Feeling Foggy

This is the closest we come to what I want my kitchen to be--someday (the island will be twice as deep- the designer calls it outrageously deep).  I need to send this image to my kitchen designer.  We are busy circling each other.  Sending emails and not really speaking the same language.  At the moment we are talking about kick plates versus open legs on the bottom of all the cabinets and drawer units.  What it would cost.

Even the bead board ceiling in this picture is like my own ceiling.  Those tall cabinets are like my present dish cupboard.  Looks better in white.  Do I want that?  I just don't know.

My carpenter is at the Freiburg Fair today-Woodman's Day.  Tomorrow he arrives to begin installing all the new windows.  They are in the garage right now.  Waiting.  The French doors are somewhere, but not here, yet. Perhaps they will be delivered tomorrow.  So, when I get home from work tomorrow at 6:30, I should get to see a window.  Maybe, even two.  It's getting darker in that room each day.  Summer is past.  Winter is moving ahead faster than usual.

In the past/future 22 days beginning on 9/15 I will have/have had, THREE days off.  Yes.  I am certainly CRAZY.  I am already exhausted.  This is what happens when you have a full time job and take on a seasonal job as well.  CRAZY!!!  From now until October 6th there are NO DAYS OFF.  I will be going straight through.  And then get my next week's schedule.  I think it slows down after Columbus Day until we get close to Thanksgiving.  And a second group is being trained next week. At least I hope we get fewer hours in the next week or two.  I could use a break.

I only worked until 2 pm today (seems like a holiday) and have a good sized pot roast in the oven. Finally a good meal.  I even sat outside with Riley and read a few pages of my book.  G was out planting bulbs for one of his customers.   I have potatoes to peel and cabbage to shred for cole slaw. I found my green training folder (which I thought I had lost) so I won't be getting a black mark on my permanent record after all.  It's all good.

 

Never Was So Happy To Be Back In The Greenhouse

It felt so comfortable.  I knew how to do everything.

I brought some of my green peppers to share and another employee gave me a big bag of the tiniest peaches.  I ate two handfuls instead of my lunch.

The 10x10 was last night.  My daughter sold one of her pieces (she was over the moon happy) and I did not sell anything.  I went to the event after work (daughter was there) and we had a nice chat and had good hors d'oeuvres (had to look that up) which had been donated by various restaurants and bakeries and I had a nice plastic cup of merlot.

We were seated quite close to where my two pieces were hanging.  Almost every viewer spent time looking very closely at both.  Intent.  Drawn to them. (they were more colorful that almost anything else) But I think the abstract-ness and the bold colors put them off.  What was it?  What would it "go with" at home? So no one was brave enough to buy either of them.

I think I was just lucky the first time.  And I should have trusted my research.  Abstract just doesn't sell. Especially in fabric. so many wonderful fabric artist have full closets of work that doesn't sell.  Most is way too expensive but the more abstract it is, well, the less likely it will sell. Oddly enough, the more abstract a painting is--the better it sells.  I think it's the fabric.  What do you think?  Next year I will do watercolor or acrylic.

I realized, while looking for my green new employment training folder, that I had never brought it home with me on Wednesday. I remember setting it down when I clocked out.  I never picked it up. I will probably get a black mark on my permanent record.

Leaf Peepers Visiting Maine-- Too Early For ME.

Yesterday was--at first--one of those days when absolutely nothing works.  I spent considerable time trying not to cry.  I was in a public place.  Then it got worse and we went down to the sales floor (I am training for a new, seasonal, retail job) to go "live" on the cash registers.

But before that could happen, Fate sent me a messenger.  A customer came up to me with a shoe and asked me where she could find out what it cost.  She had gotten it off a display.  She smiled.  I smiled back.  I said "I know just who to ask about your shoe"  And we walked off.  When I returned--I wasn't afraid anymore. I had been reminded that there were things I DID do very well. My supervisor had also told us--"there is no mistake you make, that we can't fix".

I did just fine. Bumbling at first, losing my"words" etc. And Saturday I won't have a mentor at my right hand to help for my first 8 hour shift.  But I will have coworkers who also had their "first day" and will help me "fix the mistakes I make".

Tomorrow, the greenhouse and Sunday the greenhouse.  A VERY BUSY WEEK.  Perhaps, too busy.

But today is my day off.  I have had a shower, cleaned out my bookcases, unsewed seams in three blouses that were meant to "slim" thru the waist.  I like things looser, so I took the "darts" out.  I have a white wash in the washer and then I have dog towels to wash.  I already sprayed his beds with Febreze.  Riley needs a bath.  Next up, I have to visit the garden and see if I can save anything else.  And I should take a ride to the grocery as we have not had many decent meals in the past few weeks.  I would like a nice pot roast.  And I can boil and mash the potatoes from my garden.  I am also going to make an Italian Frittata using sausage, kale and onion to take to work for my lunch.  I may also make my favorite tomato kale soup with white beans.

I need to get busy.  The sun is shining but it's cold in here.  Tomorrow is the 10x10 auction.  I am hoping I can attend this year.  After work tomorrow.  I'll get there late but I think they will still have a glass of wine I can drink!!!

I Made It through Tuesday

Not without some pain and suffering.  Learning new things can be difficult.  Lots of stress to keep up with everyone else. I was on the verge of tears but pulled myself together. Tomorrow will be much worse.  Or much better.  I get to try the things I learned today on real, live people.

Whatever doesn't kill us, makes us stronger.  Right????

On Sunday I bought a scale to replace the one that stopped working.  Long ago.  I should have bought a new one sooner.  I have regained 30 pounds.  Most of my clothing still "fits" but when I look at my body in the mirror--well, I am not looking so good.  Lumpy.  Bumpy.

Whatever I did right yesterday, diet-wise, worked and I was 3 pounds less this morning.  Which is always such a puzzling thing when it happens.

G and I had our first Thanksgiving dinner tonight for supper.  The baked sweet potatoes were still dry in texture even after almost 2 hours of baking.  Little sugar in them.  Was it the strange dry weather where they are grown?  Or too much rain?  We had the deli roast turkey breast, stuffing mix, steamed broccoli and gravy.  Well, G did.  I had broccoli, sweet potato and turkey with a little bit of gravy.  It was very good.  Today was another cold and blustery day.  Too early for this.

NCIS tonight.  Saying goodbye to Ziva.  I don't want her to go.
We finished watching season 2 of Homeland.  Finished watching the new four part Luther.  Trying out Sleepy Hollow and Blacklist.  If I say I like them they will be cancelled.  So, I won't say anything.  Good or Bad.  Because if I hate them, they run for 5 to 6 years.

Sunday Garden Clean Up

This is my day off so I am using it to clear the kitchen counters and fridge of garden produce. To save it from the compost bucket.  I washed and halved these tomatoes and added salt, pepper and olive oil.  Roasted for a total of one hour at 400 degrees.  I'll either make them into a sauce or freeze them in a freezer bag for later.

I also shredded all the zucchini (four) that I have right now--not imagining any more on the way.  I have a low carb casserole that I made once last spring, which was very tasty.  So I'll make it again.  And this time follow the recipe.  I didn't the first time.

G found the booklet for my phone.

I also lost my temper with him and yelled quite a bit.  He uses my camera and my computer. (he has his own, wanting a "new" iPad which I am not interested in using-- and have never asked to use)  He doesn't ask.  But he also never puts anything back the way he found it.  I am not computer savvy.  I was trying to download the picture at the top and I kept getting HIS picture files and not mine.  Even he couldn't get it to go away. I delete all pictures from my camera-there is nothing stored on it. And my camera kept shutting off.  Anyway--I was very upset.

I like my things to be the way I want them.  They are mine.  I paid for them.

I think, psychologically, that I work and earn my own money (now) because I want the things I buy (and use) to be "mine".  Not things he bought.  For me.

I am sure there are deep issues here which I could look into with a therapist.  If I wanted to.  I don't. But the anger management should be looked into and controlled better.  Lots of the time it's just frustration. I couldn't fix what had happened to the computer and that is terribly frustrating.   A loss of control over the very small amount of things I actually do have control of. Or think I have control over.

Tomorrow I embark on a journey that is very scary for me.  Involving driving the car farther than I am comfortable driving, looking for parking in a very crowded area where I think cars get towed away, and spending the day with strangers.  A trifecta of things I don't enjoy.  There is the great possibility of tomorrow being a very good day or a very bad day.  I just have to move forward. I want it to be good.

If G was at all perceptive, and he is not with me, he would have known (after 45 years) this wasn't going to be a good day.  Which is why I am trying to occupy myself with shredding zucchini, baking tomatoes, folding laundry, washing clothes, mending the knee of his gardening pants etc.  These are things I can control.

Some Days Are Worse Than Others

Today I was teaching a class on Houseplants at work.  I had organized my thoughts and done research.  Made copies of my research. I brought a cute (homemade) blackboard to the greenhouse and hung it up and drew cute little house plants on it.  I straightened the chairs, put the packet of info on each chair, gathered soils, fertilizers etc.  I selected pots and houseplants for a display.  There was coffee and a nice tray of cookies.

One person showed up.

She and I had a lovely one hour chat about houseplants.

My boss said the class was embarrassing.  Sigh.  The classes at the other two locations were full.

I guess it upset me more than I realized.  I ate a good number of the cookies.  Plus my bowl of vegetable soup at lunch time.  Then a few more cookies.

G came to the store with my new phone.  A little flip phone that he used before he got the iPhone.  He bought himself a yellow 5C which will arrive by mail in a week.

I have a phone number and no instruction book.

 G called (on my new phone which I had in my pocket--- and I spent considerable time wondering what that noise was and where was it coming from?) to tell me he was locked out of the house because we had had a power failure and he had locked the storm door and couldn't go in via the front door. He called me on my new phone.

When I tried to arm the alarms at work--I got 3 default codes and we had to go check all the doors etc.

By the time I got home from work, G had remembered that one of the garage doors had a cheap opener and he managed to get the door open and go inside.  I got there 5 minutes after he opened the door.  Still no power so we went out for Chinese.

The power went on and off twice while we were in the Chinese restaurant.  Maybe three times.  By then I just didn't care what else went wrong as long as there was food.

When the bill came G handed the waitress his credit card and before she could get to the credit card machine the power went out and she asked us for cash.  G had cash and then the power went back on and they ran to each other--her with his cash and he with his credit card.  Everyone laughed.  And cheered the return of power.

The lights were on when we got home.

I took a shower, started the washer with a load of whites and fell onto the couch.  But before that, I hooked my new (old) phone to its little charger.

Do We Actually Know Each Other?

We might, if I didn't have a delete button.

I choose what to tell you, show you etc.  The rest (bad stuff usually), I type it all into these posts and then hit delete.  My son, the computer genius, will tell me that it all still exists and a hacker could be reading it all as I type and delete.  Nothing is really deleted.

I choose to believe it's gone.  I sleep better that way.

My life can get messy.  I can do bad things.  Wish I had kept my mouth shut as my bad things are usually verbal but sometimes, written.  Which is worse?  I am opinionated. And, as are most opinonated people, I am stubborn.  I keep repeating myself, getting louder, hoping to convince others that I am right.  Hey, sounds like a Tea Bagger.  Which I'm not. See? I did it again.

Anyway, my birthday is my New Year.  I try to make changes to be "a better person".  Always a learning process no matter how old I get.  The "Smile" project.

I was reading, this morning on Goop, that none of you is actually my friend, as none of you could actually show up at 3 am if I needed you (flat tire, emergency room etc).  And none of you actually know me because I use the delete button and pick and choose the parts of my life to publish.  That made me sad, because without you, Readers, I have only three people that could arrive at 3 am.  I have G, our daughter and Patty.  It was a great birthday dinner because I had G, our daughter and Patty at the table last night.  Later, I talked to our son long distance.  Which made the day perfect.

Is the list of people I can call at 3 am due to my lack of friendship skills?  Do I hold myself too much at arms length from people?  Do I want solitude so much that this is the price I pay for it?  G says there is always AAA.

It's My Birthday- September 18th

It's that just the BEST looking cake?  Sigh.  I'm going to be eating cake on my birthday.  Yes, I am.

Website For 10x10

I keep forgetting to include this.

www.10x10brunswick.org

African Suns- Another 10x10 For Arts Are Elementary Auction

This is abstract.  I noticed when I studied the "sold" items from past year's auctions that abstracts aren't as popular --in fabric.  Abstracts are fabulously popular in oils, wax etc.  But not fabric.

I love abstracts.  As I can play with fabric and color placements and, if I have dark fabrics involved, draw on the dark bits with chalk or wax pencils.

I think the little edging I added to finish the piece is annoying but is not visible when in the black metal frame that 10x10 uses for all the pieces.  I think future work will not have a finished edge if it's being framed.  I'm "old school" when it comes to fabric work--i.e. quilts. I think they need backs and binding to be actually finished .  And I refuse to sign them on the front.  But these are all discussion (essay) questions that fabric artists are conflicted on--and will be forever.  I think the "potholder" "placemat" problems of certain shapes and sizes of work are a more important roadblock to sales.  Or acceptance.  10x10 is a potholder.  To many potential buyers.

It has finally stopped raining.  The sun was out and very welcome when I woke up, but while typing this, it has gone away.  I need to turn on the house lights, ugh.  Lamps on at noon--bah!  I think we had 4 inches of rain in the past few days.  Yesterday the Nursery crew had to roll and load strips of sod on two different orders, in the driving rain.  I was thankful I was Greenhouse, even though it WAS raining inside the greenhouse.  I didn't have a second or third set of clothing to change into. I was "not prepared".

You know, in my line of work, that summer is over when you need to stock the car with several changes of clothing.  And layers.  Nothing as miserable than working in wet clothing on a cold day.

After I hit publish, I am going down to the garden to assess the damages.  That much rain isn't good for a late summer garden.  I hope my tomatoes haven't split open.  I have peppers, tomatoes and one last little eggplant out there.  I am wanting to eat bread today.  I feel like an addict trying not to lose control. I made a very large pot of vegetable soup with all my vegetables--including one of my tiny cabbages and two of MY potatoes.  So, so good.  I added ALL the Arkansas Traveler tomatoes (I had on the counter) to the soup as they were getting squishy waiting for me to eat them for breakfast.  I have Brandywine and Cherokee Purples on the counter.  Waiting to be eaten for breakfast.  The ones I really DESIRE are the Siberian Reds.  OMG are they delicious.  But the rest of them aren't ready yet (one did ripen and I ate it so fast).  Now, I have to wait.

We have watched two episodes of Luther (season 3).  Not impressed.  I had planned a marathon, watching all four at once but--not happening.  G and I might be watching the remainder of season 2 of Homeland tonight instead.  Now that we have discovered Xfinity on demand, we should really cancel Netflix.  Most of the programming is old on Netflix and G and I had difficulty finding stuff to watch.  We did enjoy "Life" with Damien Lewis,"Wire in the Blood", and the first two seasons of Luther on Netflix.  But that was it. I have looked and looked but can't find anything else we want to watch past the first trial episode.  There is Breaking Bad but I think we can get that on Xfinity on Demand.  Not worth continuing to pay $8.99 a month for Netflix.  I had been reading lots of complaints regarding Netflix offerings,  Homeland was only offered as an add on for DVDs, but thought I would be able to find something.  I do like to watch without commercials.  Xfinity has commercials.

Not that we have all that much time to watch anything.  I have a week before my new, second job begins.  I won't have time for anything after that.

Hey, I'm Back

I wasn't gone or anything.  Just tired and not blogging.  Here's a shot I took of my garden haul one afternoon.  Roses (David Austin), my two tiny beets, four small carrots and the calendula flowers I am clipping and collecting to use to make a salve.

My fig tree is doing better now that we moved it into a shadier location.  Not wilting as much.  These are the figs on one branch.  I have lots of branches.  I have no idea when figs ripen but am seeing more and more recipes on the food blogs using fresh figs.  Mine are far from ready (brown).

The last thing the guys did around here (before moving on to framing a garage and breezeway) was take the siding off the bay window.  Just looking to see if there was any rot.  What they did find, was little to no insulation.  I may have mentioned in years of posts, that the bay window was very cold.  Well, G could run his whole hand into the opening on the right side where the window should meet the wall.  And look at the foam!!!!  This is PACKING MATERIAL for the window in transit.  And at the bottom, a few bits of pink.  Sigh.  The window will NOT be missed.

The best part.  The little peak where the chimney was.  Isn't that perfection?  J is all about the finish detail and this took a very long time.  And it's perfect.  There will be columns and a can light in the curved ceiling (which is hand cut bead board- each piece back cut to fit the curve).

No more work until the doors and windows arrive--which could be 8 or 10 days from today.  The first set of doors was damaged so we got backed up 4 to 6 weeks.  It happens.

The strange thing--neither G or I really care that the job has stopped in the middle.  We are both so busy, that the plywood walls just aren't that big a deal. And it's still summerish. J can't believe we aren't
upset.  We laughed and told him to "Go, do the garage".

We chatted, finally, about the budget, which is blown due to the rotten rafters and the new peaked roof. Things that had to be done to make everything sound and nice looking.  And we talked about my kitchen ideas and the bathrooms.  This may be a very busy fall and winter here at my house.  But J wants every bit of everything here in the house before he begins.  No more waiting for stuff to be delivered.

My kitchen counter is finally covered in tomatoes.  I finished the vegetable soup today.  G has pulled half the cucumber vines out, the weather (wind) blew all the corn to the ground.  We have eaten about a half of what was there.  Small but tasty.  I have pulled the potatoes out of one bucket.  Nice ones.  Not as many as I had hoped but more than last time.  Lots of kale for fall soups.  No more green beans or eggplant.  The onions are in and very tasty.  The late season broccoli looks good as do the Brussels sprout plants.  Tons of good sized green peppers on the plants.  I'm hoping half turn red in the next week or so.

G and I will celebrate our 45th anniversary on Sunday.  Life is good.  We're happy.

Yard Sale Day-- September 7th

No Pictures.  The day began at 6 am and I got home at around 2:30.  I carried my cereal and coffee to the sale.  We (my daughter and I) didn't even put price tags on anything.  We usually sell 80% of everything for 25 Cents anyway.  And still made $164.  Too funny!

The most interesting sales items today--the usual box of McDonald's toys and a hat.  S and I said we should have given each other a nickel every time someone touched that hat.  No one bought it.

My best sale?  A record/tape/CD player for the change in a teenage boy's pocket.  His idea.  And I did give him grief about it and made him beg a bit--but, I sold it to him.  He said he'd never forget me.  And I think that might be true.  It'll be a good story to tell.  I think he had $1.75 in silver and a handful of pennies.  Truth be told, he could have gotten it for 25 Cents.

I sold a snowblower for $5 to a guy whose wife was furious.

One woman came back five or six times and bought a few dolls each time.  S and I were selling the souvenir dolls her father brought home from all the countries he visited.  Brussels was the last one--all that lovely lace.

I brought my crewel work vegetables (in frames) back home, a Japanese doll (which was very cute) and the doll house dresser (which we shouldn't have been selling) and the remainder was loaded on the truck headed for Goodwill.  G said there was a line of cars and trucks with stuff for Goodwill when he got there.  All looked like they had had garage sales and the Goodwill employees weren't even looking at stuff just hauling it inside. I hope most of it was good.  Our bad stuff went to the dump or into our recycle bins.

Work tomorrow.  Dentist on Monday.

Good Morning- September 5th

Yesterday I tried getting all the produce from the garden processed into meals or freezer bags.  I'm still working on it.  The carpenters were working inside and brought along a special little treat for me.  A very tiny 2 year old girl.

We played with her doll, crayons and paper, some farm animal beanies and finally I left her to amuse herself with a box of large blocks.  Her dad served her lunch.  What a good little girl.  She was polite, amused herself and was careful about walking around the mess on the floor.  Her dad said she was excellent at going to get them tools they needed. They left at around 1 pm--nap time.

I finished reading a book I borrowed from the library.  Zero Waste Home.  You can read about it on her website zerowastehome.com.  The author has worked her way to leaving a very small footprint on the planet.  Reusing what she can, refusing what she can etc.  She shops the bulk aisles, using handmade cloth bags instead of the plastic bags we all use.  Wet things go into glass canning jars.  This is a "learning curve thing" for the employees at the grocery.  I imagine it goes easier at Whole Foods. In California.

Her wardrobe (if you visit the site click on wardrobe in the sidebar) is 33 items.  I have to say, she is very creative with her use of the few items she owns.  All are thrifted.  Everything in her closet fits into a carry on.  When she vacations she takes it all.  In one interesting post she wears the same black men's shirt for 50 days.   BUT, she is rail thin and thinks she is a fashion model.  It gets old, fast.  Hardly what the average woman would wear.  I like the combos using jeans.

My daily, non-work, outfit is exactly the same every day.  Black cropped knit pants, white tee and faded blue cotton men's work shirt which I bought in quantity at the store with blue light specials, buttoned with the sleeves rolled up.  When I weighted "quite a lot", I wore 2X black sweat pants, the same white tees and the shirt (same ones I wear now) was never buttoned--because I couldn't button it.  Everything is 10 years old or much more. If I followed her rules--I would have one of each; pants, tee and shirt and get rid of all the others. In the winter I wear a longer version of the knit pants, a long sleeved white tee and my grey cashmere pullover sweater.

My work clothing is just as limited.  I have a washer and dryer handy so can wear the same clothing all week.  Just washing it when it gets really dirty.  Two pants.  Two shirts.  Lots of socks.

Actually, I could get rid of everything else in my closet.  When we go out to eat (summer), I change into a white linen shirt or the royal blue and white stripe shirt.  This begs the question--- why do I shop for clothes????  Can I let go of my clothing?  Can you?  The author tags her clothing with a date when she wears it--if it goes unworn for a month--it goes to Goodwill or a thrift store.

My garden is getting too cold at night (48 last night) and I worry about all the tomatoes not having time to get ripe.  The cucumbers are about finished.  Still getting beans.  Not many zucchini.  No more eggplant.  Tons of kale.  We are waiting for the corn.

G and I cleaned out the "sewing room".  The previous owner had a room made in the unfinished attic for "sewing".  We fill it with stuff.  And yesterday we tore through it and G is carrying four or five large cartons down to the garage.  My daughter's neighborhood garage sale is Saturday.  Which reminds me--I need change for my cash bag.  Each year we empty a different part of the house for the sale.  This year it was the sewing room.  There were boxes in there from our move from Germany in 1988.  Unopened.  There is a greater amount of stuff in garbage bags and boxes for recycling.  We can actually see the floor.  

It felt good to clean it up and it felt bad.  To have all of that.  Ugh.

Arts Are Elementary- 10x10

This is a 12x12 which I cropped to 10x10 for the art auction (funds used to get artists into the elementary schools).  It was never going anywhere in it's 12x12 size (and Terry started me thinking about cropping in her posts), but there is the possibility someone will like this 10x10 and buy it in the auction September 27th.  You can visit the website and see all 300 pieces of art.

The "change in dietary plans" is going along.  Not 100%, but the ankles aren't swollen so that is a step in the right direction.  I was late for work this morning and toasted two slices of WPF raisin bread, topped with butter and flew out the door.  My packed lunch was two chicken tenders and a bowl of cucumbers in sour cream.  I also was offered two pretzels and I ate them.

I drove my husband's Jeep to work and it is way bigger than my car and I haven't driven it in years.  The windows fogged up this morning, I had to adjust the seat, I couldn't use the rear view mirror etc.  Thank goodness the gas pedal was okay.  If it isn't my foot goes to sleep.  Yes, dear readers, my foot goes to sleep if the pedal isn't "just right".  I am such a Princess.  When I buy a car, it's the deal breaker on lots of really nice cars that I like.  Don't ever believe the sales guys if they say the gas pedal is "adjustable".  That's a lie.

My September horoscope assures me of a happy birthday this year.  Not like the past few birthdays. Being a Virgo isn't always a great deal of fun.  I don't think you usually (ever) see those two words in a sentence.  Virgo/Fun.  Virgo/Fussbudget?  Yes.  So, I am all for a bit of birthday FUN!!!  I want to roll with a really happy birthday.  A local Mexican restaurant has invited me to dinner on my birthday  (20% discount).  I have the card (birthday card) on my desk.  This month also contains our 45th wedding anniversary.  I'm taking the day off.  Yes, I am.

Work continues on the "peak" and the electrician ran wire and outlets for two lights and one ceiling fan today. The windows are "12 days out" so it'll be awhile.  There is more deconstruction to do, but I don't know when that is happening.  J's finish work is so wonderful.  I am wanting it everywhere.  He did the peak ceiling in curved bead board (picture tomorrow) and now I want it on the foyer doorway ceilings.   J says he'll do it--but I need to be reminded that it all costs $$$$.

In other news, G finished with the gardening client I got for him (and was asked to return in the Spring to weed again) and has now picked up TWO more. I am buying plants and stuff for one (and designing a new garden bed) but I think the second one he got today, might be troublesome.  The client sees himself as an "expert".  Which might be why the landscaper he had, stopped coming.  I'd like him to concentrate on the garden across the street (we have lots to do there) and if time allows, do some planting for the other.  I can see this turning out to be a real job.  And, does he really want that much work?  I think his best direction should be weeding, planting and general care of established gardens for people who are unable to do for themselves anymore.  A nice garden means everything to a gardener who can no longer garden.  And they appreciate him more.

I'm going out to pick tomatoes.  Even though they just don't taste as great as they usually do.  And so many gardeners are lamenting the lack of summer squash.  Who ever thinks they won't get enough zucchini????  But, I get one or two and then a week or more with nothing.  And the eleven plants of yellow summer squash?  I planted so many because I wanted to make my favorite fried squash and onions every single week.  I've made it once.  And bought grocery squash to use with the four in the fridge.  But the green beans just keep coming.  Huge baskets of them every other day.  Too many.  The cucumbers are just about done.  I would like them to keep going for another few weeks.

So, that's what's going on here.  How are you doing??

This Is What Happens When You Think You Have A "Plan"

I thought I had my dietary life figured out.  I was done with Atkins and ready to resume normal eating.  And I was.  Shredded Wheat for breakfast.  Some multi grain crackers with peanut butter for a snack at work.  Still eating yogurt and fruit for lunch.  And I was eating bread--the good kind, dark whole grained.

And, I was swelling up.  My ankles were swollen.  My blood pressure was high.  Last Thursday, at dinner, I couldn't sit with my legs crossed.  I couldn't get one leg up over the other.

The next morning I had only fruit for breakfast and packed more fruit for lunch.  Dinner was vegetables fresh from the garden and some fresh cheese.  I repeated this for two days and my ankles looked less swollen.  I made vegetable soup from garden produce.  I ate that.  My ankles are now regular size.  I'm working on being able to cross my legs at the knee.  I think that is mostly due to weight gain from eating so much wheat based food and not water weight.

Eating wheat products again---well, now I know I can't.  And not because of low carb.  And my food cravings came back.  I was always wanting to eat something and never satisfied, so I would eat MORE.  I think it's an allergic reaction and not a hunger based one.  And that is something I have had since I was very young.  All the foods I ate too much of were always wheat based.

Now I know.  And I have to do research to see what other grain products may cause these problems. And I guess I am now "wheat free".  Does that mean "gluten free" as well.  I hardly know.

While being "swollen" I finished the book "The Boy In The Suitcase".  I sure hope the second book is ready to be published.  I enjoyed it very much.  Thank you for the recommendation!!!!  I have another Norwegian mystery ready to read--perfect for this very wet and dark Labor Day.

The local ice cream shop closed up on Saturday at 5 pm.  G and I drove up at 4:30 and got to pick our cones from the last five varieties left.  I got strawberry cheesecake and G got this orange mixture like a Dreamsicle.  Lots of later customers left without buying anything since their favorites were gone.

The rain is pouring down on the new parts of the roof.  No leaks.  We're now waiting for the new custom made windows to arrive.  The new electrician found out where the mystery wires ended up--right where a fan will go up in the ceiling where we don't have a skylight anymore.  Love it when something goes right.

Our carpenter discovered all the original house nails are hammer pounded.  So he knows exactly who built this house (we knew but he never asked).  This guy builds them all using only a hammer and he builds great houses.  No power tools.  In fact, I watched him build a house a few summers ago, while walking Riley in the subdivision across the road.  He even did the roof himself, with just a hammer.  It must be a ZEN thing.  And very satisfying.

A good though to have on Labor Day.