Porthole

Know: False Spring brings flowers followed by snow.

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  ███████          PORTHOLE           ███████

SPRING: 4 Jalal 177 (11 April 2020)
O SON OF THE SUPREME!
I have made death a messenger of joy to thee.
Wherefore dost thou grieve?
I made the light to shed on thee its splendor.
Why dost thou veil thyself therefrom?
- Hidden Words of Bahá’u’lláh A32

MY THOUGHTS

My mother will die alone. I will die alone. I don't mind living alone ... it's less complicated, but right now I need a hug and there's no one here I feel close enough to ask. A small hug? No. I long hug, so I can cry if I need to.

WEATHER

14°. 10 p.m. in Missoula
3°. 12 a.m. in Buffalo
-2°. 6 a.m. Oslo
6°. 7 a.m.Midnight in Istanbul

IMAGES

Calm before the storm. Blowing snow in the forecast. Now warm, partially sunny.

POULTRY

Today's poem, a villanelle: "April 10 prompt: an instance or pattern of repetition" 

"My Word" poem in free verse: "You dreamed this path" 

Yesterday's poem: "April 9 prompt: suggest or evoke an interruption" 

PORK

I write flash fiction for "Daily Flash Fiction Challenge" . Some days I'm inspired and can write something in less than 30 minutes. Other days? I prefer the prompts that are three words. I can weave words and images. But oddly, a line of dialog I find more restrictive. So none yet today. Maybe later?

READING

"Guardian of the Veil" by Gregory Spencer, page 186.

QUOTE

none today

MOVIETIME

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

MY LIFE

Anxiety is very high. Everything appears normal here in Missoula except for the Emptiness.

My mother is in hospital, broke her hip. At age 97, she told my sister that she wants an operation because she can't be just lying around. I told my sister that I'll support her decision regardless. We'll know by Monday.

SENIOR CENTER and COFFEEHOUSE

Fettuccine with fake-crab. Tasty. Saw Kathi, Elizabeth, Phil, Ben ...

O PINIONS! and WATT'S GNUS

We can't shelter in place forever: How the coronavirus lockdown might end LA Times

         Yes, if we had followed what Taiwan did (it's mentioned in the article we may not have had to "shelter in place" at all. Testing, actively pursuing contacts, strict quarantine, universal health care for the sick, masks ... all of this would have helped. But I would tell the author of the article: But NO ... Americans cannot learn from others.

Obama Warns Against Spread of Misinformation Amid Coronavirus Pandemic Newsweek

         Well ... duh! Obama said, "Speak the truth. Speak it clearly. Speak it with compassion. Speak it with empathy for what folks are going through." Again, duh ... be like the Queen of England! Anyone else missing Obama as much as I am?

BLOGVILLE

30DBC: How are you finding community in these locked-down days?

Dismal.

I'm not really finding community. I kinda sorta have a phone number (Skype) that no one has and no one calls me on. I am in touch on spacebook but find fighting fake news and hyperbole to be exhausting. I do use Messenger. The blogging community here ... isn't strong. I'm not doing enough commenting. I know I need to comment more. I really depend on face-to-face when I travel and at home I can always crawl out of my cave; I'm quite chatty when I leave it. I feel trapped. I don't have close friends in Missoula any more. They've died or moved away. I can make new ones but that demands face-to-face. There's little of that these days.

To Chris Breva : I saw a comment elsewhere about growing up on a farm. Her answer was very similar to yours. I grew up in a factory town, but at age 8 I wasn't allowed to go anywhere.

I like the fish story,

I've been here 11 years ... a lifetime ... moving has crossed my mind ... like a shadow in a horror story.

                                                                                                                                           

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