Poem for Thursday, Orchids, Pope

The Balloon of the Mind
By W.B. Yeats

Hands, do what you're bid:
Bring the balloon of the mind
That bellies and drags in the wind
Into its narrow shed.

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I had an early dentist appointment Wednesday, which kicked off a busy day for me and the world. The dentist's office is currently located in a mall that is going to be torn down before my next appointment, so this was my last appointment in that office (it's actually my second dentist in the practice, I stayed for the awesome hygienist who is by far the best I've ever had). Most of the stores in that mall are already having closing sales, so I stopped by a couple of them and got fuzzy cat slippers half-price in the Hallmark store. Then I drove out to a couple of other local stores (note to self: one does not go into Charming Charlie and buy just the one necklace one regrets not getting for $5 last week).

I was going to fold laundry when I got home, but the time for our mortgage closing got pushed to 3 p.m., so after a late lunch I went to check e-mail and realized I should turn on the TV because there was white smoke coming from the Vatican. Pope Francis was named while we were signing a ridiculous number of documents, but now we have a shorter mortgage with a much better interest rate, so it's all good. (I hope the Pope is all good too, I only know what the major news networks told me.) Watching the festivities put me in the mood for Fictional Conclave, so I folded laundry while watching the first half of Angels & Demons -- I love the scene where they vacuum the Sistine Chapel before conclave begins.

We rewatched the entirety of the PBS special on Oscar Hammerstein from a few days ago because I wanted to record it, then we watched The Americans (note to Nashville producers: I still love your show but it was really dangerous of you to take such a long hiatus up against such a terrific rival, now I don't know which show to watch when it airs and which to watch On Demand later, augh). I also did a bunch of fan art hunting (this may be the first time I'm in a fandom where the art is inspiring me more than most of the fic) and dropped a bunch more links to save. Here are some more of the Smithsonian orchids at the Natural History museum, this batch from my mother's birthday earlier in March: