pdf’s that can be read on just about anything. You could buy the first book from Amazon Kindle Unlimited if you don’t trust random pdf’s from WordPress types.

Have a nice Saturday, it’s the Easter long weekend next Friday through Monday so be aware it comes early this year. Not only that but our weather should be a bit nicer by tomorrow, and for the next seven to ten days. Not out of the reach of random snowfall but we get closer to officially putting it all behind us until November fairly soon. Big wheels keep on turning!