“The flush toilet, more than any single invention, has ‘civilized’ us in a way that religion and law could never accomplish.”
It’s a grey day with pine tree limbs silhouetted against the sky. Today is above freezing. Before this winter, it never crossed my mind that the simple phrase above freezing would be welcomed news in March. There is still snow on the ground, but sections of my front garden have surfaced, and I can see the shoots of spring plants. I recognize a hyacinth, some potential daffodils and what I think are snowdrops. They are hopeful signs that winter can’t hold us for too much longer.
I’ve had such a busy day which explains, I hope, the lateness of my post. This morning it was the dentist then a poetry reading. It hasn’t just been a busy morning but a busy week as well. My dance card was almost completely filled, and I have traveled more miles than I had in the previous three weeks combined. All of it, except the dentist, sprang from a need to be out of the house despite the cold. Tomorrow we are supposed to hit 40˚. Let the celebrations begin!
If you have a split infinitive or a dangling participle, I’m your woman. I can fix both. Words are my friends. But when it comes to leaks, electrical problems and faulty furnaces, I’m scared to death. I envision cartoon dollar signs dancing out my house to the tune of a rumba. Today is one of those days. My furnace has been blowing all morning, but the temperature in the house has only risen a few degrees. I think the good news is the furnace works, but the bad news is it can’t seem to do its job well so the repairman is coming, the one with the truck which gets those dancing dollar signs.
I am proud I was able to stop the toilet tank water from running. All it took was a well placed rock, no need for a plumber.
Explore posts in the same categories: MusingsTags: busy, dancing dollar signs, dangling participles, faulty furnace, full dance card, lateness, split infinitives
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keepthecoffeecoming.blog 
March 7, 2014 at 1:28 pm
Numbers and counting is my thing and the Swedish language but don’t ask me about adverbs or things like that 🙂 🙂
52 here today and I should be singing of joy but a nasty wind has destroyed the day entirely. It has been so nasty cold that I’ve stayed indoors most of the day after work. Tomorrow will be a bit cooler but at least the wind will calm down considerable.
I hope there’s nothing seriously wrong with Your furnace, I’m so glad I have my stove, I don’t need to worry about heat problems if the radiators would die 🙂
Have a great day!
Christer.
March 7, 2014 at 3:08 pm
Christer,
I can do adverbs and adjectives too. I was early in my teaching career an English teacher.
52˚ makes me so jealous though I know a wind lowers the temperature considerably.
It is the blower motor in the furnace which died. Now I have no heat blowing in at all. The repairman had to go back to the warehouse for the part then do one more job before coming back here. I hope he hurries!
Have a great evening!!
March 7, 2014 at 4:40 pm
Hi Kat,
I know about adjectives, split infinitives and dangling participles but I’m not going to bust a grammatical gut trying to work around them if it’s just going to sound contrived. I agree with Winston Churchill.
There is a weird thing going on at my house. Every time my oil burner goes on, the street light across from me goes out. The street light has been cutting out for years but I just noticed the timing because I’m sleeping where I can see the light and hear the oil burner. To add to the unlikeliness of co-incidence, my electrical supply comes off that pole.
I keep meaning to call the light department but I’m not sure that they’ll believe me. 🙂
Anyway, I hope that relatively few dollar signs rhumba out your door in the wake of the repair man. 🙂
It was sunny and above freezing here. Rocky and I went for a longish walk. We’ll try for a longer one tomorrow when it is supposed to be warmer.
Enjoy the day.
March 7, 2014 at 5:46 pm
Hi Caryn,
The best all time split infinitive, one that will never be changed, is from Star Trek, the original series. “To boldly go where no man has gone before.”
Your oil burner must be drawing start up electricity. That is my theory any way. I think you’re right about the light company being skeptical.
My furnace needed a new blower. He had to leave to get it at the warehouse, do another stop then came back. It was 62˚ by then, but once fixed, the furnace heated the house quickly.
My dentist appointment was at nine so I was up and out early. I had to be here from 2 on, but it was worth it!!
Have a great evening!
March 8, 2014 at 12:56 pm
“Boldly to go” and “to go boldly” do not evoke visions of graceful craft warping through space-time in a quest for new worlds and all that cool stuff.
They make me think of Tom Lehrer’s Fight Fiercely, Harvard. 😀
March 8, 2014 at 1:26 pm
Caryn,
I suspect that’s because we heard to boldly go from the beginning so it is part of the Star Trek mythology.
March 7, 2014 at 5:15 pm
Why does the world care about dangling participles or split infinities as long as the sentence is readable. Isn’t that the watch word in. The newspaper business. If it communicates than it’s good. I think the motto of the New York Times is “All the news that fits we print”. 🙂 I will give up all my modern convinces, including my TV, my iPad and my computer for indoor plumbing.
I am not good at fixing anything. I am good at getting estimates.
March 7, 2014 at 5:51 pm
Bob,
The written word is still important. A poorly written cover letter for a job eliminates the candidate. That happens with many jobs. The word does’t care per se about those particular writing issues, but writing well and properly still carries importance.
I am also good at getting estimates. My brother-in-law can fix almost everything but he lives too far away to help. I wish I could fix stuff.