Tag: houston

Is it fall yet (no)

This year, the autumnal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere lands on Sunday, September 22, at 7:44 AM central time (the zone I’m in). This has little to do with Houston’s weather. These are the seasons as I’ve observed them at Houndstooth Hall:
•hot, wet, and mosquito-filled
•hot, dry, and the palmetto bugs want to come indoors
•OMG, was that…a breeze?
•call the plumber, your pipes froze and split in the middle of the night

Hurricane season is a myth, as it can put in an appearance during any of those first three seasons.

The other day, while outside with the dogs, I spotted this on the ground and thought, “Fall!”

Then I decided it probably was brought here by a migrating bird who came from a place of real seasons bearing a symbol of hope. Thanks, bird!

It has been cooler here this week, but my mind hasn’t been at ease. For two years now, we’ve been on the receiving end of advice, suggestions, harassment, warnings!!!!, that we need a generator to alleviate the impact of power outages. If you’ve read here during the worst of our winter storms and the extended power outages of this year in particular, you know it’s a sound idea. If only the people who sound off wanted to contribute to the Houndstooth Hall Generator Fund. I’ve spent the last few days since we got our quote figuring out how to budget the cost with other steep and unexpected expenses this year. Whatever. We’ll figure it out. It can’t be done before “hurricane season” ends, but it will happen.

In the meantime, we’re still in OMG, was that a breeze? season, which means summer continues, as does RomCom Summer. Here are my most recent rewatches from the past few days when I’m not nervously crunching numbers (and Nacho Doritos).

An argument can be made that 1990’s Pretty Woman is the definitive film in the RomCom genre. The original screenplay was much darker, and one version even included the demise of Vivian. Not on Héctor Elizondo’s watch! The chemistry between Vivian and Edward, as played by Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, is off the charts. There are so many quotable moments and memorable scenes in this film: Rodeo Drive, the polo field, the boardrooms, and the restaurants. Each viewing, I remember I adore Elinor Donahue as Bridget and Patrick Richwood as Dennis the elevator operator (he and Héctor Elizondo team up again in The Princess Diaries, which deserves a rewatch, too).

Others might argue that the RomCom trend near the end of the previous century was kicked off by 1989’s When Harry Met Sally. Maybe, but rewatching this one wasn’t as fun for me. The humor’s there, the snappy dialogue’s there, but ultimately, I think I like Meg Ryan’s Sally and Billy Crystal’s Harry better as friends. I’d totally forgotten Harley Jane Kozak played Harry’s ex, Helen. As always, Carrie Fisher, who plays Sally’s friend Marie, is outstanding. (This probably means I’m going to need to rewatch Postcards from the Edge because of her excellent writing–as well as the cast’s performances.) This also got me in the mood to watch Meg Ryan in You’ve Got Mail. Unfortunately, a DVD issue brought that to a screeching halt after the first forty minutes, so my viewing has been postponed.

Instead, I watched 1982’s Tootsie, and just giving that date stuns me. FORTY-TWO years! I do thoroughly enjoy the entire cast that supports Dustin Hoffman as Michael and Jessica Lange as Julie. Rewatching this sent me on a deep dive of the other movies Sydney Pollack directed (he was also sometimes a producer, writer, and actor–in fact, he plays Michael’s agent in this film). These are some of my favorites from among them: This Property Is Condemned, Jeremiah Johnson, The Way We Were, The Electric Horseman, Absence of Malice, Out of Africa, and the remake of Sabrina. Kudos to the late Mr. Pollack, and I was reminded of an incident from my deep past. I was at McFarland Mall in Tuscaloosa one day, and on a whim, I went solo to a matinee at the mall’s theater. This would have been 1977, and I know this not because of the movie I saw, which I don’t remember, but because after that movie, a poster on another wall compelled me forward.


All my brain could process was Michael Corleone!! (1972’s The Godfather, 1974’s The Godfather II, as well as the title character of 1973’s Serpico). Unfortunately, those were my days as a poor student, so I couldn’t spring for another movie, even if it was directed by Sydney Pollack. I never saw Bobby Deerfield. Maybe one day. I do own both those Godfathers and Serpico, though. =) Spoiler: There’ll be another favorite RomCom rewatch with Al Pacino soon.

My rewatch to wind down last night was 2001’s Bridget Jones’s Diary. Again, great supporting cast and side stories, and Renee Zellweger as Bridget, along with the ultimate RomCom face-off between Hugh Grant as Daniel and Colin Firth as Mark, are all brilliant casting. It was announced in April that there’s to be a fourth movie in the Bridget Jones franchise. =)

Stay tuned…

Tiny Tuesday!


This is a link to NASA’s information on this month’s Super Blue Moon. I started trying to get good photos of the moon on Sunday, and last night Tom drove me around chasing it with my camera. I’m using the wrong camera–I have at least one better–so what looked huge to us in the sky looks a bit tiny and poorly defined in the photos I shot. Still, we got to see the beauty, especially from points where it would have been physically dangerous to stop and shoot photos. It may also be impressive tonight into Wednesday.


My second DNC-inspired RomCom rewatch was 1993’s Dave, with such a great cast in Kevin Kline, Sigourney Weaver, Frank Langella, Ben Kingsley, Laura Linney, Charles Grodin, Kevin Dunne, a quick and fun glimpse of Bonnie Hunt (“We’re walking; we’re walking.”), and who may be my favorite movie Secret Service agent, Duane, played by Ving Rhames. Even though I’ve seen this movie several times, it still makes me laugh.

I have two potential DVD rewatches today, starting with 1987’s Moonstruck, to honor the Super Blue Moon. I never stop quoting this film that ties with Notting Hill as my favorite RomCom. I’m trying to remember if this is the movie the Revere family quotes in my contemporary romance A Coventry Christmas Wedding. ETA: Corrected to name the right novel.

What? Me Worry?

If you are of a certain age or have ever been a fan of Mad magazine, you probably recognize my title as the motto of Alfred E. Neuman, the magazine’s mascot so far back even I wasn’t born yet. =)

Last weekend, Tom and I ran a few errands because the weather was clear, and I needed to drive. It had been a while since I’d driven because of health issues, and I’m not quite ready NOT to drive. All went well, and one of our stops was to Body Mind and Soul. Among gift items we picked up, I chose a tumbled black tourmaline for myself, and Tom found this chakra worry stone for me.

The indentation provides a nicely smooth surface for a thumb to rub away worry and stress.

Here’s the rounded side of the worry stone next to that black tourmaline. Black tourmaline provides protection and assists with anxiety.

After doctor visits this past week, I’m feeling better. Probably one of the best things affecting my mood is that I’m finally near the end of the Book 7 section of the Neverending Saga that I’ve been grappling with for months. It’s even possible I’ll finish the section today (fingers crossed!) and be able to get it to my two reader-advisors this weekend. I’m looking forward to writing the next section, and after that, the rest of the book may be a little less taxing.

Every day, I’m grateful for the friends and family who uplift me in a variety of ways. The calls, unexpected texts, emails, messages through social media, and the rare but meaningful visits–each one of them matters. Never doubt it.

Photo Friday, No. 918

Current Photo Friday theme: Coffee Shop

When I checked my photo archives and found this one, I was confused because I couldn’t find it on my website (which, back then, was LiveJournal). I dug deeper and found it in comments to what became a regular Wednesday feature called Hump Day Happy. My LJ friends gave me a page number and a second number, and I found the “answer” for them in the book 14,000 Things To Be Happy About.

On this date, I told them I’d take what was then my spankin’ new Nikon D40 and leave The Compound to shoot photos to go with the “answers” they were given from the book. Pretty sure I grabbed this iced coffee from Seattle’s Best before visiting my mother in the care home–her last Houston residence before hospice. I probably grabbed one of her crossword puzzle collections and completed a puzzle while we talked or she slept. While this photo wasn’t shot in the coffee shop, I’m glad I visited one on my way to visit Mother because it packs a lot of fun and bittersweet memories.

Sunday Sundries


The wind didn’t turn our patio table over. Tom removed the umbrella and put it in the Lean To, then turned over the patio so Beryl wouldn’t flip and possibly break it. We’ll be spending time cleaning up all the different patios and sidewalks over the next week or so. Tom’s work schedule should get back to normal. Houston will hopefully start also being more normal, and OH HOW I HOPE EVERYONE SOON HAS POWER. The temps will be higher in the coming week than they have been.


As for me, I’m still working to manage my anxiety, and along with hopefully getting back to my own characters and world of the imagination, I intend to continue reading Mary Stewart, though not one or more a day as I have been. I’ll try to savor them. I might even finish up with my two absolute favorites (not pictured here) that were in my original Coping Skills Toolbox, meaning I’ve already reread them once since 2020. But they are my favorites, so…

Beryl: Day 7


Sunday, and larger trucks from GMB, the West Virginia company, began pulling into our neighborhood in the morning. We could hear them behind us and all around us. Then we saw this:


Notice that cherry picker on the other side of our back fence? Notice that now-brown tree limb that was tangled in our lines has fallen to the ground and the power lines are beginning to look normal?


Tom dragged that bad boy across the backyard, through the gate, and to the debris pile on our curb.


To keep myself from going crazy hoping and waiting and wishing for electricity, I kept reading my Mary Stewart book.

Finally, our power was restored at around 2:20 PM. I finished my book and, along with Tom, spent the day trying to get our house in some kind of order. The return of electricity comes with a dash of paranoia. Other customers have had power restored over the past few days only to lose it anywhere from two to 24 hours later. It’s hard to feel secure.

In addition, it’s thundering. It’s going to be a while before thunder stops sounding more ominous than normal. To help keep my anxiety in check, other than reading and cleaning, I began updating and revising this website throughout the day. If you’re reading this, you know I’ve tried to add something to all the days. I’ll try to compose a Sunday Sundries post after the fact, along with a Mindful Monday post, and that should give me some record of how this week has been.

Mostly, it’s been a long seven days… Thank you to people from all over the country who’ve texted, messaged, and called us. It really helps to know friends and family are thinking of us and wishing us well. I’ll also be replying to the comments left here while I wasn’t able to be online.

Beryl: Day 6

[Original post on this date: Back in May when we lost power, it was restored on the sixth day. I remember hoping we’d never be without power for six days again.

Be careful what you wish for, right? Because we have no power and it’s just about to become seven days. ]


Another strong contender for a Mary Stewart favorite, this book has so many things I love that I even forced Tom to sit and listen to me elaborate on them. It also has one of the most touching epilogues I’ve ever read in a novel.

A circus in Vienna, a horse with a great backstory, and a strong leading man with a smart, interesting wife. I remember Greg and I once discussing how easy it would be to rewrite this using the Internet in place of the movie reel that kicks things off.

The novel is much more appealing than everyone’s debris piles. Tom and I took a walk around the neighborhood today and he got some photos with his phone that will probably end up on this website one day. His photos are ALSO better than debris piles.

One street over, we saw some power guys from a company in West Virginia that travels throughout the country to help with disaster recovery. When we talked to them, they’d already checked out the tangled tree at our fence line and it was on their list. This is the first contact we’ve had with anyone about repairs. We’re reluctant to feel hopeful, though, because some repair dates in our area are as far out as the nineteenth.

Beryl: Day 5

[Original post on this date: Another day, another thunderstorm. Another day of scared dogs.

Another day of no power. Maybe, they say, they’ll have it down to “only” 80,000 customers without power by Sunday.]

Since I’m posting after the fact, I may have been messing up which Mary Stewart novels I read in what order. It doesn’t matter, really, because the point is, they’re helping regulate my mood and stopping me from constantly fretting over missing my own characters and writing.


The Moon-Spinners is among my favorites. No telling how many times I’ve read it. It was made into a movie with Haley Mills, which I’ve never seen, and I’m quite happy about that because it sounds like a terrible adaptation.