What's Up Wednesday, September 2025 Edition

 

Well, I suppose if you're only going to post once a month, a What's Up Wednesday post is the way to go; it provides all the pertinent information with none of the duplication.

That's my justification for being a complete and total slacker in this space. Other than the fact that my life is really quite boring, that is.

Anyhoodle, thanks to Sheaffer and Shay for giving me one lone reason to dust off the keyboard.

What I've Been Eating

The month started off with warm temperatures, so I spent a lot of evenings eating dinner on the porch, and lunches on the porch at Not So New Job. As it has gotten cooler, I'm spending less and less time on the porch and more time in the kitchen, which is fairly normal for me. I brought my sourdough starter, Doughlores, out of hibernation and made bagels, which were possibly the best batch I've made, to date. I also had a couple of restaurant meals with the family, so it's been a pretty good month, as far as delicious food goes.

What I'm Loving

This was the final month of my flower subscription and I would be remiss if I didn't share. Weekly bouquets have been a highlight of my summer and I definitely plan to sign up again next year.

           

 

What I'm Reminiscing About

This is less about what I'm reminiscing about and more about stories that Oscar has shared with us recently; stories about him and his lifelong best friend, Ira, who sadly passed away recently.

Ira's widow, Shelly, made a cross-country trip with Ira's ashes, stopping to visit with us this month. She was accompanied by one of her longtime friends, whom we were delighted to meet. Shelly is moving from North Carolina to California, where she will be living with one of her best friends, who is also recently widowed.

Shelly's visit was good for Oscar's soul, and he now has a small portion of Ira's ashes. The rainbow that appeared in the sky as Shelly and Oscar reminisced about old times seemed to indicate that Ira was happy about it, too.

What I've Been Up To

The local community theater kicked off the new season with a production of What a Spot, and Mom and I were front and center for the show. It's a musical that I had not previously heard of, and it was amazing, funny, and extremely well-produced. As always.

 

I also made the bagels that I mentioned earlier. Once you have homemade bagels, the store-bought ones just don't hit the same. I also find the process to be rather therapeutic.

 

What I'm Working On

I've had numerous projects underway at Not So New Job, including working on our reaccreditation application, creating documentation for grant monitoring, and hosting an open house to celebrate our twentieth anniversary in service.

When I'm not at the job that pays me, I'm in the garden, where I harvested what I'm thinking will be the next-to-last of the vegetables. Hugh offered the use of his dehydrator, so I tried my hand at drying mint; it turned out well and I am planning to run my thyme, oregano, rosemary, and bay leaves through it as well.

What I'm Excited About

I'm not overly excited about anything at the moment, nor am I...

...Dreading anything.

What I'm Reading

I pivoted away from the Romantasy genre and into Cowboy Smut. I'm not mad about it.

 

 What I'm Watching

Queen B insisted that I blow the dust off the remote control and watch a couple of documentaries. Thirst Trap is about a TikTok "influencer" who I vaguely recalled from the early days of the app. I always thought the kid was a tool, and that the middle-aged women who shared and dueted his videos were unhinged, and now I know for certain that I was right. The cringe factor watching this one was at a solid 10.

Unknown Number: The High School Catfish was equally cringe-worthy, but in a very different way. I won't spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen it, but suffice it to say: some people are truly unhinged. 

What I'm Listening To

At the moment, I am listening to the white noise coming from the space heater under my desk; the weather in Hooterville is unseasonably chilly today, and I needed the extra heat.

What I'm Wearing

'Tis the beginning of the layering season! I leave the house with a minimum of two layers, shuck one off sometime during the day, and then tug it back on before I leave work to head home. Wash, rinse, repeat.

What I'm Doing This Weekend

I am planning to finally decorate the house for Halloween. If you know me in real life, you know that I am super tardy in this endeavor; I should have had the house done weeks ago. Life sort of got in the way, as did a general feeling of lethargy and ennui. Both of which are unusual for me this time of year. I really need to get my shit together.

What I'm Looking Forward to Next Month

I am looking forward to having some time off with Queen B, who will be spending several days with us. I'm also looking forward to my nephew's wedding, and to the festivities that surround my favorite time of the year.

Favorite Purchase This Month

I have recently become enamored with vintage Hen on a Nest candy dishes and salt cellars. My collection is growing, and I love it for no real purpose save for the look on Hugh's face every time I bring home one of my new ladies.

Really, Chelle? Really?

Yes, Hugh, really.