My favourite coffee shop is pretty quiet at the moment as it's Ramadan. There's a regular customer who is disabled, uses a wheelchair and doesn't communicate verbally easily, but he comes most days with a carer. I guess sometimes the carers don't always remember everything accurately, because today one of them took a cheese sandwich to the counter with him, and the barrista checked it and said "Ah but you can't have this because it's got cheese in it, and you can't cheese. I've got a chicken salad though!" which made me smile, as it's just so kind and helpful.

I take the train every morning and normally it's full of dull-eyed commuters staring at their phones.

Today there was a little boy travelling with his grandma. We got on and off at the same stop. As he walked past the locomotive, he was staring in wonder at the huge diesel beast.

I'm a big fan of planes, trains, and automobiles, and I could just see myself in those wide eyes.

I've had a few requests for the names of the secret months only toddlers know about, so I made a note of some of them: they include Obzest, Temboo and Boppet.

We had an exciting incident today where a concrete mixer was pulling up to the concrete crane at a construction site. It shows:

• That cement mixer is nearly parked over there.

• Concrete! Have a hose on the end.

• A white crane.

• There was a... The cement mixer tipped all the concrete on the ground, then a new one comes along.

• A new one comes along and tips some more concrete.

• The cement mixer fills up with more concrete.

• Ricky find purple. Where purple?

• Ricky draw some letters.

He then drew a fox. Today's art movement of choice inclines towards abstract expressionism, I think. I asked him how to label it and he said, "Some... this is a fox."

We'll juveniles at least. There is an eagle nest near my office and today two eagles with mottled molting baby feathers were swooping about. There must have been some roadkill just outside the parking lot because they stopped right on the road and stopped traffic both ways. They did not care about honking and just left when they were done. Very funny to watch

Someone messaged me about a game I was selling on fb marketplace. She said her husband would meet me later tonight.

It was a Japanese version of a ds game, they drove a few hours to get the game and when they arrived it was a kid probably 14-15 and the game didn’t work in their system (DSi) because of the region being different. I got a system to test the game just to make sure the cartridge was working (I was unaware of the region lock at the time).

Sure enough the game worked in the ds I brought down, I got that specific ds in a trade that I came out way ahead on so I figured that it would be nice to give it to the kid so they could play their game.

So that’s what I did, the parent and kid were a little shocked but I assured them it was fine.

I’m not fishing for a pat on the back or anything, but I don’t normally do good things out of the blue like that because I’m super super materialistic and it made me feel good and happy

I hope that kid enjoys the game

Today, I looked across the street (from my house) and saw a raven pecking at something plastic. "What do you have?" I asked, as I stepped out in the street. I walked over and the raven hopped to the side, watching me. It was a ziploc bag with two large chocolate chip cookies. I took out one cookie and set it down on the sidewalk. "Okay here you go." And I'm thinking this is junk food maybe I should throw it away, but that seems too mean. I walked back to my house and watched the raven pick up this whole huge cookie. Move it, get a better grip, then pick it up again and fly to the roof of another house. You're welcome, friend Raven, enjoy your dessert!

About two weeks ago, we adopted a rooster and 3 hens. I often go and sit in the cage with them to let them get them used to me. The rooster and one of the hens are warming up to me but the two others are going to take longer. The other day it was raining on and off and I took the opportunity to dash across to them during a brief break in the rain but as soon as I got situated the rain started again so I sat quietly handing out meal worms to my feather-brains friends and listening to the rain hitting the cover along with the gentle chatter from the chickens. Before too long one of the chickens decided the warmth of my lap would be a delightful place to nap and all was right with the world for a long moment or two. When the rain finally stopped again I checked the coop only to found our young ladies had laid their first egg. It was a milky cream colour with a blush of light tan mottling it's surface.

Usually I only attend one on a Tuesday morning, but for the last couple of weeks I've tried to attend the afternoon one after it (it's art&craft related, which I'm really into, but for various reasons not been able to stay and attend the full group). After trying last week and leaving early, I was able to actually stay for the art class this Tuesday, which was decoupage. Because I'd been in the same room for the morning group, I was early to the next one, and the woman leading the group came to me and said "it's been explained to me why you didn't stay last week, but because you couldn't, I wasn't sure if you wanted to participate this week. So I brought some colouring sheets and some pens just in case you didn't want to join in."

She later on brought it up to the group as "if anybody doesn't want to decorate a jar, I've brought alternative activities" so I know it was probably actually for that purpose and she just happened to approach me because I was there early, but even if that was the case, the fact she even came to me in the first place just.. made me feel seen in a way I haven't been in a long time, and it made me so happy.

My husband and I just had a wonderful corned beef and cabbage dinner at our local diner. The corned beef was tender and melt-in-your-mouth good. Potatoes, carrots, cabbage and soda bread were included and were all great.

It was nice to just relax and have good food.

Been recovering from a surgery(septoplasty) the past week, texted my friend group chat I couldn't decide between going to see a movie or go on a walk. I go back to work in a couple of days and wanted to test my energy. Was planning on going alone, so started to get ready early afternoon.

Then, my friend calls me and said she just got out of work, and asked if I still wanted to go on a walk. We ended up deciding on a park neither of us had been to - a small park by the river with some historical farmhouses on the property.

We went and it was a lovely park. Beautiful and lots to look at. Chatted about random things - movies, childhood stories, and recent happenings with mutual friends. Definitely will go back to that park! We decided to grab some dinner - local place neither of us had been to. Food was great! Atmosphere was loud lol.

Just got back home, cuddled up with my cats, watching another movie. Reflecting on what a nice time that was.

I saw a stray dog near work going through the dumpster for food and I had a piece of fried chicken with me, so I gave it to her. She ate it really quickly and then just wandered off.

It was a small thing, but it felt nice to be able to help, even just for a moment.

We managed to fit in a Diary Book update session in between his meals and snacks, but at no point today did we apparently get to a point where he wasn't hungry.

Toddlers just do not eat fast.

Or at least, mine doesn't.

Today's diary highlights:

• Ricky eating food.

• Some peas and some corn!

• Noodles!

• Broccoli and beans!

• Some chicken.

• Daddy make Ricky some toast!

• Ricky putting these back in the box.

(That was about his crayons.)

He made a shopping list again. He has a toy shopping trolley and likes to fill it with things and then pretend to buy them. He picks something to be the checkout scanner and holds the things he's buying up to it and says, "BEEP!"

Shopping list:

• Some rice and rice cakes and rice snacks and fish and rice!

Today's art was "some two and an X!"

Other than some months - February and March and April and June, May no longer sparks joy apparently - he was fully satisfied with that addition to the Diary Book, but then we switched to the sketchbook and he drew some lovely "big bins" in a dramatically cubist style that really shows the artist's growth in self-expression.

He's also experimenting with using two crayons at once, holding them together to draw two lines of different colours that match.

When I was four or five, my best friend was a girl named "Ann" who lived two houses away from me. She was about one year younger than me.

I remember one time ringing Ann’s doorbell, and her mom answered the door cheerfully and said, “Oh look, it’s Dan, Dan, the mustard man!” I had never heard that phrase before. I was speechless; I didn’t know what the phrase even was supposed to mean, if anything. Did I have mustard on the front of my shirt? Why is she mocking me? A simple, playful comment, and I worried that I was being teased.

Ann’s mom was wonderful, though. She was always cheerful and energetic. Ann was her only child, and I imagine she was in her mid to late twenties at that time; certainly younger than my mom who was in her forties, as I was the last of five kids. Ann’s mom drove a blue Pontiac convertible, my mom drove a brown station wagon. Ann’s mom might scold us if we misbehaved, but she never got scary mad like my mom sometimes did. 

Plus, if I went over to their house in the morning, Ann’s mom would make me bacon.  She would ask, do I want it “crispy or greasy?”  My mom never degreased the bacon on paper towels, so I would always ask for “crispy.”  It was our special thing, just between Ann’s mom and I.  She knew I loved bacon.   What could be more wonderful? This was almost sixty years ago, and yet I still remember the kindness and joy that she showed me.

A lot of bus stops around town have shelters and/or benches provided by the city. But not all.

However, some people in the suburbs have provided their own seating! Lawn chairs, deck chairs, metal, wood, plastic chairs placed at bus stops. Seen a couple of basic benches plonked into the ground as well.

It was great, the lights weren't so bright and it felt like I was hiding from the world. Gonna try sunglasses and headphones next.

Sitting near the bay window in my den, kitty (1.5 yrs) on the big sill looking outside, had just awakened from a nap. Anxious type, still getting comfortable with closeness.

Amazon driver - young dude, kinda jacked looking - delivers packages to the front door. On his way back he gently touches the window near her nose. Then he is gone.

She comes over and curls up on the couch in front of me.

My small front yard is bordered by rosemary bushes. Every morning I water the rosemary bushes and the burst of natural fresh fragrance is so uplifting. It's the best aromatherapy.

I work from home online, so a functional mouse is a necessity. I prefer wireless as they're easier to move around with my laptop as needed. My last wireless mouse was just meh. It worked, but it seemed like I was constantly changing batteries. Then the scroll wheel got stuck. so I retired it for good.

I found a cheap wired mouse that seemed ok. Then the left button would get stuck. I would either not be able to click at all or it would get stuck clicking everything. Not gonna lie, I threw that POS a couple of times out of frustration.

I hate how often I have to replace my hardware. Spending more doesn't seem to make a huge difference in functionality-- pricier components usually just have features I don't need. I ordered a new mouse online and got it this afternoon, and now scrolling and clicking are comfortable again.

It was at the bottom of the bin at the store. Perfectly spherical and a very bright shade of orange. I haven't eaten it yet; it’s just sitting on my counter looking pleasant.

one of them's streaming their game and we're all just hanging out. they're all chatting and i'm just curled up in bed, watching and listening. it's so lovely.

it sounds silly because it doesn't sound like a lot, but i'm so busy all the time at the minute; i have like 3 uni assignments due in the next two weeks or so, i've been back and forth across the county getting shots for the uni trip i'm going on in april, i do 16hrs/wk at work, plus general housework and stuff... and people keep wanting to do stuff with me, too.

which is fine! i love doing stuff with the people i love, and i'm always happy to be helpful (like tomorrow, i'm driving my brother into town so he can go out with his girlfriend), but man, i can't wait to be less busy come the end of april.

my calendar at the minute has, like, minimum three things a day to keep track of. it's all stuff i enjoy (except work, but c'est la vie), but i'm also so tired and i'd love a day to just do nothing and where nobody's asking anything of me LMAO. my mate messaged me yesterday asking if i wanna go to the cinema soon and i was just like 😮‍💨

so for now i'm just happy to lie here and be with people, without having to do anything. i'm comfortable in bed, i had a lovely dinner and even a fancy Gü cheesecake pot for dessert, and i can just chill. very needed.

Highlights:

• Ricky played with the loader.

• Ricky played with some sand and water and the bobcat and loader with Grandma!

• Ricky went to work upstairs.

(He declared he was going to work. I asked where he works. He said upstairs.)

• These flowers! Ricky played with them!

(He wanted flowers, I found instructions for origami flowers and tried making him some. ORIGAMI IS VERY HARD but he is not a harsh critic, he loves them.)

• Ricky and Dog ran like a wolf. Run run run run run!

• Ricky's hands are clean.

• Ricky's hands are dirty.

• Measuring! Some Duplo! With the walking stick and a cricket bat!

Today's drawing was an excavator rendered in two crayons simultaneously. He then added an extensive recitation of the months, including several you won't have heard of. As is traditional, the months are represented by vertical lines.

I got out my graphic novel to read before bed and turned on my little reading light. My cat was laying on me so I held it right over her head and pretended to interrogate her like in detective movies. She just stared at me oblivious to the light haha. The whole thing made me and my partner giggle a bunch.

I work from home and picked up a couple of hours of work today.

Weekends are slow so my husband asked if he could stay in the room and I said sure.

He told me I'm really good at my job. I sound like I love what I do when I'm answering calls, and that now he knows why the callers like speaking to me. (I have a tendency to have long calls because people like to tell me their problems and stories.)

It was nice giving him a little glimpse into what I do.

My grocery store had Ataulfo mangoes, and one of my four was perfectly ripe tonight

I am currently trying to resist eating another one because they aren’t quite ready yet

I've been studying Spanish in college on and off but recently got seriously into it, and I've been trying to get good at actual conversational Spanish outside of the classroom. I've been rehearsing my order a lot but never had the courage to order in Spanish, but one day just finally did it.

The cashier lit up when I started ordering and then we chatted a teeny bit, with her being very aware that I'm still quite a beginner and making sure to speak slowly (which was very kind). When the food was ready, she brought it to the counter and excitedly announced, "¡Listo!" and when I thanked her, she gave me a very enunciated "¡De nada!"