I did as I'd wanted to do and spent a fair chunk (though by no means all) of the weekend parked on the couch, knitting. Watched two rented movies: "The Ladykillers" and "Kill Bill, Vol. 1." Didn't like either one, only got through them because I was knitting and had a sort of idle curiosity as to whether they would get any better. Tom Hanks almost never disappoints, the Coen Brothers are generally fun, but The Ladykillers was not one to put at the top of the ol' resume. It had its moments, but overall, I'd give it a C.

Kill Bill - please. It's hard to imagine that a movie with that much over-the-top cartoon violence and, really, truly, clever and artsy-fartsy direction and cool set design and camera work and the anime and all that crap could be so utterly freaking boring. Yet it was. Utterly freaking boring. Visually striking, definitely, but when I am watching a really long, really gory action fight scene and realize I'm completely detached and just admiring the camera angles and wondering how they rigged all those blood fountains when body parts were amputated by swords...well, let's just say I have taken Vol. II off the Netflix rental queue. I can respect it as a movie (because it really is impressive) and admire what went into it and still say bleh, I don't need to see the sequel.

However, it was not wasted time because I made lots of progress on the poncho. I have about 3-4 inches to go. I want it long, long enough to reach my wrists when my arms are at my sides, because, let's remember, this is the "I just crawled out of bed and have to take the dog out into the chilly morning air," garment of choice. It's a blankie. I'm finishing it just in time, too, since next weekend we are promised highs only in the 70s. Mornings will actually be chilly! Oh, the excitement!!! Kitties watching birds from windowsills, fresh air, this is the weather that makes up for the summers in hell.

My long neglected bicycle had been leaning on flat tires, under a layer of dust, against the shelves on the far side of the garage. I dragged it out, cleaned it up, put air in the tires (and the air has stayed in) and - and this really is rather miraculous - found the key to my nice cable bike lock. Haven't used it in over three years, it was sitting loose in my new kitchen junk drawer where I put The Keys I Didn't Recognize But Might Need. There it was. Considering how much has gone on in my life and my house since I last rode the bike, including gutting and remodeling said kitchen and throwing out keys I really didn't recognize and figured I didn't need, that's pretty freaking miraculous. The bike wasn't locked, but if I go anywhere on it, like the library, which is a pleasant bike ride away, I'll need to be able to lock it. Next weekend will be my first bike ride in over three years. Though I've been walking again it's a different set of muscles, I'm sure my legs and butt will be hating me this time next weekend. Too bad, they need it.

I am also well-stocked on good oak firewood, because the massive tree that fell in the street during Jeanne has been divided among the neighbors. I have a few days' wood from it, only because many of the logs are simply too big for my fireplace, even when cut into foot-long segments, they're too damn big in diameter, it'd be difficult to burn them. I am not investing in a splitting maul, if I could even find such a thing here (though I do know how to use one and used to do it as a teenager), because, uh, this is Florida. This is the first time I've had a reason to split firewood in 22 years. We buy firewood off rednecks on the roadside, or in bundles at the supermarket, on the dozen days a year we want a fire. So I took a few smaller logs I can burn without splitting. They'll season in the next few weeks/months and be perfect by the time it's chilly enough to need them. Someone else can reap the harvest of the big ones, and the aching back that comes with splitting those suckers.

I'm looking forward to the cooler weather, walking has felt so very good, I really want to spend a lot more time outdoors. Florida is the opposite of the rest of the country in that regard, when people up North are heading indoors, Floridians are emerging from our air conditioned shelters to enjoy the best part of the year. I love winter in Florida, it's why I stay here.