September Equinox - Moon and Jupiter

While getting ready to go to bed last night, I noticed the moon shining very brightly into my kitchen through the skylight above the sink. I grabbed my camera and unlocked three doors to try and get a picture of the moon and Jupiter. I now see that my Jupiter was trailing to the east and this Jupiter is leading to the west. This picture is from a Google page. I am going outside tonight at 10:09 Eastern time to see this once in my lifetime event.

Grabbing a picture off another site and inserting it into my little blog is another first time in my lifetime event here at Wednesday's Child. It was so fricking easy that I am now interested in grabbing images from all over to insert in the blog posts. And probably getting into big internet trouble.

I have two new favorite television programs. Watch them fast. Anything I really like, gets cancelled before you can count to five. Detroit 1-8-7 and Raising Hope. Detroit 1-8-7 is a combination of Life On Mars (cancelled) and the Unusuals (cancelled). Rough, gritty and looney. In fact, last nights pilot may have used an Unusual's script. One of the ones they never got to use. My TiVo only has the pilot and a second program in it's line up. Dicey.

David Hasselhof was deleted from DWTS last night. Yippee!!!! What a jerk.

My refrigerator is empty. An excellent day to wash the inside out really good with lots of Simple Green. Also an excellent day to go to the library and grocery. And an excellent day to start carrying fabric (by color) upstairs and filling the "new" workspace with my supplies. I've had my big bowl of cereal, the coffee is ready and Riley has been outside chasing squirrels and smelling deer skat. We had a yard full of deer this morning.

I'll report back later today to let you know what I accomplished (along with laundry and shirt ironing). My "Day Off" is really the day when I work the hardest.

Tools Of My Trade

I purchased this half yard of fabric on Sunday along with my favorite citrus green paint. These three items cost me $1.98 and will bring me so much more in "fun" and "art". In fact, this $1.98 purchase is worth far more than the seven hours I just spent at work. I did have a few moments when I used my knowledge to help customers but those moments do not a fulfilling day make. And the pot smoking employee has stolen money from a fellow employee's locker, again. We all feel violated. Our employer refuses to deal with the employee. It's such an unpleasant situation.

Anyway, my work day is over for today and tomorrow is my day off. I can read and breathe deep cleansing breaths. I can make my first ever panini. Is that how it's spelled? I had to go online to find a "recipe" for panini so I had some idea of what to put between the bread slices. I mean it is simply grilled bread with things inside. The trick is putting the right things inside. The one I think I will try first is cheese and mango chutney. But first I will go to the grocery store for the mango chutney. Exciting.

Last night's new season shows were pretty good. I thought the new cast of DWTS would have sucked more than they did. Castle was close to being stupid but the cast is likeable. Tonight we have Raising Hope, Detroit-1-8-7, NCIS and the Good Wife. We TiVo'ed Hawaii 50 and House yesterday. I will probably TiVo Raising Hope and the Good Wife tonight. G loves his DWTS and tonight is the elimination night followed by NCIS. I know that some married couples watch television in separate rooms, but I just record what I want to watch, and get to spend the evening "with" my husband. Not perfect, but it works.

Our dinner pizza burned up a bit in the oven because we used fresh mozzarella and it melted and spread all over the oven. Burning cheese. What a mess. We are going to eat and watch House Hunters International. Buon Appetite!

More Birthday

Today I decided we should have a "family" day to celebrate my birthday. So, Sam, G and I drove to Lewiston to visit Marden's, then eat at Margarita's (and have a birthday drink) and finish the day with Dairy Queen ice cream as it's the only place with ice cream still open. We did have to drive several towns over to find an open Dairy Queen. G and Sam had special edition Blizzards and I had a banana hot fudge sundae. It's a good thing I don't have lace up shoes on--I couldn't bend over to tie them if my life depended on it. Too much good food in the past 36 hours.

Sam gave me the really cute monkey card and the Bananagram game. It's like solitaire scrabble. Or it will be when I use the game.

G goes back to work tomorrow. He had last week as his vacation. And I was working all week, so it might have been more relaxing for him to be here alone all week. I enjoy being here with the dog. Men are different. Not that G did any domestic work while he was "on vacation". He didn't even do his usual vacuuming.

I had a difficult time finding a suitable outfit to wear today. Cool but still summery. Long pants and a shirt with long sleeves ---- and it needs to fit. I've been wearing the pants all summer but added a 2X shirt that I gave a friend (and she returned after losing weight). It's big and baggy and fits better than it ever did when I was a 2X size. I don't have pants that fit for cool (but not cold) weather. I really never had pants for that particular weather situation. I may have to wear this outfit for anytime I go out until it snows.

Tonight, Rubicon and Mad Men. If our LAME PBS station was running Inspector Lewis new mysteries then I would have that on tonight. But Maine Public Television is running crap "local" programs (ie. free or inexpensive) instead of Masterpiece Mystery on Sunday. I think they save money by showing them "later" and not in prime time. They may also be running a "please send us money" week. AGAIN. I will never send these idiots any money. PBS should close them down and let us get the Boston PBS feed. Do I sound disgruntled? Well, you should hear what their volunteers say about their management of money!!!!

I have laundry to do, shirts to iron and a book to read because it has to be returned to the library. Work tomorrow and Riley will be returning to doggie day care. His foot doesn't seem to be bothering him. Not much licking anymore. Plenty of jumping around and running. Still not completely healed but getting better. Two weeks now since he cut it open. I'll know in the morning. He may refuse to get into the car in the morning.

Better get started on my list of things to do. The first day of my new year has been very good.

And Everything Was Wonderful

My Houseplant class went very well and at the end everyone sang "Happy Birthday" and the accoustics were perfect. I didn't cry but smiled so much I thought my face would hurt. It was pretty wonderful. My boss later said you could hear them singing throughout the whole store. He thought that was nice. The simple things are really wonderful, aren't they?

G and Riley brought me lunch-- the veggie sub I wanted and it was very good. After that the day was very slow. I was tired. Now, I am home and the potatoes are peeled and boiling, the cabbage and carrot are shredded for cole slaw and I will only have to nuke the frozen peas. I think I will change or even take a shower before dinner. And then I will open my box.

As far as birthday's go, this one was in the top ten. All your lovely email greeting were so nice. I'm a very lucky person. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. From the fullness of my heart. My face just might hurt tomorrow from all this smiling!

Happy, Happy Birthday To ME!

My Birthday Presents arrived yesterday! They were not supposed to be here until Tuesday the 21st but here they are. All ready for me to open them after work. I am SO excited. And my pot roast is in the crockpot already cooking. That's my favorite dinner. Pot roast, mashed potatoes, cole slaw and peas. Lots of gravy. I like to eat at home on my birthday.

G woke up early and ran out to McD's and got me a Bacon, Egg & Cheese Bagel for breakfast and a large coffee. That was quite a surprise. And I got Holiday Pay for Labor Day on my paycheck yesterday. Woo Hoo. The first holiday pay in three years. I must actually BE full time now!!!

I have my Houseplants Class at 10 this morning. I made 40 handouts and we'll see how many show up. I think I have nearly 20 signed up but people just show up. I had 31 for the first class I did, two weeks ago.

So far, so good on my birthday. I watched WALL-E on the Disney channel last night. So sweet. Especially when he shared the bubble wrap with EVE.

Home From Work

I don't even know where to begin. I arrived at work to find all the doors locked and the only other employee, waiting by the locked employee entrance. Luckily, I had the key. But then we had other problems: the safe combination, the login password and other random things neither of us had ever been responsible for on other Thursdays. It's really difficult to get past this kind of screw up, especially when customers are watching, waiting and getting a poor impression of our intelligence. I had to call another employee and wake her up (on her day off) twice. Not happy about that. Me. She was very sweet and understanding. Now, we have the safe combo and know the password to the register system. Eventually a third person arrived and the three of us ran the store until 12 noon. Tractor calls, cash register, perennial yard, greenhouse, nursery and floral. I hadn't packed nearly enough lunch or coffee.

Right now, G is still working on the front steps. The cedar or redwood rotted out. Now we are going with plastic wood. That new, non wood decking.

I am thinking about a shower and clean clothes.

Watched Survivor last night and the shallow people decided to get rid of the woman with an artificial leg the first day because she would get the money they believe they deserve. PEOPLE. You have 39 more days to decide to get rid of her. Not the very first day. Give the girl a fighting chance! And Jimmy Johnson was saved by a woman who couldn't shut up. I'm sure they edited most of her talking out. It was probably endless. And then everyone wrote her name down. Why does Survivor include handicapped and famous people when they are just "deleted" as quickly as possible by the "team". They never get a fair chance to play the game.

Top Chef ended last night and I saved the first part of the finale and watched both after Survivor. The right guy won. He cooked a good dinner and made a dessert. Ed could have won if he had made his own dessert. They should all know how to make at least two desserts. Ed had the Top Chef "loser" winner as his helper. Worst winner in the history of Top Chef.

Now for the shower and G says he's hungry and the fridge has no leftovers. And I have no ideas.

Forty Second Anniversary

Yes, we got married in kindergarten. Not really. We were both 21 years old and as naive as they come. But, here we are, beating the odds. After a 45 minute traffic stoppage (due to a travel trailer crashing across both lanes), we had a lovely late lunch at Macaroni Grill and I had the small piece of chocolate cake with chocolate sauce and extra whip cream. I am treating the dessert like a joint anniversary and birthday cake. I'm not buying a special bakery buttercream fudge cake this year. No I'm not.

After lunch I went and looked to see if TJ Maxx had anything I wanted. They did not. Then we visited Whole Foods and I got two bottles of G's favorite German Reisling, some aged Gouda from Holland, Buzz Free Coffee and some multi grain rolls. I also got red sweet potatoes and beets. There was a lovely vegetable saute in the prepared food section at WF and it was yellow squash, zucchini, baby asparagus, red onion, broccoli and red and yellow peppers. I want to make some of that and eat it every day. I'll add some of my freshly harvested pole beans to my saute.

Now we are home and G is continuing to clean out the garage. He found all this stuff that he wanted to take to the dump (and pay a fee) and I calmly informed him that all those items can be recycled in the free Town recycle containers. I wonder about his thought processes.

I have books to read and cozy pajamas to change into. I finally found my Insurance Waiver papers after looking all over for them and thinking I had shredded them yesterday. Survivor is on tonight (Wednesday and not Thursday). Work tomorrow.

Riley stepped on a bee today on his morning walk. Another sore paw. One more to go; three's the charm.

Another Tuesday Done & Gone

Working until 6 pm is like watching paint dry. Nothing happens. It's just hours of waiting for the end to arrive. Each Tuesday (and Friday) I am surprised I made it to the end. One of the teenagers asked "what else would happen?" He didn't get it. He's still close to the beginning and I am too close to the end. I hate wasting what little time (20 or 30 years) I have left in waiting for 6 o'clock to arrive.

I got home to find both my guys tired and sleepy. On the dog's bed. I slept better than usual last night because I put the winter down comforter back on the bed. And we had a thunder storm at 4 am. Nothing better than pulling the comforter over your head and going back to sleep.

I ordered my "birthday" presents today. A little belatedly so they won't arrive till 3 days after but that's okay. A Panini Maker. A Pasta Extruder. (makes macaroni) A 14 inch non stick frying pan. It was on sale for a special price and I like special prices. I was pretty happy making the order. And I changed my email address to comcast.net. I have to change it on my blog this week. I'll keep you informed. I subtracted and added blogs to my sidebar today.

Changing email addresses is difficult. Trying to remember all the people and places that have my email address. When we changed computers I had to get everyone listed so I could get them on the new computer. I had a long list of people I don't email anymore. Why? What happened?

Time for a shower and then I want to work on the journal page I coated with paint and scraped with a credit card. G said it was a "mess" or that I was a "mess". I said it was just art.

Stand Back- I Have Had Too Much Coffee Today

I brought coffee to work (decaf) and then a coworker went and got me a Starbucks decaf (which I don't think is especially decaf) and then my husband stopped by with a third cup of McD's decaf which I am drinking right now. I can feel my heart racing a bit and know I will have trouble falling asleep even though I am exhausted.

I worked 8 to 4 with only a 15 minute lunch break to eat my fruit and yogurt. I couldn't stay in the break room a second longer (coffee jitters and the FLIES). My boss has gone to the hardware show in Jersey and left us "alone". Four employees in the morning and four to close at 6. Inexperienced teens at the cash register. How bad is that for business??? At the point of sale (getting the money) you put a kid who can't figure the register out or has no idea what a product is used for etc. I walked by as a product was found to have no price; a customer wanted to know how to amend soil (the teen didn't even know he should find someone to answer that question) and was told "I don't know" Period. And I stopped by to identify bugs. I just love sandwich bags full of bugs.

I am typing this and talking a mile a minute to G. Energizer Rabbit. I think i'll go over to the NYT's and read the Mad Men blog. Later!

Painted Fabrics/ Food/ Journal

I am gobsmacked. the pictures loaded in the correct order for the first time in the five years or more that I have been blogging. Got to go buy a lottery ticket, huh? These are my very own fabrics. I have a closet full of commercial stuff; selected and paid for with hard earned money, and the ones I make myself are the ones that always work in my pieced collage. Go figure, huh?

My own and some gifted squash frying away with some oil and an onion to golden brown wonderfulness for today's lunch or dinner. This may be the last panful for the summer season. Parting is such sweet sorrow.

My journal page from this morning. Yes. It does look very different from my usual journal pages. This happens sometimes when I begin a new book. The pages and the surface of those pages begs for something else. This one wants more visual and less written. As does my work.

My supply box for the journal is rather spare. Date stamp, the rings from Target prescription bottles (of which there are many with G's new disease), Sharpies in two sizes and many colors which I am USING and not SAVING. I color in wide sections of pages. My glue stick. I may add some paint. And colored pencils. Neocolor crayons. It's early days in this journal.

Remember how I was always saying "change was coming"? Well, it's here. It crept in while I was looking elsewhere. Just in time. I am getting to know myself all over again. Every seven years things change. This is the beginning of the 10th cycle in my lifetime. The last cycle was all about loss. One corner of my pinboard here by the desk has all their faces smiling out at me. Some have died and others have just disappeared from my life for the time being, as friends do sometimes. We lost jobs also in the past seven years. Both G and I. These seven years have been a trial, a struggle, an acceptance. I have been lonely, sad, angry, hurt and defensive. I feel that part is now over.

How do I know this? Because, as I fasten the protective paw bootie over Riley's back, left paw and lean my head against his hip, I feel such contentment and quiet joy. My life right now is good. I am in the right place, doing the right things (usually), and feeling healthy, safe, relaxed. I enjoyed pasting things to the journal page this morning, gathering the last few squash from the dwindling garden, emptying the compost bucket, watering my plants, making my bed and clearing off the dining room table. Each task the same as every other day, but today it was all better. It felt better to be me. I have shed tears while writing this post but even that feels good. I still miss my shredded wheat breakfast cereal.

Newly Painted Fabric

It's bluer. But this is the best I can do at almost 7 pm. Long day at work. Hot. And I was dressed for cool. My cheeks are blushed with red from the sun shining into the greenhouse. We had 26 customers for the Pruning Class this morning. I had the entire greenhouse watered before the 10 am start, had the handout on the chairs and was standing ready with the sign up sheet. Yesterday I skipped lunch, but today I ate yesterday's yogurt and fruit and read the employee handbook. I also had two slices of the snack coffeecake. And had seconds tonight on the very very yummy cherry tomato, red pepper, onion pasta I whipped up before taking my shower. Healthy pasta, right?

I am so tired and my skin is so dry. I bought three "Five Buck" roses in the yard sale. Now I have to find a sunny spot to plant them. I asked the pruning instructor about my bird's nest spruce (ticket said 3 feet by 3 feet and it's now the size of a VW bug) and it can't be pruned. So, that can be chain sawed out and a rose can be planted there. He also said multi stemmed shrubs like Forsythia, Lilac, Spirea, and some rhodies can be cut to the ground to rejuvenate them when they get woody and scraggly. Chain saw will be getting a work out this week (G is on vacation).

Monday, I will be bringing home more Rhodies. I'm going to plant them along the western side of the lawn where they can grow to their full 8 feet tall and 8 feet wide. Icy pink.

That's all for today. Hope your Saturday was a beautiful summer day spent outdoors and NOT at work.

Still More Tomatoes

I started the morning with a pot of boiling water for these tomatoes. I like to scald them so the peels come off easily, then I take the core out and squeeze the seeds and juice into a strainer over a bowl. I don't plan to cook anything today. So these squeezed babies with their juices will go into freezer bags for "future food". Soup.

Riley is still sleeping. I'll be wrapping his foot up and taking him for a walk before I leave for work at 12:30. It's breezy and cool today but the sun is shining. It was supposed to rain all day. Seems like all the big, black storm clouds are just coasting past my house. I added more water to my half cup of oatmeal (to make it seem like more). It's cooling and getting thick after it's 240 in the microwave. The soy milk (a splash) makes it too sweet.

I managed to paint several half yards of fabric on Wednesday. They are all ironed and ready for fabric collages. I spattered paint on the clean up cloth (on purpose) and now notice that my kitchen floor has rusty orange spatters (accident). Yes. Rusty orange. And blue green. Wonder what that is for, huh? Colorplay for November first. I painted what I thought I wanted on the front side, but while ironing I saw the backside and like it ever so much more.

Did I mention that my boss offered me health insurance yesterday? Yep. I suddenly "meet the criteria".

Nikita (last night at 9) was the same (story) but different. This Nikita likes to kill innocent people. The previous Nikita (Petra Wilson) didn't. And this Michael reminds me of tiny Ryan Secrest, only taller (ugh). G and I were wondering what the CW stands for. I voted for "cheap and weird". Nikita is filmed exclusively in black and gray. Except for the tiny red bikini. And the teen uniform for all soon to be girl (slut) assassins in training is a tank undershirt, no bra. This CIA covert department hasn't been able to find Nikita for three years, even though she is living in town in a big apartment and has loads of money to spend on clothes, computers and guns. Reminds me of Lizbeth Salander living right in Stockholm while the police looked for her. In plain sight.

I watched the last half hour of Project Runway last night. Ugly clothes. And the wrong person went home again. They kept the "good seamstress" who can't design her way out of tank top and flowing skirt in beige. If I watch the show I think I will see Casanova get thrown under the bus by that know it all who won the first two weeks. And then I watched House Hunters International and a couple paid 518K for a house with no kitchen and one bathroom in France. A total fixer upper. Three months in, they are using the sink in their bedroom as a kitchen and enjoying the "garden" which, here in the US, we would call"a grassy area outside".

That's all I have for today. I work until 6 and we will be short one person out in Nursery so that should be less or more fun than usual. I'm wondering what to wear. Not only is it breakfast changeover this week, it's work wardrobe changeover also. And I have no idea what I will be packing for lunch today (lunch changeover?). Or cooking for dinner tonight. My horoscope says to watch my spending today. A bit late. I got my credit card bill. yikes.

Sam Saves The Dog

Riley was seriously depressed. No walk in the woods today with G. No walk at all. And the walk he and I had the day before was difficult. Walking on an open cut isn't fun.

Sam purchased these fleece lined dog mitts. G wasn't sure it was a good idea but Sam worked on the fit and velcro until she had it on the dog and they went outside to "road test" it. Of course, being a dog, Riley wanted it OFF. So I called him back to the house and showed him his walking collar and he forgot all about the foot thing and was ready to roll on a walk. He powered his way around the one mile "short walk", peed, and pooped. Pulled me along at a very fast clip and I think he was smiling. The foot mitt is padded just enough to soften the "pain pinch" he must feel and with no worries of dirt in the wound I could let him wander into the grass, trees etc. Riley is now fast asleep.

I went to work today and found that another employee had quit and piled her work clothes on the lunchroom table. So, I decided not to quit today. I had a good day at work. It passed quickly and for some unknown reason my boss is talking to me all the time. Three years without a peep and now it's "hey, Joanie" all the time. And, I must be giving off a "vibe" because two other employees asked if I was coming back tomorrow. And Saturday? Wowza.

I was very sleepy when I returned home. Read some blogs and then took a shower (scrubbed my feet with the brush) then ate a TOTALLY - TOTALLY - TOTALLY bad dinner. I blame it all on the two Halloween sized packages of DOTS I ate at work. Sugar is the devil. And my new breakfast cereal (oatmeal) is making me constipated and farty.

Two loads of wash in and Nikita on the CW tonight at 9 pm.

Contemplating My SubConscious

The area next to my front door which leads people, who don't know me, to assume I am a Buddhist. She is an Indian Goddess of Plenty. Her headdress is complimented, this season, with feathers the crows have left on the front lawn.

While I am not a Buddhist, I do lean that way. This morning I was thinking about the internal war that is now raging between my mind and body over the "diet". My mind wants to eat less and become thinner. My body, which was submissive during most of the original 365 day diet in 2007 (stunned?), has now decided it won't participate this time. In fact, it has decided to wage all out war against the mind. It's as if two people are now arguing inside me, with a third, me, standing by and wanting them to stop. I can't explain it any better. I am not crazy (well, I could be actually) and am getting so tired of the daily struggle.

My body was telling me (this morning) that the first time around in 2007, I worked at the library 10 to 16 hours a week. Mostly 1 to 4 in the afternoon. I got up late, ate breakfast late, went to work, skipped lunch, and then had a nice, normal sized dinner. It all worked. Now, I am up early, go to work 6 hours with plenty of physical activity, eat lunch (because the "body" is hungry) and then suffer through a skimpy dinner. 1200 calories isn't much. And THEN, after doing all this, the body GAINS 5 pounds. My mind feels that it worked the first time, it should work again, this time. Not flexible. I am even having difficulty with the "no eating after 8 pm" rule which has never happened before. Yesterday I ate 6 Italian prune plums.

So, what worked so well in 2007 isn't working at all in 2010.

Riley's cut is so bad that it needed to be sutured in the first four hours. Now it is too late. We have to try and swish his foot in warm water several times a day and that should be pleasant. Have you ever tried to lift an 80 pound dog's foot off the ground when he didn't want it lifted???? It will take weeks for the paw to heal, so walks need to be on clean surfaces free of small stones and grit. Honestly, this is what the vet said. So I need to find a 3 mile area of swept Astroturf on which to walk Riley and it should have parking right up next to this area. And a warm water whirlpool foot bath for after the walk. Yes, indeed.

My book is at the library waiting for me. I will go get it before weeding the next area of the front gardens. An easier part near the driveway which just has weeds. Nothing overgrown and needing to be dug up and divided and then replanted. The laundry is finished and the shirts have been ironed.

Oatmeal for breakfast. It was good. But nothing to chew. I think the real issue with eating is the number of "chews" you have in a day. Not enough chewing and you aren't satisfied. Which is why late night snacking always involves something crunchy. Crackers, cookies or chips. I will now place my package of gum on the table next to the couch where I watch television. And chew my way through the evening. White Collar and Covert Affairs continue to disappoint. Did they really kill Moz?

Well, the day is nearly half over and I haven't got much to show for it so far. Gotta go...........

Still Working At Home

I called "out" at work today. I enjoyed working to remove weeds and replant things and make the bed in front of my home (the entrance to my home) presentable, yesterday. I enjoyed yesterday more than any day in the recent few years. So I wanted more of that.

You can see the newly planted blue fescue in the upper right. I pulled up, removed enbedded grass and then replanted the low growing sedum in the bottom middle of this photo. Wu Ping (I called him Wong Ping yesterday) is behind the little water feature. The globe Trollius is behind Wu. Behind all that you can see the original state of the bed as I haven't gotten that far yet. Thick, complete weed coverage. Now I can see dirt.

Riley and I have an appointment with the vet to look at his foot pad. I don't think there is much a vet can do for this sort of injury. Stitches would just pull out with activity or the dog would pull them out. You can't bandage a dog's foot. And all the licking is keeping it quite clean. Riley is exhausted. His sleep is being disturbed by the foot and his need to lick it to make it feel better. The licking is keeping G and I awake also. It's not a normal bedtime noise. Two days. At least we will find out how long this sort of cut takes to heal.

This is the second time today that I have tried to post. Something must be going wrong with Blogger or my server. I seem to be able to connect to the internet. I am getting email. Sending email. I'll see in a few minutes if this one will go anywhere.

I am tired, in a good, productive way, and pleased with the work I have done at home this morning. So much better than standing around wasting time at work. I still have shirts to iron and I want to paint fabric today. At least one piece. This is my agenda for today. Right now I am getting a broom to sweep the sidewalk and then filling my watering can repeatedly and watering my new garden. I will also wonder what to do with all the bearded iris I pulled out of that space. I dislike bearded iris. G likes it. Do I just put it out in the woods like the other weeds? A marital issue.

Whistle While You Work

A Labor Day song if there was ever one. I have the day off. G is whistling while he works. My garden focus is beginning to turn inward as the days cool off. But I do have a "project", as my boss calls any work assignment, which will involve a shovel and the rearranging of plants in the front garden bed. We have one little blue fescue grass which is doing just fine, so I purchased three more yesterday to make a line at the edge of the garden. I know "lines" are not a good thing, but this garden needs a straight line to keep it in order. I will also transplant my Trollius from the back garden, too hot, to the cooler front garden. Right behind the fescue. And I will dig up Wong Ping, my tree peony, and settle him in his rightful place, in front, in full view of everyone. I think he is sulky because he's way off to the side under the Japanese Tree Lilac. And the Astilbe need to be relocated.

That maybe all I can get done today. The crockpot is full of pulled pork. The fridge is back in it's enclosure. I have whites and darks to wash. Shirts to iron. Another huge bucket of tomatoes to deal with. A coworker has already made jars of green tomato pickles. I have shallots and garlic to plant in the garden and I may have pole beans ready for picking. I planted late so we could enjoy the beans, fresh from the garden, rather than have them as a pesky, additional vegetable in July and August.

Riley may get a short walk or none at all. He cut the pad of one of his feet yesterday while walking (running) in the woods with G. Sliced open about 3/4 of an inch long, but not into the underlying tissue. If he sees a squirrel or crow in the yard he takes off running, only limping as he returns to the porch. He is licking it less which could be a sign that it hurts less.

Riley and I slept in until 11am this morning. We had breakfast together. He's settled onto his bed for another nap but I can tell he is wondering about his lunch. I am getting ready to put on my "go to work" clothes and get outside and get that landscape bed straightened up. I am determined to "use what we have" in other garden beds to make this one, by the front entrance, something good looking. So I may move a hydrangea, some Siberian iris and anything else that might look good up front. Too bad I never learned how to whistle.

It's Always Water

G and I have been together 42 years now and we have always had one house problem. Water. And last night was no exception. Both of us exhausted after a hot and busy week at work. We had been discussing what to have for dinner for about an hour before I just decided it would be pasta with butter and cheese. As G was getting ice for our Diet Coke, he stepped in water.

Now I read mysteries. I should have followed the clues sooner. The ice had been hollow for more than a few months and lately was just an ice cube shell. Air in the line. Water leaking into the floor and walls and cabinets. You can see the water damage in the side of the refrigerator built in next to my desk. Soaked in water. I will have to call the insurance agent on Tuesday.

We pulled out the fridge and G checked everything but we couldn't find the leak. A second and third inspection and more soaking wet towels and finally he found a cracked dry area in the tubing and at that moment the ice maker called for water and G got soaked. We shut the ice maker off. G said he could fix it the way he fixed leaking tubes to the beverage systems at work: with electrical tape. It's good to have a husband in the restaurant business sometimes.

All is well. Except for the floors, walls and cabinets. The ice maker is making full, solid cubes again and the floor is dry. The fridge is out in the area between the island and the entrance to the living room so I am making round trips thru the foyer to get my cereal and bowl. Life is interesting. It's amazing the body memory we have of repeated movements. I know the way is blocked but I continue to go there.

The HURRICANE was, as usual, just a weather man's wet dream. No high winds and very little rain and more exhausting; sun and high temps today. G had the AC running before he left for work so the house would be cool for Riley and I today. I am happy to not be working today. I won't be happy to be working tomorrow if it stays this hot. Monday I have the holiday off without pay.

Oh, my raise was on Friday's check. The smallest amount they could give and still be giving me a raise. Twenty five cents more an hour. I felt used, abused and tricked. This winter I will decide if I will go back to work with this organization. If I will go back to work at all. There is an enormous amount of work for me to do here at home. I really have let the house go to ruin in the three years I have worked hard, physical labor at the greenhouse.

G's organization has hired two more experienced store managers. An announcement was made. I have no idea how this will impact G's work experience but if it rocks his happy boat, I will not be happy either. It's always something, isn't it.

Last night I dreamt, twice, that I was on a very high flat grassy area with no way to go down to the road. Steep sides that were treacherous. Straight down hundreds of feet all the way around. And I had Riley with me. Terrifying to not be able to go down to the road, but okay to be up there if that is where I wanted to be. I kept going to the edge to see if there was a safe way down.

That seems to be what I am trying to do. Find a safe way down.

Today, I am peeling, squeezing and cooking down all the tomatoes on the counter (36) and making a killer marinara sauce to freeze or use right away. And I will be going to the grocery store. Walking Riley (staying away from the edges) and trying to stay cool and dry.

Post Number 899

Yesterday was so hot, "how hot was it?", that I soaked my head under the hose in the perennial yard. I also filled my shoes (hot pink Crocs) with water several times. I got home around 2:30, took a shower and then a nap. I feel like the heat may have destroyed valuable brain cells. I have also been contemplating my fast approaching SIXTY FOURTH birthday. Will you still love me when I am 64?

I made a huge pot of garden produce vegetable soup on Wednesday. G will have nothing to do with it. I think it is the most delicious soup I have made since the Bean and Kale Soup of last winter. And I am most happy about the using up of vast amounts of the stuff coming out of my garden these days. Mostly tomatoes.

Brian Williams asked me, last night on the Nightly News, if my kitchen would pass an inspection by the Health Department. Nope. My counter tops are clean, no piles of dirty dishes, but the fridge is way overdue for a good cleaning. The floor is nice and clean. I don't think my bathrooms would fare too well either. I need to scrub the floors more often. How would you do? If they came right this minute to check your kitchen.

I have a new Icelandic author to read. Indridason. It's Iceland and not much goes on there. So the author hasn't got much to work with. Much more to work with in Sweden and Norway as their borders are open to everyone with a ferry pass. I MISS Harry Hole. More than I ever missed Wallander.

It's a slow news day here so I will stop typing and take Riley out to the garden to pick vegetables and get bug bites. Then I'll go to work. All I seem to do these days is go to work and sleep. And eat. Mostly good things (healthy) but too much of them. My hips are growing as I type this. Ado till tomorrow.

Friend Of Twelve By Twelve- 9-01-10, Redo

When I looked at the image on the previous post I was reminded of a lesson from a David Walker workshop. If you start a line, be sure to finish it. I had an unfinished line. Now it's finished. I feel much better.

Friend Of Twelve By Twelve- 9-01-10

I finally got close. I was trying to use all the colors and then READ that it was to be mostly green with a bit of the others. And that made it easier. But by then, I had only scraps left so this morning I was busy stitching bits to bits and ended up with something that was good enough. Not great or fantastic but close enough. And, for the first time, (because of the scraps) it actually is 12 by 12. My measuring/cutting square is 12.5 by 12.5 and that is what I use to cut and I haven't gone back to recut most of the others, and they are not bound or backed.

Yesterday was so hot, but it was okay for sleeping last night but this morning we are already closed up tight with the AC running. I slept through my television shows last night and woke up at 12:30 because the dog wanted to go out and then go to bed. I have never done that before. Riley was perplexed by my behaviour.

I have a new Scandinavian author to 'test drive'. So far, the translation is a bit stiff and awkward. I may stop now (I have book #4) and go to the library for the first book (on reserve shelf for me). It may be better to do it that way and get introduced to the character slowly. Jar City is supposed to be very good. Author is Indridason. Does that mean he is Indrida's son? I also have the newest Kathy Reichs book. Spider Bones.

I had cold chicken last night alongside leftover rice, squash and peas. This morning I opened the last box of shredded wheat for the year. I like cold cereal in the summer but a bowl of oatmeal is lower in calories and better for me. So, when I finish this last box, I will be having oatmeal until next summer. I like oatmeal but I like shredded wheat more right now.

G had EOM (end of month) paperwork to do last night and he has the day off today. We may do something together today. Or he may just spend the day napping and reading.

I have some laundry to do, as usual. And it looks like the ice maker is leaking again and a whole panel of the built in cabinets is black. Water soaked. So we will be pulling the fridge out to have a look. Icemakers and the water lines are always trouble for us. And I think it's because G installs them, rather than having the refrigerator people do it.