Wisteria, April 10

Testing

I think this is how one sends a blog from iPhone ...

It's Easter, a feast day linked to the phase of the moon. Linking to the resurrection of Christ, for me Easter is mainly about renewal. Since it's a different calendar date every year, the timing reminds us that we can't know when spring will come, but it will come.

This year the wisteria has already started to bloom. It seems that only yesterday the buds had not yet begun to swell. I look at the bare branches and realize that they already contain all they need to become the delicate purple blossoms, as long as the sun shines on them.

The chickens are also laying bountifully. The first year we had chickens, I saw that they stop laying when the days get short; then when hours of sunlight increase, the eggs resume. And it hit me! Easter eggs! No wonder they're a symbol of the return of life. After scraping by with few or no eggs per week, suddenly there are 4, 5, 6 a day, more than we can eat and almost more than we can give away.

I now return to the continuation of Filing Month which has morphed into Paperwork Project. I have been slogging away dutifully and feel good about not only my progress but my persistence.

Credit Default Swaps

I finally found a satisfactory explanation of credit default swaps, in a Rolling Stone article I haven't finished yet.

You need to get interested in this. It's worse than you think.

Stay tuned.

Interlude

It began with a runny nose. Although, looking back, it probably began with several days of unexplained fatigue.

It progressed to "malaise," a crushing headache, a 100.3 degree fever, chills and weakness.

Luckily, by the time I was able to get to my doctor, it had already begun to recede. He prescribed cough medicine and suggested "Umcka," a South African geranium-based homeopathic virus-fighter. I also used those Zicam nose swabs. Maybe they worked!

Anyway, I was in a fog for a few days but now I'm back.

Cattlemen

Last night we went to the Cattlemen's fund-raising dinner, courtesy of a friend of a friend who had an extra ticket.

Large amounts of cattle parts were consumed. I don't know what cut of meat it was but it was delicious: tender but slightly chewy with long-lasting flavor. Some of the larger cattlemen and women were served entire steaks which looked like they might be sirloin.

The strawberry shortcake was okay but made me anticipate "real" strawberry shortcake made from local berries, probably available in a month or six weeks. With sweet biscuits and freshly whipped cream.

Testing: hmm can't post from iPhone...

The Evidence

Filing month, before and after. So far.

In truth, the desk has reverted to the before status.

However, I know that progress has been made in getting papers into their proper places, including the shredder.

Earlier I made a typo that would have called this "Filling Month." That is what we're trying to avoid.



I apologize that the two photos aren't lined up. There is much to learn.

Saturday morning

Filing Month is slowly passing, with no more filing done since that I accomplished earlier this month.

The point of Filing Month is to get the desk cleared so I can find and pay bills, shred unnecessary papers (in those satisfying Shredding Moments), and create an ongoing maintenance plan for paperwork.

And then of course there is a year's worth of transactions or more to enter into Quicken so I can prepare this year's taxes. Not to mention last year's taxes, for which I did most of the work and then procrastinated until all the work vanished and needs to be done again.

But now that I know how easy it actually is to get onto Blogger, I can update more often. I am intending to migrate away from the confusing and semi-useless Facebook and direct people who want to know about me here.

It is easier to type on the real computer than the phone, no question. Perhaps I can move towards using my phone simply as a phone.