Oh…my…goodness. As I mentioned recently, I had my ex over yesterday into today to be nice and give him a view into my home aesthetic and neighborhood that makes me so happy.

He was rather pleasant yesterday. However, today he has been spewing negativity all morning whilst I brought him to my favorite brunch restaurant and unique coffee shop.

He wants to visit once a month. I daresay I will insist on no stayover.

I know I made the right decision by divorcing him. I’m so glad I have my Fedi family for the positivity I so cherish.

I wanted to be a nice person, so I invited my ex to come visit me on the holiday Monday (Memorial Day). That way, he could get out of the city and maybe swim a bit.

Somehow that morphed into him coming this Saturday instead, and landed on him inviting himself into staying overnight and returning Sunday.

Rather baffling how this happened!
#Houseguest

Don't mind seeing visitors come, don't mind seeing them go.

The houseguest changes outfits several times a day because he "sweats a lot".

Usually, his outfit changes take place at the point where the rest of us are all set to leave.

Oh no, gotta change my shorts. Gotta change my shirt. Just gotta change.

Tomorrow morning it's train time.

A quotation from Molière

MME. PERNELLE:This house appalls me. No one in it
Will pay attention for a single minute.
Children, I take my leave much vexed in spirit.
I offer good advice, but you won’t hear it.
You all break in and chatter on and on.
It’s like a madhouse with the keeper gone.
 
[C’est que je ne puis voir tout ce ménage-ci,
Et que de me complaire on ne prend nul souci.
Oui, je sors de chez vous fort mal édifiée:
Dans toutes mes leçons j’y suis contrariée.
On n’y respecte rien, chacun y parle haut.
Et c’est tout justement la cour du roi Pétaud]

Molière (1622-1673) French playwright, actor [stage name for Jean-Baptiste Poquelin]
Tartuffe, or the Hypocrite [Le Tartuffe, ou L’Imposteur], Act 1, sc. 1 (1669) [tr. Wilbur (1963)]

Sourcing, notes, alternate translations: wist.info/moliere/75489/

Today's poem:

The Houseguest
- by Marci Calabretta Cancio-Bello

https://www.tumblr.com/ukdamo/773995768692506624/the-houseguest?source=share

This is our first #Christmas with our extra #houseguest, my sibling, S. They moved in early in 2024. It's been quite a trial. I've now issued a deadline - Easter - but lie in bed worrying about how they will find a home anywhere.

With one "reception" room - the kitchen/diner/my office/clothes-drying area - we will not have a Christmas tree. Also with both G and I unwell, we'll be lucky if there's a string of lights up by tomorrow.

So, apparently, during one of their monologues yesterday, S said "you don't really do Christmas here, it's just another day for you".

We have clearly done an excellent job of hiding how disruptive it has been. Maybe I need to start being more honest?

hello little buddy - this friend has lived on our front porch for months now. not sure if it was it or another friend but I've also seen one in our house. best neighbor ever, 10/10 would recommend #houseguest #welcomehome #oklahoma

At some point earlier today my wife was able to drop a bowl on top of our little home invading mouse house guest.

When I got home I was able to slide the bowl and its contents on top of a piece of paper, flip it over, and carry it outside where I could set our mouse house guest free. It squeaked a lot as I was trying to pick it up, but when I tipped it out of the bowl outside in the yard it didn’t move at all. It just sat there on the ground. It was clearly alive, just shocked out of its brain.

I figured it was too embarrassed by the whole experience to make any kind of move while I was watching so I left it to its own thing and started walking back to the house. As I was walking through the door I distinctly heard the tiniest, faintest squeak that sounded exactly like a mouse version of William Wallace in Braveheart shouting, “FREEDOM!”

I’m totally serious about that last part. Totally. I mean, would I lie to you about something like that?

https://robertjames1971.blog/2024/09/11/furry-critter-freedom/

I'm here to hear. #Houseguest fell asleep watching To Catch a Thief.
#ILikeToWatch

HINT: If you are a #houseguest, please disclose ALL of your food allergies to your host, not just half of them. That way, their careful menu planning to accommodate your needs doesn't go to shit and leaves them scrambling as to how to cater for you.

*end of rant*

Another day, another experiment with pizza-style onion bread.

500gr strong bread flour
20gr semolina flour
320gr water
50gr olive oil
10gr salt
10gr fresh yeast
420gr sautéd onions

Pic 1: after proofing, before baking
Pic 2: after baking
Pic 3: all baked out
Pic 4: still life with picked wildflowers* & baked goods.

*Yes, Renata is here again.

#OnionBread
#PizzaBread
#Onion
#Pizza
#HouseGuest

This was a lovely (and quick) read. Now leaving it as a #houseguest present for my lovely friend.

#natureWriting #snails #bookstodon @bookstodon

It’s all fun and games until someone breaks into your house. What would you do if you had some unexpected House Guests? New ep out at now!
#horrorpodcast
#horror
#intruder
#houseguest
#NewEpisode

Busy day. The alarm went off around 8.00 (exhibit A), I did a LOT of cleaning, walked to the other village to pick up more Zoladex in the pharmacy, took the bus back and passed the fake heron again (exhibit B), did more cleaning and put a nearly defrosted pie into the now nearly cooled off oven in which I had baked bread earlier, welcomed an old friend who'll stay for four days (hence all the cleaning), made a salad, served the pie (exhibit C) and now I'm beat.
#HouseGuest
#Pie
#Heron
#CatAlarm

Shmooli is spending the evening with us. She's a very good girl.