The Latest Letters from Wonderland

15,097 Days Alive

7 Quarts of Apple Pie Filling Canned

1 Crockpot Full of 5 Quarts of Chopped Apples to Make Apple Butter

1/2 A Bushel of Apples Blanched for Canning

Oh my goodness was the kitchen hot this evening! Owl and I canned about eight quarts of the apple slices into pie filling this evening. And another five to six went into the crock pot on low to stew down into apple butter. So good!

I’ve not canned anything before outside of something in Home Economics class back in 1999. And I don’t even remember what it was. But Owl has shown me how to make soap from oils and lye, how to can, and how to cook bacon on the stovetop without getting burned! That last one was just tonight. I think gas stovetops just cook better than electric ones. Maybe it’s just what I remember from when I was little and we still lived up North? Dunno. But I like gas stoves and ovens.

I am missing Mr. Spock today, pretty badly. I went back and watched some of the videos I have of him on social media. My sweet boy is still near and dear to my heart. I still can’t believe he’s gone. Even now, having moved in with Owl, I keep expecting to wake up and find him curled up next to me.

I might use the painting J did of Spock, a little study of him in gouache, to set up an ofrenda or something like it for him. I could add Daddy on there, too.

Yesterday was actually Día de los Muertos de la Mascota. The Day of the Dead for Pets; maybe that’s why I felt like he was with me? I had bad dreams last night and I could have sworn I felt him jump up on the bed and settle on my hip. And now I’m crying. Gods, I miss him. He was my baby man.

For those of you who still have your fur babies, please hold them close for me, give them extra lovings because I can’t.

I am going to go crochet until I stop crying.

Take your meds, folks.

15,096 Days Alive

7 Minute Interview

1/2 Bushel of Apples Peeled and Chopped

I haven’t much to say tonight. I am exhausted and in pain. The interview I attended was straight up weird and I was in and out in under ten minutes. Tomorrow will be better.

Take your meds, folks.

15,095 Days Alive

3 Rounds of Pain Meds Taken Today

2 Bowls of Pasta Salad Eaten

1/2 Way Through Uncle Mark’s Two Tone Throw

I finally hit the official half way point on the Two Tone Throw I am making for Uncle Mark. It may end up being smaller than initially planned, just because of yarn and a few other factors.

Right now, the plan for the Two Tone Throw is seven blocks long by eight wide. It may end up a square seven by seven with a decent border on it. It’s a throw blanket after all, not making sized bed spread or anything like that.

I need to take measurements and figure out the finished dimensions before I add a border to make sure I have enough yarn for the whole project. I’d hate to get nearly done and have to frog most of a repeat due to running out of yarn.

Another project I have on my hook is a shawl for Owl! It’s in the colorway “Mad Scientist” by Hobbii yarn. It’s such a great colorway. The cake goes from bright, lime potion green to a mid green, then dark blue before ending in a red-toned purple. Just… *chef’s kiss* a beautiful thing. I also got two skeins of “Spooky Nightmare”, also by Hobbii yarn with intent to make myself something.

The weather cha ge, and my body being dumb, knocked me through a loop today. I could barely sleep last night because my stupid lower back and my hips were screaming in pain. My back was spamming, which has happened before a few times. But both hips acting a fool at the same time? I flopped around overall over in bed last night more times than a Costco rotisserie chicken does. Ugh.

I have taken my muscle relaxer because I need to be bright eyed and not moving like a half frozen turtle tomorrow for my interview. I am very disappointed that the law firm never got back to me, but maybe this position will get me somewhere. I just really need a job. Not having anything coming in is really damaging my calm.

I am going to get a few more stitches in on Owl’s shawl before I try to pass out.

Take your meds, folks.

Do you set personal goals for yourself?

I do set personal goals for myself; I am very much a listmaker, and enjoy writing out plans even if they end up goi g sideways.

15,093 Days Alive

3 Pumpkins Purchased for Carving and/or Cooking

1/2 Bushel of Apples Brought Home

Today was AMAZING. Do you know the last time I was able to go pumpkin picking at a farm or orchard? Fucking Bill Clinton was still president the last time I picked my own pumpkin.

I picked out a traditional orange boy, but Owl and I also got a candy squash, a pair of tiny gourds, and two other pumpkins for cooking! I hope we can dry out the seeds from the three large ones and get our own pumpkin patch going in the side yard next year.

I was so happy, I nearly cried. It was so much fun, and I didn’t feel pressured to perform enjoyment or push myself too far outside of my comfort zone (ie the corn maze) and do something that could trigger a panic attack. So that was a relief.

The last time I was made to partake in a corn maze, I had a massive asthma attack and got my ass beat black and blue for “ruining the fun”. Not a thing that would repeat these days,as both parental units that abused me are dead. May their memories be blessings to those that loved them. I am not one of them.

Anyway, the orchard/pumpkin patch was amazing and I am genuinely looking forward to processing the half bushel of apples with Owl tomorrow. We plan to make at least one pie, jarred apple pie filling, and apple butter.

For some reason, though, I am having a hard time settling down. I ended up needing a nap after the orchard. I was just wrung out. And then I got overstimulated by Pippy the puppy. She’s nearly six months old now and getting bigger by the day. Still, she’s a land shark, with puppy teething habits and a propensity to launch herself at my head. My skin felt too tight and I was leg-bouncing trying to self soothe.

So I popped off to take a shower and am now watching The Nightmare Before Christmas for the… sixth or seventh time this month. It is a soothing movie for me; not just because it is a musical and familiar but because spooky season is in full swing! J’s birthday is next week, too! Same as the holiday.

Anyway, Sally is having her vision of Jack’s Christmas going up in flames. I am going to go sit in my purple chair, finish the movie, and head to bed.

Take your meds, folks.

15,092 Days Alive

1 Interview Tuesday Morning

I have had a bad day. Post-manic episode depression is no joke. Literally discussing someone else’s unexpected loss of their beloved kitty cat made me nearly break down crying.

I’m not doing okay. I know that it is likely that I will just be able to ride this out and level out in a few days to weeks. I tried to get some writing done in the wake of the hypergraphic session, but I was barely able to squeak out about 150 words. I hate how useless I feel after manic episodes.

It has been a while since I had a multi-day manic swing. I hate it. I feel great and then can barely function. And, of course, this is all happening while I am uninsured so I cant exactly be seen for psych issues when I have no health insurance and there are months-long waiting lists unless I am actively attempting to shuffle myself off the mortal coil. Which I’m not.

And! Icing on the yucky cake: my gallbladder is hurting again, I have heartburn from the red sauce that was dinner, I’m cramping like a motherfucker, and all I really want is some cinnamon candy. Like hot tamales or cinnamon bears or some red hots. My brain wants candy dopamine like…now.

Anyway, I am going to bed in self defense because I am annoying myself being awake.

Take your meds, folks.

What’s the most underrated movie you’ve ever watched?

The most underrated movie I’ve ever watched was Demolition Man.

What’s something you’ve done that you never thought you could?

One thing I recently did that I never thought I could was graduate college with a 4.0!

15,089 Days Alive

33 1/2 Hours Awake

1 Brief Nap Achieved

Okay, so my amazing partner Owl has a work thing this week that is taking place overseas. She’s attending the conference digitally, so she has to get up at one a.m. local time to do her work and participate.  And then I hyperfocsed on something.

Because I got up to make sure Owl was up in time for her conference, I ended up being awake from 9a.m. yesterday to now, with one brief cat nap grabbed.

But I got an awesome drawing mostly drawn and inked! That is today’s image. I am very proud of it. It’s another one of my spells via florography, symbolism, and about seven hours of non-stop work.

I need sleep. Take your meds, folks.

Hello again, my lovely friends!

It has been quite a while since my last update on this reading challenge. The first… eight to nine months of this year were ass-kicking levels of depression. But I am slowly coming back and back o my books! So, tell me what you’re reading and if I should add it to my TBR?

Now, y’all know by now that I am nearly addicted to reading. I am an utter bibliophile and reading challenges, specifically this reading lunacy, is just up my alley.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the 13 Moons Reading Challenge for you, if you missed my first few posts about it:

     The Who started the 13 Moons Reading Challenge is:

User Read N Buried on Tumblr. As far as I can tell, they have been spearheading the 13 Moons Reading Challenge since 2024. Lucky year number three that I’m jumping in here!

The What of the 13 Moons Reading Challenge is:

     An online reading challenge that my darling friend Chele found and shared with me. There are a total of 104 prompts divided between categories that are separated by the names of the 13 Moons of the year.

The When of the 13 Moons Reading Challenge:

The when of this challenge is now! The year of somebody’s lord, Anno Mundi 5786, aka 2026 AD. I’m doing my best to rock through at least forty one books this year, one for each year I’ve been around! I thought it was clever.

The Where of how I plant to track the 13 Moons Reading Challenge:

     Postmark Wonderland already automatically cross-posts to Tumblr. So, between the blog here, my Tumblr account, and perhaps Instagram, I hope to be regularly updating for the 13 Moons Reading Challenge as of April. 

     The current plan, since it is a Moon-centered challenge, is to update on Moon’s Day. No, I am absolutely NOT sorry for the terrible wordplay. Not even in the slightest!

The Why of the 13 Moon Reading Challenge:

Is “because why not” enough of a reason for y’all?

     The How of the 13 Moon Reading Challenge:

The level of participation I have chosen to do is the Penumbral Lunar Eclipse. This translates to one book from each of the thirteen prompt lists divided by moon. However, I am aiming for fulfilling at least two prompts with each book for each monthly category. I could bend the rules a little bit, making multiple books meet the prompts for several months… but I have chosen not to do that (this year).

The rather massive prompt collection also has the general date information on each full moon taken from TimeAndDate.com. Here are the prompts I am trying to fulfill at least one of if not, two or three per month. It may get whittled down further, but right now these are the parameters I am sticking to:

Wolf Moon: 3rd January

Book chosen: Other Birds by Sara Addison Allen, one of my favorite writers

• Read a book in your Favorite place
  • 👉🏻My favorite place is the library
• Do Not read this book while sitting on the floor (This part was actually difficult!)
  • 👉🏻Reading it in my purple velvet reading chair!

Snow Moon: 1st February

Book chosen: The Mirror, book 2 of The Lost Bride Trilogy by Nora Roberts

• Book with a Mirror on the cover
• Read a book while sitting next to someone

Worm Moon: 3rd March

Book chosen: What Dreams May Come by Richard Matheson, which was turned into a beautiful, heartbreaking movie starring Robin Williams.

Total lunar eclipse for this moon!

• Book which has a Movie adaptation
• Read a book on a blanket
• Start a book after 5:00 PM/17:00

Pink Moon: 1st April

Book chosen: Every Heart a Doorway, book 1 of the Wayward Children series by Seanan McGuire

This was chosen from a pile of library books and comes highly recommended by Owl!

• A Friend recommendation 
• Choose a book Blindfolded

Flower Moon: 1st May

Book chosen: Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

• Book featuring a Castle
• Book with more than 5 colors on the cover

Blue Moon: 31st May

Book chosen: Inheritance, book 2 of the Lost Bride Trilogy by Nora Roberts

• Book in your Reading Challenge TBR
• Book featuring Inheritance
• Book you think will surprise you

Strawberry Moon: 29th June

Book chosen: Has yet to be determined

Micro full moon, one day after my birthday!

• Book has a Gothic setting
• Book which has a Series adaptation
• Read this book at a Desk

Buck Moon: 29th July

Book chosen: The Seven Rings, book 3 of the Lost Bride Trilogy by Nora Roberts

• Book with a Ghost character
• Start a book right after eating Lunch
• Book you wish turned into a Movie

Sturgeon Moon: 27th August

Book chosen: Has yet to be determined

There is a partial lunar eclipse this day!

• Book in which a character Dies
• Read a book from somebody’s Anti-TBR
• Book featuring Royalty
• An AI recommendation Hell no.

Harvest (or Full Corn) Moon: 26th September

Book chosen: Has yet to be determined

• A Horror book
• Roll a Dice and read a book corresponding to the number
• Read the First book you see on the Shelf

Hunter’s Moon: 25th October

Book chosen: Has yet to be determined

• Start a book after Midnight
• Book with the word ‘Road’ in the title
• Listen to a Free Audiobook
• Book written by an Indie Author and then taken by Publishers

Beaver Moon: 24th November

Book chosen: Has yet to be determined

• Book set in the Victorian Era
• Book Similar to your favorite book
• Book with British and American characters

Cold Moon: 23rd December

Book chosen: Has yet to be determined

A supermoon!

• Book featuring a Game
• Book with a Fantasy creature
• Book featuring an Egg

A Few Notes About This Idea

There is one thing that I should bother to point out about this whole challenge: since time is made up in the points, don’t matter, I don’t necessarily have to fulfill each month prompt in that month. I may bop around on the calendar or try vaguely to keep it in order. But I make no promises as to linear progress.

Since the world is sliced into thirty-seven possible time zones, you will notice that I have not put any times for the Full Moons. With the time differences, the International Date Line, and my own human fallibility, all information presented here is as accurate as I am currently able to offer it.

If you were counting, this update only hase seven out of twelve books chosen. Depression, life, yet another move, and a host of other reasons could be given for this. For now, I simply admit I am behind and doing my best.

Happy reading and take your meds, folks!

15,087 Days Alive

24 Pages Read of Seanan McGuire Every Heart a Doorway

1 Drawing Started

I am arting again! Drawing specifically, but getting some ideas out of my head and onto paper which is fantastic!

I am exhausted and out of spoons, so y’all are going to have to deal with a short post.

Take your meds, folks!

15,086 Days Alive

37° F Low Overnight

1 Bag of Laundry Left to Bring in from My Vehicle

Goblyn and Owl helped me sort through my clean clothes and get them put away this evening. I only have one more duffle bag of various garments to haul in from my vehicle before I can finally say I’ve got all my clothes in.

I still have a few boxes worth of stuff to bring in from the backseat, but that is a ‘not right now’ Theo problem. Maybe I will be up to bringing stuff in tomorrow or something.

Today was a lot, physically.  I tried to clean up my bedroom because the clutter was still driving me mad. The whole computer setup and my desk needs work, but it will get there. I still need to clean off my top shelf of my bookshelf for more books to be put out. That also means that I would be able to push the purple chair and ottoman closer to the wall. That would make the room flow better. And it would get the last boxes of books out of here.

I am really bummed that I didn’t get to see Practical Magic 2 while it was in the movie theaters. The first one is one of my favorite films, so maybe I’ll buy it on DVD or Blu-ray when it finally comes out in December (I did check when it comes out!).

One of the things I am very… contemplative about, I suppose you could call it, is that I have reached ‘Trusted Adult’ status with Goblyn. I am elated and terrified in equal measure. Owl thinks it’s great, as do I in all honesty, but I have never been a true parent before. I think there will be a bit of a honeymoon phase, and then some difficulties as boundaries are tested. But I have been researching step-parenting and the like; even requested a few books from the library that I am waiting for them to come in! Yay for books! And, of course, open communication with Owl, Goblyn, and Miah will be important as we grow together as a family unit.

Date night with Bear on Friday went really well. Good communication, a little fooling around, and some damn good chili. I seriously need to get the recipe from him.

Owl and I have a date night on Wednesday! We are going to make an acrylic and wood serving tray and I am super excited!

It’s getting really late so I think I will toddle off to bed now.

Take your meds, folks!

What’s the best online course you’ve ever taken?

Well, I think the best online course Ive taken is thr mathematics course I am in right now through the Modern States site.