Cold, rainy day in Minneapolis

[pegkerr]

mrissa rashly switched to her straw summer purse, so we all know to blame her for the horrible weather we had today in Minneapolis. minnehaha K was complaining about furnace problems--minnehaha B. had switched it off, reasoning that spring had come, and the temperature dropped to 50 degrees in their house, and she couldn't figure out how to get it back on. In May. I ask you. I had to run an errand at midday to go back to the contact place, and it was raining and so cold that I resorted to umbrella, winter hat and gloves. What broke my heart, however, was the discovery later in the day that I had actually lost one of the gloves. I called the places I'd been--no glove. This was a very nice red leather pair given to me years ago by my mother-in-law, and I had almost a superstitious awe over the fact that I had managed to hang on to them for so long. They seemed to be encorcelled, like Cecy's pearl drop earrings in The Grand Tour so that I always got them back. I think I had them maybe ten years. But I doubt I'll get the lost one back this time, since I believe it must have been lost somewhere in the street. And even if I do get it back, it would ruined by the pouring rain. The spell has finally been broken, and the pair is no more. Mel, I'm sorry, but I held on to them and loved them for an impressively long time.

The new right lens seems to be a bit better. It's an Acuvue. Thanks for the tip about that brand, jaynedeaux; they are indeed much more comfortable. I am, however, still getting a headache from them, although not as severe as before. I will wear them part of the time over the weekend and try to get myself acclimated. I am more hopeful.

(It is, however, still a horrifying process to get them out of my eyes once I've gotten them in. Quite an adjustment after being used to hard lens, lo these many years ago. Hard lens you just pull up a corner of the eye and they pop right out. With soft lens, you have to stick your fingers in your eye and pluck the damn things right off your eyeball. I am so squeamish about the process that it takes 10-15 minutes to remove them. Urgh.)

I stopped at Hell's Kitchen for lunch rather than heading right back to work, because the downpour suggested that a bowl of their Mahnomin porridge would be the right thing to do. I was right, too. It's based on a recipe that was used on the Lewis & Clark expedition: made with wild rice, cream, hazelnuts, and dried blueberries and cranberries, and sweetened with just a touch of maple syrup. Lovely comfort food for a cold day.

Worked on Quicken tonight. Still lots of stuff to do.

Had some thoughts on the book today. Will post in separate entry soon (not tonight; must get to bed).

Comments

Minneapolis weather

[annieways.livejournal.com]

It was 85 and sunny when we left Las Vegas today. I was wearing white capris and sandals and a t-shirt. I arrived home in Minneapolis tonight, in my white capris and sandals--no jacket, not even a sweatshirt--and it was 38 degrees and raining. Why is it again that we live in Minneapolis?

removing soft lenses

[millefiori.livejournal.com]

I'm kind of squeamish about the plucking thing myself, but I've found that if you touch the bottom part of the contact and drag it downward, so that it's off it's proper seat on the surface of your eye, it will usually wrinkle a bit and you can kind of pinch the wrinkle and pull it out. I don't know if that's helpful, but for me it's a lot less traumatic than reaching in and trying to pull it out when it's firmly settled in place.

[naomikritzer]

The weather today sucked. SUCKED. I can't believe I am running my heater in May. And wearing gloves. And a turtleneck. I wore my spring jacket rather than my winter coat, but I'd have been happier today in the coat.

This is payback for those lovely weeks at the end of March and the beginning of April, I think.

argh

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

I'm sure by "they" you didn't mean me.

K. [comfy and warm now, though]

you poked my eye out!

[chance88088.livejournal.com]

hmmm I don't think I have ever really plucked my lenses out - I've always just dragged them to the outside corner of my eye where they crumple on themselves and basically fall out.

[aome.livejournal.com]

I had to go cover my peppers, tomatoes and teeeny cucumber seedlings (which had the misfortune to pop up yesterday) because we had a frost warning last night. GRRRR.

As for the contacts - my husband has worn the soft lenses on and off for years, but he did say that it takes awhile to get used to sticking your finger in your eye. And it took me awhile to get used to seeing him (what looks like) peeling off a layer of his eyeball! My eyes aren't that bad, but I've been wearing my glasses more; however, since I also have astigmatism, my eye doctor has warned me that it would be very difficult to find contacts that work, so I'm just sticking to the glasses for now.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

This seems odd to me: my mom's moderately severe astigmatism has not stopped her from wearing contacts for my entire lifetime. They weight them so that they always orient themselves the same way on your eye. (And they have to be gas perms, not soft, but that's not a problem for her: she's used to them.)

On a different note, where is this Hell's Kitchen, Peg? That porridge sounds marvelous.

[jhetley.livejournal.com]

Frost last night in Maine, predicted again for tonight. Welcome to the club.

(Frost-free date for planting corn and beans would be Memorial Day around here. So the Weather isn't _that_ abnormal.)

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

Oh, the porridge is marvelous. So much so that I've taken to making it at home. Here is the Hell's Kitchen website, and you'll find the menu and address there. Check it out sometime and let me know what you think. Try the bison eggs benedict, too.

Re: argh

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

Ah yes, I have edited the entry to put credit where credit is due. Glad that dd_b helped you get the heat going again!

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

The menus look great, and I have a couple of friends who are coming to town and talking about breakfast/brunch this month. Thanks!

[sraun]

According to the news this morning, yesterday was the coldest May 12th on record.

[scott-lynch.livejournal.com]

I... uh... I don't want any explosive devices in the mail, but I have always loved this weather, which shows up pretty reliably in May. The plants are green, the skies are gray, the rain falls often and the air is chilly. My friend Andy once coined the term "Baltic summer" to describe it. But then, I like it when it's inclement and overcast in general... it makes the world feel smaller and more intimate.

[pameladean]

*whispering* I like this weather too. Unlike similar weather in the autumn, and unlike winter weather generally, it will not last long, and the knowledge makes it very pleasant.

P.

[(Anonymous)]

We had hail in Chicago today. It was exciting, first small and then getting larger and more violent, enough to ping the windows loudly but not dent the cars. All over in about five minutes. Just a small tantrum by one of the thunder gods, apparently.

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

I adored this kind of weather when I was in England. I love it when I'm inside someplace cozy, looking out at a wet garden, brewing a cup of tea, with a good book conveniently at hand. And sometimes it does feel nice to walk out in it, I'll admit, if I'm not in a hurry to get anywhere, and I'm well weather-proofed and dressed warmly enough.

I feel differently about it when my coat isn't quite heavy enough to keep out the cold, I need to get back to work, but I can't because the bus isn't showing up, and the rain is getting in my shoes, and I've lost a favorite glove that I've owned for over ten years.