November 25, 2025

Chilling back to the state of autumn. Thin rain.

Bought lights for the chaste tree, the first outdoor Christmas lights I ever had for myself, partially because until I put the pond in I never had an outdoor electric outlet. The lights in the tree make me extraordinarily happy. The one string I put up looks paltry, so I’ll hang more today. 

AVLGMC meeting cancelled last night (after I’d bought provisions) and no more ASC for a while, so I have an unwonted chunk of evenings to myself. 

Call from MAHEC to redo a blood draw. The phone call sounded urgent, and the fact that they didn’t say what was wrong filled me with the anxiety of not knowing. The doctor (he sounded handsome and concerned on the phone) left a message to call a certain number, which I did eleven times in two days without anyone picking up. Twice I was on hold for 13 minutes, at which point the phone apparatus rejects the call. The on-hold music is Classical piano and nice enough a few times through. Finally got through, and was told there was a not-all-that-concerning excess of potassium which they wanted to check on. By the doctor’s tone on the phone I assumed it was leukemia or leprosy. The Internet says among the causes are all the foods I actually eat– cabbage, vegetables and the like. Will know more in an hour. 

Brown-headed nuthatches the new majority at the feeding station. A great pileated comes twice a day. One downy sits in the same place at the same bit of seed and munches away without moving.