Hello Darling Ones,

How is your summer winding down? Mine has been filled with the west coast fam, who have slowly trickled in over the past week and start to trickle out on Sunday. It’s been a delight to have them here. One of the best side effects of the stroke and benefits of Lexapro is really, really appreciating my family. The Lexapro has eased all the anxiety-based annoyance, and my new disabled state makes me so happy to have some help.

Despite that I’ve been in a low-key constant state of annoyance because I have to wear a heart monitor for 30 days and it itches like a motherfucker. I had a small glimmer of hope that i’d only be 2 weeks, since the monitor instructions clearly state I must take it off and send it back after 14 days. Wednesday another monitor showed up. Damnit.

And even though, despite such petty hardship, I’ve still found things to appreciate this month,

Nick Cave on Hope

“It took a devastation to understand the idea of mortal value, and it took a devastation to find hope,” he says.

I feel that in my bones. The stroke was my devastation and while my inherent cynicism and nihilism is still with me, I try to let love and hope have a larger role in my life. It’s difficult because so much pisses me off and I’m a jaded, untrusting GenXer to my core, but you can find joy in annoyance, hilarity in anger, and even when I’m crabby as hell about my tremor or inability to balance on my own two feet, I’m so happy I get to be crabby. Dying in March 2023 would have sucked.

Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott

I loved this book. It swept away to a world with walking houses, Russian folklore, and magical twins. It was a delight to spend time with the Yaga siblings and their weird house. If you’re in the mood for some really good storytelling, you can’t go wrong with this book.

Sierra Ferrell, Trail of Flowers

I’m a little late to the party on this record, which came out in March. Now that I’m here, I’m not leaving. This is twangy and smart, with tons of nostalgia. Some of that really classic country sound like “I Could Drive You Crazy” scared me away. I’m not always a fan of that early, early Grand Ol’ Opry sounded stuff. It was “Dollar Bill Bar” and “American Dreaming” that won me over, and now I can see the charm in “Crazy” even if it’s not my favorite.

Who was Dan Patch?

Being a child of lifelong residents of Savage, MN I know who Dan Patch is. I worked at Dan Patch Lanes for years, so the 1:55 record is forever etched in my memory. You can’t go anywhere in Savage without being inundated with Dan Patch. The clinic I go to is in Savage and the lobby/waiting area is exclusively decorated in Dan Patch pictures. The Culver’s in Savage had a huge history of Marion Savage and Dan Patch on the walls. It might still be there I haven’t been to the Culver’s since 2007.

I’m extra-special appreciative of everything today. The west coast fam got news that a good, good friend died this morning. They were only 44 and was diagnosed with cancer around the same time I had the stroke.

Cancer is the worst of all motherfuckers, roughly 3,994,382 times worse than an itchy heart monitor.

I appreciate you, Darling Ones.

Love,
Jodi