Daily Notes- August 31st- Cloudy, but It Rained Overnight.

 Another dog picture from Connie's blog.  A rescue dog finds a new forever home.  My Riley liked to look out the side windows of my car- no head out the window though- as we drove in the mornings to the Doggie Day Care.  He could hardly wait to get there.  It wasn't much and most of his day was in a very large cage but I think he liked the Vet office traffic and the other dogs.  But he was always happy to arrive and happy to leave.

I won't have to water today.  Because of the overnight rain that left puddles.

My cross the street neighbor was out walking and saw a black car arrive next door to me.  With a stretcher. We are wondering if our neighbor who had her 90th birthday this past weekend- passed.  Died. With cell phones being the primary mode of calling people- and neighbors not sharing those numbers with all of the residents....it could be awhile before we find out yes or no.  I am not knocking on the door to ask. And I might be the only neighbor who would knock. "The Woman Who Brings Flowers"

A Somber Day. August 31st 2021.

Each evening I watch a bit of the 9/11 images on CNN.  I saw the second plane crash into the towers in real time.  But I had to go to work and missed the Pentagon and Pennsylvania.  So I watched that. By the time I returned home in the late afternoon after work that day......it was all on TV. And in Bangor (still military)- where the big planes had enough runway-- European flights were landing in Maine instead of regular airports in New York. And everything stopped.  Just stopped. And older people who remembered Pearl Harbor came into the library in tears. One woman kept saying "this was never supposed to happen again". 

But it did and that War has now finally ended- today.  Well, these days..no War actually ends does it.

I had a coworker at the greenhouse.  She was there for 9/11 and she was forever damaged by what she saw. And one very bad day......she told me it was the smell........that was what she could never get past.

Daily Notes- August 30th

 We had pizza yesterday for the second half of the Patriots game.  Mine got black around the edges like this one in the photo. And I have a preheated pizza stone so the bottom is crispy.

So, today.  Library.  Dropped off books I know I am not going to read.  Picked up two new reserves and something interesting on the new shelf.  Saw three people I know and had short conversations with them. Grocery store.  Had to use problem solving skills to get the last two boxes of bran flakes which were way way back on the shelf.  No tall women or men to assist.  I used a box of corn flakes to knock the boxes forward. Score.  Milk case was stocked.  Last time it wasn't.

I picked up frozen pizza dough etc for next three weeks of football.  We ran out last night.

I had to go back and forth because- even with my list- I was absent minded.  I forgot onions and then forgot pizza balls.  On opposites sides of store.

We never got any rain.  Clouds and 65 degrees which was welcome.

I changed the bed sheets.  So I have a load of washing machine pages to do today or tomorrow. 

Shoulder blade was painful yesterday but not today.  That's how it goes.

Blue Angels have arrived- WTF- for a big crowded show this weekend.  Great for spreading COVID among the unvaccinated north of us.  Their desired audience.  They fly over my house. So low I can see the pilot's heads. For practice runs.  Thank Goodness Riley isn't here.  We have never gone inside the gates to actually witness the splendor.  Happy with the 600 feet distance between them and us. We may sit out back in lawn chairs. Usually we were trying to provide care to a frightened dog.

Daily Notes- August 29th- Clouds. Might rain.

This dog lives near Boston.  Belongs to Dee.  Loves his Ball. I..actually LOVE this photo from Dee's blog.

So... the 29th of August.  I've got mosquito bites on my left ankle.  I let a large insect into the house when I filled the tall empty coffee jar with water and Jerusalem Artichoke Flowers as a gift for my next door neighbors. The "artichoke" (fart-a-choke) is an underground root that supposedly tastes like artichoke but causes an abundance of GAS in human intestines.  Fart A Choke.  Vegetarians supposedly eat them.  And they FART.

I consider them an invasive weed and pull them out of the ground when the soil is moist- not dry.  Any small bit left in the ground will become a three foot high or higher vigorous plant with abundance yellow daisy like flowers.  Bees love the flowers and I found many fat bees napping in the midst of the petals.

In a field they would be amazingly fantastic looking.  Right now they look amazing in my back of the house beds.  If left to their own devices- my lawn would be full of them.

Today is Football Evening and I have my ball of pizza dough out to warm up and rise to double.

I found two different half full bottles of fertilizer in the garage.  I sprinkled it over the Almost Grass. And now I'm watering it in.  Voles or chipmunks have made a few tunneled holes already. It's a losing battle to have actual "lawn" grass.  Tall green weeds- yep, those grow along with tall ferns.

But I persevere.

I didn't read yesterday.  That is how bad the nerve pain is in my shoulder blade.  A bit less today.  The Melatonin is starting to be effective and I sleep sans dreams.  I think the dreams might not be a good thing. I tend to wake just enough to try and edit them.  So...no reading.  Law and Order.  Ray has appeared so I need to find something else- I just don't like his character --at all. I don't believe I ever have watched the seasons when he is a detective.  Sigh.  Rough Time for him to show up.  So......what to watch.  Might be a good time to re-enlist with Netflix.

Daily Notes- August 28th- Saturday Again

 Added horizontal strips from the box Dee sent me.  Contents of her wastebasket. Or what was on the floor.   I think we could do that.  Like a Chain Letter.  Send what's in the wastebasket or on the sewing room floor and take what we like and add our own refuse and then send to the next name on the list.

Those strips- well, just saying...sort of saved this cloth from the rag box.  Just needs to be ironed now. And then I might find some other orphan cloth that wants to come out to play. I was just up in the attic.  Nothing really speaking to me up there.  Radio Silence. I might have outgrown the cloth in the closet- again. It's the strangest feeling.  To go up there and, I still like everything, but none of it WORKS.

And none of daughter's friends are having babies.  Not even husbands.  Not even significant others. So all those Jolly Polka Dots + Stripes are feeling really left out.  And none of the Hospitals want quilts. The Police Units prefer acrylic or micro fiber.  Warming. For abandoned children they pick up.

What World We Live In Now.

No Grass Watering on this Cloudy Saturday (I thought it was Sunday) as husband is cutting the grass because it's in the 70's and cloudy.  Finally.

I just noticed- under the table on the glassed in Porch is a bottle of stinky fish based fertilizer.  Perfect for the Almost Grass.  A very Yummy Stinky Grass Treat-- especially if I spill some on myself.  And perhaps something fertile that is less likely to get on my skin and clothing???

Reading Life is Short.  About a You Tube blogger who must make millions on "her channel" as she travels, takes care of her drugged up family members, replaces iPhones for them like on a daily basis etc....and has taken in the 3 week old baby belonging to her druggy sister.  Baby is endlessly crying on this particular evening and at 4am the Defense attorney who wears Armani suits to work and shares a bedroom wall with her- knocks on her door and says "hand me the baby."  He also asks her to please go take a shower as she is covered in baby snot and vomit.  She takes a quick shower and....... no crying so she assumes in a wild panic that he has stolen the baby.  Instead he and baby are fast asleep on the couch. Meet Cute.

I may or may not continue.  She thinks she is going to die of ALS (so many paragraphs devoted to this....) and is trying to run off and see the World before she can't.  He has a fear of flying but knows how to cook and has a washing machine which our gal is in desperate need of.... but is that enough???  

Daily Notes- August 27th. Still August. UGH.

 Image from a friend on the opposite edge of America from my edge. ML

During Biden's address to Nation regarding very recent American Military Deaths.  I cried.  Through the entire thing. Just cried.  Like that day in the Atlanta airport when like 100's of men  (and possibly women) with all their gear walked to board their plane to almost certain death and dismemberment.  The woman who had been my friend since my children were toddlers said "they asked to go why should I care?".  We ended our friendship a year later.  I could hear in my head "they asked to go".  She would never ask to go. They didn't ask to go.

I am reading Beach Colors.  A one dollar choice at Goodwill.  It isn't bad.  I am almost finished. Next up will be one of the books I had to renew.  I'd been hoarding it for a day when I would NEED something excellent.  Today is that day.

The Twin Boys from down the street are back from where ever they went on vacation and the street is filled with their bikes and the bikes of my cross the street neighbor's two grand daughters.  The baby and the 3 year old stay indoors.  It's amazing.  All that energy of young children.  All the noise.  All the Uber food deliveries.  The new husband (last week's groom) was riding his bike with them to supervise.  I told him he had quite a troop with him and he looked overwhelmed.  His first time meeting the Twin Boys.

The Boys are SOMETHING.

I started the day with the shower I should have taken as soon as I got home from having my haircut. Now I have all that product out of my hair.  And my hair is FLAT.   I am still wearing my tent like pink shirt. I like to just wear it in the house.  I found it at Goodwill- An LLBean Linen Camp Shirt in Pink.  Too large- way to large-- but I couldn't leave it behind when it cost only a dollar.  I think, Connie, I intended to ask you to make it smaller but I never did.  

The grass has been watered.  Containers have been watered- just the workshop one left to do. Bills have been paid, stamped and taken to street side mailbox. Watering bottles need filling and I have one load of wash to do- and my Pages- and I will retire for the day unless I decide to change the bed sheets and wash them.. but I doubt I will watch news.  Ancient Aliens this evening for 4 or 5 hours.  I will enjoy that.

Daily Notes- August 26th- Sunshine. Heat. Haircut.

 Bounty from my hair cutter. She and I have traded garden info and produce for so many years now. I have dropped off shopping bags full of tomatoes and red bell peppers (in late September).  Seeds.  All manner of exchanges over the years.  Today she gifted me with my favorite tomatoes- I introduced her to them years ago.  And some very tender young zucchini.  Which I will slice thinly and cook quickly over high heat.  And eat about 2 seconds after I remove them from the pan. The only recipe left over from the strange food allergy diet adventure of years ago. The banana muffins that had the mouth feel of beach sand was the second favorite. The sludge that was fruit and vegetable smoothies - murky like pond scrum- not so much- though by the second and third week- they seemed okay..  Raw beets and blueberries.  I learned I wasn't allergic to any food-- just soy.  

And I learned to buy things with five or less ingredients. And all of the five or less should be food not chemicals.  Enlightening.  I still spend MOST of my time in the grocery reading content labels and putting food back on the shelves.

She offered me the grocery bag full of zucchini for pickles.  I told her my pickle days were behind me. The heat from the HUGE canning pot of boiling water and all the MASSIVE dish washing before, after and during......it was painfully difficult work.  There was little to zero joy left in the process.

I think this is going to be the most difficult part of growing old.  Letting go of work that used to bring JOY.

There was another ball of pizza dough in the freezer but the football game isn't until the weekend. Both the Patriots and the Giants had to run laps in the heat because of bad behavior and fighting on the field yesterday. Should be an excellent game.  Boston and New York.........yep.

Well. My hair is actually SILVER not WHITE.  Another customer actually has white--we compared. Silver like my paternal grandfather.   Well, I am covered in tiny bits of hair and need a shower.  so, until tomorrow have a great day.

Daily Notes- August 25th- One More Day and I Get My Haircut.

 If we have had this one already- sorry- but not really. Love the blots of watery grey in the centers.  I used to paint like this. Especially like the upper left green apple and the lower left red apple.  Thinking about digging the paints out of hall closet. Doing a Nine Apples.  Getting it framed.  So I have nice stuff on the walls in assisted living someday.

Library.  Rescue Inhaler Usage.  Grocery Store.  August Humidity and HEAT.   Car AC unit. ON.

Watering the Might Actually Someday BE Grass.  And also all the planter boxes of Annuals.  Which are HUGE.  It is so damned hot outside.  Forgot to set the watering timer. Forgot to buy a ball of pizza dough.  Do you think there might be one more ball of pizza dough in the bottom of the freezer?????

Well, TOMORROW is FINALLY HAIRCUT DAY.  For me.  And I pass the grocery on the way home- Pizza Dough Ball.  My hair is very wavy and curly.  Right now.  But not when I was 20.

I now own Blood Orange Seltzer Water and Pink Grapefruit Seltzer Water.  I  think I NEED to eat but what is really being NEEDED is water.  WATER.  I had to get up to look for my cup of cold breakfast coffee.  Finish that. My lips and mouth are very dry. My doctor says it's from mouth breathing and not nose breathing.  My nose is more often than not stuffed up.

Got another big bag of books at the library.  I actually brought my list of authors with me.  And a librarian asked me more than twice if I needed help. Which is why I used the rescue inhaler in the car.

Got to go shut off the water. Move the sprinklers. Turn on the water. Rest.  Sitting quietly breathing in and out.  It will be fine.

Daily Notes- August 24th- Sunshine

 Multi tasking yesterday.  Some TV series watching (The Closer on Lifetime), reading Second Time Around by Kendrick about four college friends re-inventing themselves after the fifth friend dies and doing some sewing.  This began-weeks ago- as three pieces sewn together.  Then nothing.  Then a few days later two pieces added. And then nothing.  Repeat as needed. And then remove strips that offend the eyes.. Yesterday the longer spotted strip to the left and then the two long sides- wrong side up.

That little triangle trying to make a HOUSE is not stitched down and may not stay.  I'm secretly channeling a little house quilt with a Moon or a Sun. (Dee)  Or a little neighborhood of houses.  Just pinned. Nothing decided.

Yesterday's Appliance Repair Appointment.  Gosh.  We are going to be a story told back at the shop with much hilarity.  It was simply one item in the "Dedicated Ice Cream Section" over the Ice Maker. Now...long ago and far away......I am reminded of not putting anything in the Ice Cream Section (that wasn't up against the back wall). I got sloppy and added a block of frozen tomatoes.  Then the door stopped shutting.  $189 is the basic fee when they send out someone.  The block of frozen tomatoes has thawed and will be made into some sort of pasta today or will be tucked into the compost bucket to feed worms..

Sigh.  I am assuming as we venture into the second half of our 70's and into the first half of our eighties that this will be "small potatoes" as they say in the "embarrassment" section of our Golden Years.

And yes.......that section on top of the ice maker bin- is ONLY for Ice Cream. Designed JUST for Ice Cream. And only one container of ice cream at a time.   It keeps a gallon of Ice cream at the perfect scooping/frozen place in Time. Somehow. Magically.  We rarely if ever have any ice cream in there.  So... things happen. Things that are NOT ice cream get put up there. The section starts getting treated like just another shelf. And $189 later- it's empty.  And will stay that way as, now, the space has been labeled in Sharpie Pen.

I also learned the two side by side doors have very powerful magnets in the door frames.  Yep. And that the fridge is perfectly level. On all sides. Yep. Yep. and Yep.  The guy was super nice. 

I cut the leg off a new (to me) pair of navy cord pants- mis-sized at LLBEAN and sold for a dollar in the employee store.  Or possibly 25 cents. Labeled 16- they had small print on label saying 14?  In any case, never going to fit me. So one leg came off to make knee repair patches for George's work pants.  The exchange of beige  (all purpose) thread up top and in bobbin case for dark blue up top and black in the bobbin case went smoothly---perhaps to soften the blow of the refrigerator repair ...... some sort of  sympathetic solidarity between machines in my household. Stranger things have happened.  I have two more pair of navy pants to repair/mend and then I am done.  Until George or Daughter needs more repairs.

Today's book is No Judgments by Meg Cabot.  Perfect title.

Daily Notes- August 23rd. And the Storm Wasn't. Just damp here.

 Life goes on here (auto correct subbed in love for life).  It never rained---it drizzled.  There was never any wind.  Today it's damp with 99% humidity.  It won't be necessary to water the Almost Grass.

I mended the light colored pants yesterday while husband slept- most of the day.  Today...well, I will change the bobbin thread to black- I don't have navy- and finish off the bag of mending.  The beige pants had a few interesting mending issues.  Not just knees.  Who knows what the navy pants hold in store for me?

Yesterday's book was "Room for Improvement" by Stacey Ballis.  2006.  A woman is asked to work on a home improvement series for cable tv while dealing with not dating.....  I liked it.  I have ordered two more of her books from interlibrary loan.  I am not sure how I found this book- serendipity? --but I am pleased. I liked it because it was gritty, messy, even an electrocution (home improvement always included one at my house)- and I had no idea where anything was going and in the end- she was where she was supposed to be. 

Now I know just how infrequently I go into the freezer. Like never.  Well- I do dig around in there for frozen packages of chicken thighs for SOUP or a ball of commercial pizza dough for Football Nights and bags of frozen vegetables to mix into steamed rice for my supper.  The ice bin is always full.  I think I am the only one who adds ice to a beverage reminding me of the bottled Cosmo in the fridge all PINK and delightful looking.  I'm guessing I could add everything else in the freezer to tuesday's garbage pick up.

I have a full basket of clothing needing a wash.  And that means Washing Machine Pages.

Daily Notes- August 22nd- Waiting for Henry.

 No wind.  No rain. Just humidity.  As we wait for the hurricane to enter Maine's air space.  

I am still waiting for the shoulder pain to go away.  It moved from the back of my shoulder blade to the side and then the upper shoulder in front.  It's more annoying than painful.  Mostly when I raise my arm up over my head.  Which I do just to annoy myself.

There was just a slight rustle to the leaves in the front vegetative island.  Then gone.

I have more pant knees to mend but need to change the bobbin and top thread to a dark color.  The bobbin  case on my Bernina is like a temperamental two year old. Crazy and screaming and then abruptly docile. It just means I have to get over the swearing and screaming part and not take it too seriously.  I try to just use beige for everything....... normally. But George wouldn't like it on the dark denim.

I read another book yesterday- The Beach House. I noticed right away that I had read it before.  Years ago.  But I kept going as it had no real need for deep thoughts. Rich people and big houses on Nantucket.  Everyone ends up having fantastic sex.  I haven't selected today's book but it might be Rules for Visiting which I read before but which I liked reading very much...but might be something more frothy. I think I selected a few frothy items.  I would actually enjoy something that made me laugh. Funny books are few and far between.  

I haven't worked on my ugly little patchwork hand sewing recently.  It is actually Quite AWFUL.

Daily Notes- August 21st- 96% humidity. Sunshine.

 Another hot and humid day.  The grass watering is done.  More of the area where I spread grass seeds is now green rather than brown but that isn't saying much.  The humidity during the day and the heat- must be what grass likes?   Or perhaps it just got going because of the mowing.

My left shoulder blade has what seems like a pinched nerve.  When I rotate that shoulder things are unpleasant.  The book from yesterday didn't disappoint as things at the book shop heated up.  If done correctly this would be an amazingly good Hallmark Movie as there was no sex or kissing (which Hallmark avoids) but lots of bickering that was confusing and entertaining.  The lead female character gave as good as she got and stood up for herself.

I haven't selected today's book as yet.  There are 15 books in the pile.

My breathing is less than stellar.  I rest quite a bit.  I didn't watch any news yesterday.  I am reminded of watching something but that might have been the day before.

In reply to Deb's comment: White linen is truly forgiving and doesn't mind a good (light) bleach wash every so often but NOT too often.  I have stopped putting it in the dryer (which sets stains).  Just on a hanger on the four poster.  A bit of hand flattening of wrinkles when still damp.   In the olden days, I starched and pressed. I also pre-treat stains with a hard rub from a bar of brown soap.

That's it for today.  I haven't chosen a book as yet.  Depends on what sort of emotional journey I am interested in. Still working on finishing my morning cup of coffee. A few on the book pile will make me cry.  Another few will make me laugh.  The others are a mix of both.  Some I have read several times already. (in the past few years)  A few are new to me.

There is also a very small, weird cloth I am sewing.  Won't amount to anything but it's something to do.

Daily Notes- August 20th Rained last night and very humid this morning

 So......August 20th.  I went out to the grocery/pharmacy to pick up the other two inhalers.  That was all and then I came home.  Wrote checks for our bills and then peeled and sliced the Peaches and put them in a container and into the fridge. I shredded paper.  Swept the floor. Selected colors for husband's coloring.

I am not breathing very well today.  So I won't be doing much today.  Reading. Or just sitting with my eyes closed.

Yesterday evening's pizza was very good.  Two slices for husband's lunch.

I had hoped it would be raining today.  Like yesterday.  Was supposed to rain for two or three days.  We need rain.  But we have humidity.  I am skipping the hose watering today.

I have a book I started reading yesterday.  Bookshop of Second Chances.  Set in Scotland. Not sure I will read it all the way thru.  It's plodding along.  But I always give a book about a bookshop a try at least.

My Master Gardener Buddy wants me to join her to work on a courtyard Navy Garden but I have said no. The last thing I need to do is collapse out in public.  

I'm just going to sit quietly in the cool house.  I have a lovely gifted red tomato, sandwich bread and mayo which will make a DIVINE sandwich later.  Possibly eaten leaning over the sink to keep my clothing juice free.

Daily Notes- August 19th- Was supposed to be raining. Isn't.

 Article about the delights of linen sheets.  I agree.  These aqua ones- I actually don't own that color but I SHOULD own that color.

Watering.  The Almost Grass.  We are supposed to be having RAIN.  We aren't.  Cloud cover is getting darker.  I gave up thinking positive about RAIN this summer.  It isn't a sure thing.  Even in Maine.

I have my inhalers to pick up at the grocery pharmacy.  The Peaches on the counter are softening.  I will make a cobbler.  Southern Style.  Pizza tonight with Football. Oven Use in August is not my favorite. And I did not have even ONE Tomato Sandwich this Summer.

I have been watching baseball. Watching the Pitchers with their weird repetitive mannerisms.  Missed the game where the guy got hit in the face with the ball.  Breaking three bones.  Most likely in the shape if a crater the size of a baseball.  

I watched  NOVA last night. They (WE) sent that tiny orbiter to take a snapshot of Pluto.

Pluto is gorgeous. Silvery.  Metallic.  They think it's core is liquid.  Perhaps water.

Daughter brought over a very heavy bag packed with her co-worker's work pants.  The right knee busted out on every pair of pants.  I mended three pair of light blue washed out denim yesterday and drove to her house to drop off.  I passed his house but didn't stop.  He lives on the busy street and backing out into traffic is not my idea of a "good time".  And I have the feeling he would not answer the door anyway. 

I had saved up a pile of denim- old stuff.  Cut into rectangles- pretty large.  I was determined to make a denim quilt.  I gave up before even sewing two sections together.  Those pieces are worn and perfectly suited to mending this guy's pant legs.  He specified no "flowery" fabrics.  I use that on daughter's knees.

I wanted to stay on his "good side" as he carried the AC units in and set up our Christmas Tree. No flowery fabrics.  Straight up denim. He reminds me of our son.  A lot.

Daily Notes- FORGOT to hit PUBLISH yesterday so you have TWO new POSTS

 I forgot to press publish yesterday.  I think I got up to turn the water off for something and never came back to the desk.  It happens when one is 74.11.

Husband cut the new "Grass" yesterday.  Tall weeds, ferns and things.  So now it's all even.  And being watered. I picked the remaining peaches.  About 10.  Usually the counter top is covered with them. Only 10.

I called Appliance Service.  Someone will arrive on Monday.  For $189.  Either the gasket on the door is shot or something else is going on.  The ice maker is making tons of ice.  I dump it out.  Lots of frost inside.  I added a larger piece of tape to the door.  It's a side by side.  So the bungie cord idea- while EXCELLENT won't work here.  I may go ahead and use a bungie cord on the old fridge on the porch.  It has a top freezer section.  And is being held closed with a stick.  

I was cheerfully chatty with the woman taking information.  She said 2 month wait and then I have an appointment on Monday.  It's all good.  And I told her about the Bungie cord idea.

Husband has been asked to raise neighbor's street mailbox- the post office has sent a final warning.  If the box isn't the "new regulation height"- no mail will be delivered.  That new Postal Guy is trying very very hard to stop delivering mail.  Anyway.  It's a project and he has 9 fingernails that he hasn't sliced off as yet.

I need milk.  I forgot to add it to my list.  So I have to go buy milk.  And husband says he needs bagels. I don't know if that is true.  

I had steamed rice and frozen corn for supper with Sweet Soy Sauce.  Wow. That Sweet Soy- red band on the bottle- is fantastic on rice.  I DO NOT get the recommended amount of protein in a day.  I can't eat Soy.  I don't like Eggs.  I don't like Fish. I don't like Chicken. So...I eat fruit and vegetables and just exist unless someone offers me BBQed Pulled Pork.  I do eat peanut butter every once in awhile. Often.

When they do that test to see how strong your bones are- I get a really GREAT number.  Don't know how or why.  But it seems my body is doing something to make strong bones.  I will ask to be measured to see how tall I am next office visit.  See if I am shrinking.  Or ask daughter to measure me.

Daily Notes- August 17th. Watering the Trying to Be Grass

The watering is going.  the Garbage and Recycling has been collected.  The mosquitos have bitten my ankle- only the right one- never the left.

Yesterday I dropped off a paper bag of peaches to Ruth and Tom my next door neighbors.  ruth will have here 90th birthday soon.  Last year ruth didn't get Peaches.  I think they were at their oceanfront cottage. So this year, with my limited number of Peaches- Ruth and Tom got the first and most likely, only bag of Peaches. Only fair.

I am reading the follow up book to PS I Love You titled Postscript.  It's got a difficult to read first 50 pages that needed an Editor that could put their foot down and say- "no matter how much you like all these words- they are dull as the Death you are describing".  Some writers listen to comments on their work- others do not.  I was so close to not even reading the rest.....so close.  So I just decided to move ahead and skip reading the tedious, dull, awful pages.  Like that road Trip book.  Skip the first 50 pages.  Get on with it.

I have Hello Kitty duct tape holding the freezer door closed.  A bungie cord sounds awesome. I need to call for appliance support but not sure if they are entering homes right now.  I can see why the wouldn't want to.  There were people sans masks at the grocery giving me the stink eye for wearing one. Summer people.  Soon they will go back to wherever they come from.  Mostly Florida. They come here in August because Florida is too hot.  Well, they come from New York as well.  

The parking on the Maine street is filled with their luxury cars with New York plates.  Up in the camp grounds, it's all Florida.  Maine needs the money.  Maine is an August Whore. Two more weeks and everyone will go back to Florida or New York.

Daily Notes- August 16t Happy Birthday Sam

 I had to put this picture (from the clippings drawer) on the desk calendar.  In her double digit months she liked to cook the little Fisher Price Farmer and the Chicken in her tiny Revere Ware saucepan on her tiny tiny stove.  Serve him up with a spoon in one of her tiny bowls.  Her father and I wondered......

Happy Birthday. She already posted and seems someone bought her a frosted cupcake for breakfast.

I ventured out to the library and grocery.  Got books.  An old National Geographic of space.  Planets. Astronauts.  Good stuff.  Good books.  I hope.  

The employees at the grocery hadn't made up any chicken Parmesan meals.  They didn't want to commit to WHEN they might "feel like making them".  They had one in the cooler- so husband has food for today.

And my freezer door isn't staying shut.  It bounces open when the fridge door opens and shuts.  I guess I need to call for a service visit- if they are doing in house service?????? I have it taped shut now. Now I'll be checking it every 10 minutes -24/7

Watering the Might Be Grass right now and then I might pick Peaches for the neighborhood.   Not as hot as the prior days but still needed the AC on for the ride home.  

Daily Notes Sunday August 14th A Cooler Breeze is blowing outside.

 Yesterday's book.  I cried most of the last third of this book.  And...it's lovely.  Really lovely.  About giving Life a chance even when one is dying. And I am not ruining this for any Reader as it's made clear on the first 3 pages.  Takes place on the island of Elba and everyone is wealthy. Big big yachts.  Movie stars.  Celebrity chefs.  But not so you notice.  They are written down to the bone and blood.  I wouldn't mind renting a sunbed and umbrella on the public beach. And reading this book again and again.  I did turn right back to page one when I got to the end.......just to prove how good it actually is.

The fridge is getting to look bare.  I still have Romaine lettuce.  And a few old but edible carrots.  So today- the Big Salad with the seven cherry tomatoes that grew on the plants (on the front steps) I never put into large pots.. or Stanley Tucci's pasta sauce. And there are baked beans.  And baguette with melted cheese. 

I refuse to surrender and go to the grocery just yet.  There is also canned jackfruit that can be magically transformed into "Pulled Pork".  I always enjoy that on a big salad of greens.  I haven't sorted thru the frozen shelves to see if there is a package of meat.  I know there are packages of chicken thighs for soup.  And packages of dumplings to fry and serve with a soy mirin ginger dip.  There is Food.  Even flour and yeast for Pizza dough. Even cookies. And two full bags of bags of dry pasta in the closet with the vacuum.

I even have all that is needed to make New York Style Cheesecake.  Bountiful when one takes the Time to actually look at what is in the cupboards and fridge.

And a jar as yet unopened of Fudge Sauce.  Which never actually meets up with ice cream as it gets spooned out of the jar and eaten as is.  Tomorrow is daughter's birthday.

Daily Notes- August 14th

 Long ago and Far Away I was living in a small apartment in Georgia, two days shy of the birth of my first child.  Hot.  Miserable and the only food I wanted to eat- was Watermelon.

This morning in the newspaper:

British guy kills five.  He found it difficult to live as an "involuntary celibate" because of a lack of a love life.  This"incel" (online) movement justifies violence against women as revenge for men being rejected as sexual partners.  They feel "society" denies them sexual partners because it's not them personally being rejected.  This online subculture has been linked to deadly attacks in California, Toronto and Florida. Let's all take a moment to visualize how this guy presents himself.  Physically, emotionally and linguistically.

There are many many people in the World who are involuntarily celibate. And just as many who are choosing to be celibate.  No reason to be getting a gun and shooting people. Am I correct in assuming that the members of the online groups aren't attracted to each other either???? but don't shoot each other?

It's extremely humid today.  Like being ironed.  The sprinklers are on.  I now have a two toned purple petunia in with the Grass That Might Be Growing.  The Earth's little giggle.   

I am cleaning out the fridge this weekend.  Eating what is still okay to eat.  Filling the compost bucket with wilted vegetation. I'll keep garbage refrigerated until Tuesday when the garbage  is collected. No reason to get the garage stinky.

Daily Notes- Post #3695

 In today's morning paper.  I think we have been "whitest" since we moved here. But diverse is new. Ish. The majority of our Diverse are immigrants, welcomed, I hope, by the Statue of Liberty (as my grandparents and husband's were in the late1800's.).

Finished watering the Almost Grass. Filled the one gallon bottles that I use to water the container plants. Then watered them, filled the bottles again.  Later in the afternoon I will water them again.  Containers dry out so fast when it's over 80 degrees.

That was enough outdoors for me. My chest feels tight and I am coughing (due to a lack of oxygen).  

By some sublime quirk of memory- I thawed out a ball of dough and made pizza last evening.  Then turned on the tv and found the Patriots playing football.  We had Football Pizza.  The game was fine but we missed the first quarter. No one was wearing masks in the stadium. Boston. No other comment needed.

Did any of you read Diane's comment on yesterday's post.  The song on the radio..... read it.  Gave me shivers of the most excellent kind.

My daughter called- could I search my car for her phone charger.  I did.  No charger.  Message this morning- she found it.  In a pocket of her pants.  I did find almost one dollar of change in the car.

I am NOT going to the grocery today.  I noticed I was going every three days.  Way too often.  So...I am trying hard NOT to go out.  Husband did visit Tractor Supply to buy bird seed ysterday- black oil sunflower seeds. He also wandered around looking at stuff.  Purchased another bird feeder.

There are enough odd bits and pieces to make a lunch and dinner.  A good dig around in the freezer will turn up something.  I also emptied out the pantry of a few past expiration date things.  I was in there looking around- seeing what's what.  I have a large supply of dry lentils and and equal amount of canned baked beans and no great interest in either.

Daily Notes- August 12th. 87% Humidity at 10am. Sunshine.

 From where I sit and read and watch the tv in upper left corner.  And yes, this is how my living room is furnished.  One couch, two chairs, three lamps, four tables.  I got rid of everything else and COVID keeps me from shopping and trying out new furniture.  The room is THIS BIG. Over to the far right wall are two built in bookcases and a fireplace and the second couch I sit on with two end tables and two more lamps. Against the wall by the side of the tv is my desk and computer where I am sitting right this minute.

That's my husband coloring another mandala in one of his books.  That's a bar height table he got for a few dollars when he worked for Target (someone returned it saying it was defective).  Daughter helped HEAVE it down from the Attic.  The couch is where he plays games on his tablet or reads (and falls asleep).  No- I don't own any curtains. Anywhere in the house.  There are no people.  Really.  There are no people. We see no people.

I have already watered the Almost Thinking About Being Grass and picked and thrown (into the woods) the six or seven peaches the deer or squirrels have taken off the tree over night.  They take one or two bites.  The rest of the peach looks beautiful but.......worthless.

By the TIME the peaches are ripe- there won't be ANY.  I am way way beyond "disturbed" about this. If I can Time it right I could pick and ripen peaches in the house under the microwave plastic dome.  Make at least one Peach Cobbler.  But...I don't see this plan working.  They are still pretty hard.

I watched a new to me station- World by PBS- it is a bit odd looking as it's for a larger screen than I own. But it was about how ancient people saw the stars, moon and sun.  Cave drawings etc.  And Stonehenge. Which took years to build with rocks that seem to have been moved all the way from Wales.  How???? And all pyramid shaped building is aligned to the same co-ordinates.  The Sun rising and setting. Stonehenge also is aligned to the Sun rising and setting.  Early People.

Another program I watched was about Mars.  It has no magnetic core so all the atmosphere and water it had in the beginning drifted out into Space and left it dead. 

I watched all this AFTER watching a nurse describe the situation in a Mississippi hospital. Children with COVID dying-unvaccinated.  Alone without their parents.  And the ER filled and the parking lot filled with ambulances they can't empty.  The nurse said if you call 911- no one will come. Remind anyone of India?????  And this is America.  I just cannot take much more of this stupidity. I also don't want to cry anymore.

Addendum to August 11

 KOPIRANJE- is Slovenian or Croatian for Print.  My Grandmother's language.

Hi Gramma!!!!!  I was printing laundry instructions- you and me and laundry.  So perfect.

Love you!

Daily Notes- August 11th- HUMIDITY is 99%

 It's Unpleasant. Outside.  And that is the kindest thing I can say.

Something happened to my copy printer- the one that no longer speaks to the computer- it is now using a foreign language.  I was making copies of the Stain Removal Charts from the Laundry Book that needs to be returned to the Library and noticed KOPIRANJE is the word replacing PRINT.  I have no ideal WHAT language that is.  Or why.  All I know is Print was the first line.  So I pressed that button.  It's all good.

My friend in Germany found this little episode in the Life of Joanne very funny.  I love that. I had been asking if she knew what language this was.  Perhaps one of you does???

I also sorted embroidery floss that I found in a large bag stuffed into a drawer with wooden beads.  Not my usual placement of items.  I sorted thinking I would have doubles of some colors.  Nope.  I must have bought one of everything.  No. Not everything.  Even thought I am an artist (no caps), there are colors I just do not like.  I didn't buy those.  Orange is one color that I only like in one or two mixtures.  Either very dark or very light.

I think this bag was purchased when I was teaching Needle Turn Appliqué.  As I had no idea what fabrics students would bring to class  I wanted them to be able to choose thread that sort of matched their fabrics.  Making any misplaced stitches "invisible".

There was one skein of black.  One.

I am really wanting to go to the Grocery Store.  But I am trying very hard not to go.

The drain in my bathroom sink is NOW draining perfectly.  So...so..perfectly.

Fed husband the frozen vegetable fried rice I had purchased.  He liked it.  But then he said it must have been salty because his ankles had swelled up.  So...can't buy that any more.  Soaked his finger this morning.  He didn't let me clean it last evening.  It looks okay.  But he was going to his foot doctor today so I said he could ask him how things looked.  On his finger.  Fingers- Toes.  So similar, huh?

It's cloudy with a chance of rain and 99% humidity - so I am NOT watering the "might someday be grass" today.  Four more peaches on the grass with one bite out of each.  Deer or Squirrels.  I hate both.

Daily Notes- August 10th- Cloud Cover and not as hot as yesterday

 A Chinese postage Stamp.  I love it. 

Today we have cloud cover.  And I am watering my Not Yet Grass but things are happening since the fertilizer beads were tossed onto the surface and watered in- all the beads dissolved.  That's some sort of "progress".

I haven't chosen a book for today.  I was "possibly" going to start a very small cloth.  4 by 6 inches.  Small. Just to SEE if I like doing it.  I got started watching some vintage Season One Law and Order. They are starting over.  It was okay.  Everyone is so young.  As you can surmise...I am ambivalent about everything except the grass.

Husband went out for a haircut.  I heard the car return but I don't see him in the house as yet.

I noticed on my credit card bill......many many visits to the grocery store.  Like every two days.  That has to stop.  I know it's because it's hard to find enough prepared dinners for husband- last time I went I only found one.  He needs 7.  There was a time when I had a week's worth in the fridge.  But that Time is long past.  I might have to cook.

And typing that made me laugh.

I actually made myself a Big Salad yesterday and later had crackers and good cheddar cheese.  That was me for yesterday.  

My bathroom sink is unclogged.  Draining perfectly this morning during teeth brushing, face washing and hair wetting.  At the end- the sink was empty of water.  Not up to the rim.  I felt pretty darn happy.

My timer has gone off- I need to go shut off the hose- if I don't go right now- I forget and it waters the Earth the rest of the day until I notice.......and water is expensive here in Maine.  Limited in Quantity.

Daily Notes- August 9th. Muggy. But only 72.

 First Aid.  Husband shaved his index finger nail off with the table saw yesterday afternoon.  So....Joanne- Temporary ER Nurse has been busy.  Good thing I have a very well stocked First Aid Box- a really large plastic container.  I usually have to do the work (first aid) in segments and recline to get my blood pressure back up into my head.  I faint.  But not yesterday.  I cleaned, examined, and washed the wound and then applied meds and then bandaged it.  Then I prepared a luncheon plate with ham and cheese, pickles, chips and lemonade with a straw.

My book for the day was (still is) PS. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern.  Takes place in quite a few Dublin Pubs.  Quite a bit of "over-drinking". The lead character has her husband die before the book starts and she gets one note, with a suggested activity, each month from her dead husband. I'm 2/3rds in and she is just now starting to make a turn around from deep grief.  I think you might like reading this one. It has some laugh out loud moments and I am not a laugh out loud type person. I think I said "Oh no don't do it" last night as I was reading and then laughed out loud when she did it.

I went to the library today to return books and get husband some new ones.  He actually stayed up late to finish the last of the books I had gotten him awhile ago.  He said it was a great book.  I like when he reads.  Good brain exercise.. and he was in recovery from his accident.

I selected books from the WXYZ shelves today and then moved to the LMN section.  I should have gone to ABC.  That's where I found P.S. I  Love You.   But I may need to order from other libraries.  Our library director likes wide open shelving.  Less books. More borrowing. Sigh..

Husband is mowing the lawn with the riding mower set on 3.  So much easier than the walk behind but the grass looks scalped.  I think he might have forgotten to put it on 3.  The guy who mows the lawn for our cross the street neighbor suggested setting the blade a bit higher.  We call him Speed Racer as he cuts the entire front and back in under 15 minutes.  He has a incredible machine that turns on a dime at 50 miles an hour it seems.  I try not to watch.  He says he does LOTS of lawns in a day.  $75 each.  Nice kid. He looks like he's a very tall skinny 14 year old.

I am also in the midst of clearing a slow drain in my bathroom sink.  

Daily Notes- Sunday, August 8th-- Sauna outside, again.

 Avocado Pit update.  Sent out three new leaves (at top) and divested itself of three on the lower side.  I am guessing the pit has a desired limit on the leaves it keeps. 

Yesterday's book was Cure for the Common Breakup- Kendrick. I made of list of other books this author has written.  Light and airy.  But I enjoyed it.  Way too wordy at the beginning.  Almost to the point of me stopping and finding a different book. But then she hit Town and got all mouthy with the Town Bully and got a good look at the Town Mayor and introduced herself and gave him her panties.  Never had that happen in any other books.  Mayor felt the same way.

Decided- possibly way too late- that my grass seeds need fertilizer.  Will be giving it blue stuff as soon as the watering is done. Then not going back outside--EVER.  I had to use my rescue inhaler after just turning on the faucet.. as I was unable to breath.

After brushing my teeth this morning I decided I needed a shower.  Which was very nice.  Then I put a load of all husband's work clothing into the washer and did a few pages in the Journal.  Nothing much to write about.  Grass watering news is saved for all of you.......gosh, I am boring myself. I was even tempted to tell you I made rice and added frozen peas and butter and that was supper.  Oops.  I did tell you.

I am seriously thinking of using the AWFUL colors of embroidery thread to make something I have seen on other people's blogs.  Just lines of lines. The other people use black.  Which I don't have. Knowing myself as I do-- I should have a shoebox full of BLACK.  I actually wear black and white almost every day.  Next time I am in the area- black embroidery floss.  As much as they have. And then...Lines.

I don't even have white.  Well, one skein of white.  I have a ball of black.  Could use that. Not the same as floss.  But....black.  And I could get bored before I even make one line............ yeah, I'm going to get bored. It's not weird enough to keep me interested.  I like WEIRD.  Well, sort of........but not scary weird.

Daily Notes- Le Creuset Is the Brand. Cast iron but with a finish that doesn't rust and nothing sticks. Really heavy but a great arm exercise..

 My one single rose bush is still making flowers each day.  And it hasn't ever before.  For most of it's life" one blossom per year.  There are at least 6 more on the bush.  So, so pretty and delicate.  But there are thorns.  And Japanese Beetles.

It has been raining or been cloudy the past two days.  Humidity is in the 80% area.  I stay inside.  Today there is sunshine and heat.  I am watering the Not Grass Yet areas.  Deer have been eating Peaches.  Well, they take one bite and then drop the Peach to the ground for the ants.  I sprayed Repells All.  On my self mostly. UGH. I was stinky yesterday. I repelled myself. So much.

Spun the mattress as it's one month late.  Sheets in the dryer.  I wrote in the Pages during the wash- all this before breakfast.  Just wanted it out of the way.  Husband wants to throw away his pajamas.  I asked if he likes wearing them even if they look ragged.  He said yes.  And I asked "then why throw them away?" no one sees them.  Wear what is comfortable.  He took them back.  I suppose daughter can try and find him new shorty pajamas???  Which look like underwear? Knit not cotton.

I gave up on pajamas long ago.  I wear a tee and underpants to bed.

I am reading a Thayer Nantucket Book.  The romance is usually good.  But there is always a main character who is OLD (this one is 70)- it bugs the crap out of me. I'm soon to be 75 and my relatives are not desperate to sell my house (and take the money) and get me into assisted living.  But this might be because I don't have many relatives. There is always a Crock Pot full of some wonderful dinner (every single book), there is the Beach, the Sand, the Yacht Club dances etc etc. and the ever present yachts.And all the men are smart, gorgeous and rich.  Oh, and they can cook.  Fantasy. Fantasy. Fantasy.

But the book was "Breezy" and took up time before Ancient Aliens was on..... and I can laugh at the guy who wears his hair styled straight UP.  And his necklaces.  I forgot to mention his Safari Outfit.   He dresses the same every episode but possibly so they can cut and insert him into any episode without him having to actually "be there". Yesterday was all about "Shape Shifters" from biblical times to now.  I liked the biblical times ART.  It's like Art History class slides. I mostly watch to see the Ancient Art.  Wall Painting etc.  It's all quite lovely. 

And I NEVER feel like I am existing in the correct timeline.  It's been that way forever.  I feel like an Observer.  Always puzzled.  Always wondering about the way people behave...here.  Yep..strange.

Daily Notes- August 6th- Sunshine today

 My all time favorite pan.  Frying pan.  Grilled cheese etc.  I have the orange one (flame) because I got my first of this brand as a wedding present in 1968 and it was flame/orange and so that's what I would buy over the years.   I do have a cherry pan as well.  My daughter gets the Aqua and my son the Steel gray as I see him being more black, white and gray.  My daughter loves water and the beach.  She should be looking for a beach shack to live in.  Just a rinse and a wipe and it's clean.

Yesterday's book was The Road Trip by Beth O'Leary.  A rom/com with mental health issues such as depression being worked thru in the plot.  I had just finished re-reading the Flatshare (emotional abuse issues) and I will be re-reading the Switch- a family dealing with the death of a family member from cancer.  Grandmother and granddaughter switch/lives/ houses for a few months.

I had taken Road Trip back to the library after 25 pages.  Before.  This time I started reading on page 30 something around  the French villa. Eventually- the story returned to the small car and the extended Road Trip which is actually only 8 hours long.  About how long it took me to read it with stops to make lunch and supper.  Not really meals.  I had toast. Twice.  He had chicken wings, chips and pickles.

One of the desk/checkout people at the library (my old job once upon a time) and I are exchanging titles of books we love reading.  She has Cut-de-sac Wars cued up and I told her it was wonderful and laugh out loud at times.  Just that little 5 minute chat each time I go in- wow- it so changes how a day feels.  To have an interesting chat.  What my Life had been once.  Daily interactions at work.  

So this week- a great mental health week.  A lunch date with an old friend and a new friend at the library to have a few minutes of shared information.  Writing it here- it seems like so little but it FEELS like so much.  Human Contact.  I'm sort of out of practice but...it feels good to make the effort.  

This blog thing...is pretty much one way.  Just me talking to myself most of the time. All the Time.

Daily Notes- August 5th- Raining- so no hose watering today!!!!

 Next to a sprinkler head in the "grass growing  project"- yesterday--a tiny pink petunia.  From when? From where? - Husband says "Bird poop". Okay.

Raining today.  Just drizzle but everything wet and the sky is "rain" so......house lights on.  Thankful for yesterday.  The sun. The company.  The ocean.

News on tv- I watched yesterday.  It was HORRIBLE.  Today- I will not watch.  Maine is one of the few "safe" States- 70% vaccinated.  At the Ocean yesterday, no masks.  But I expected it to be that way... just because this is Maine.  And people from AWAY are here from Florida etc..... and nothing more to say about that.

I stitched a little cloth.  Not a square.  More like a small landscape drawing in cloth.  I left all the edges flat and uneven- no quarter inch turn under.  I can see it, eventually matted and framed.  A Cloth Drawing. It felt right.  Cloth has felt like a struggle lately.  So, this- a sort of sewn, layered cloth painting- seems more right than anything.  My neighbor framing all my fabric greeting cards- seeing that--has changed my perception of the work.  I had been trying too hard to be something else.  Now...I'll just relax and do weird cloth things.  Because that feels more genuine.  Weird Cloth.  Abstract Cloth.  I was always more of a painter.

I was always saying I would paint in my older years.  But I still put it off.  75 next month.  time to just start doing and not putting stuff off anymore.  Weird Cloth and Watercolors.  Next thing you know- I'll want to live on a Maine Island all Summer.  Out in the Ocean.  Well water and no electricity. No!!!! I like indoor toilets and showers too much.  But I can see my daughter liking the island life. She even likes tents.

Tried three books.  Stopped reading pretty quickly.  They go back today and I pick up two on reserve. Which was why I had Time to make a small cloth.  A lack of words to read.

Daily Notes- August 4th- Lunch with a Good Friend

 A good friend from my Greenhouse Days and I went out for lunch.  By the ocean.  Paul's Marina. I had a Lobster roll with minimal mayo and abundant lobster.  Potato chips and a diet coke.  Then I had a waffle cone filled with German Chocolate ice cream.  Topped off with delightful conversation.  What a Great Day. And a photo of the Chateau de Necessaire.  Which we thankfully did not need to use.  We saw some delightfully sweet dogs.  One nervous little guy had on his lifejacket.  There is an island across from the marina where many people live during the Summer.  And come across to the marina to go into Town I am guessing they park there cars at the marina.

The sun is shining and the wind is moving- so breezy.  I got up too late to have breakfast --so close to lunch-- so I did a load of laundry and my Washing Machine Pages.  I need to pull stuff out of the drier and fold sometime today. Maybe.

Husband saw the lung doctor today.  Had to be there early for a chest X ray before 8:30 am.  No change.  We are never getting improvement so no change is good as husband "has every lung disease you can have"  and nothing has gotten worse.  Doctor's comment.

So we are putting this in the Win column as I am positive he will die of something else. Old age I hope.

Some grass is showing up in the straw covered front yard.  I might actually have grown some grass.  I have been watering more often and letting it soak.  Grass would be so GREAT.   A few peaches have dropped off the tree.  I watered them as well-- early.  Getting a red blush on the peaches but they are not golden yellow yet.   The Elderberries aren't ready yet and all the blueberries are gone.  Nine berries for 2021.

Buzzer went off and it's time to go turn off the sprinklers.  In order to get the furthest right section I have to water the sidewalk so I decided to pull the third sprinkler head over to the peach tree and let it get a second drink while the other two water the bottom section and the sidewalk.  I will get a photo of the tiny petunia growing in the straw.  Not grass.  A Petunia.

Daily Notes- August 3rd. Sunshine. Watering the "Grass"

 So much of this image is familiar.   The wicker chair.  The box the tree is planted in.  The patio door. The porch.  My porch has a ceiling  which is painted Bahama Blue.  In the old South, porch ceilings were painted blue like the sky.  All the ceiling of my porches have been painted blue.  If I ever get a new kitchen the vaulted two story ceiling will be painted the palest of blues.  If ever......

I watered the peaches and now I have the sprinklers on the non-existent grass.  My daughter said she saw a few thin blades.  She was being kind.

It's cool in here, the AC unit is off right now.  We sampled the Peach Raspberry pie yesterday.  My husband said he liked it because it wasn't "sweet".  Which is strikingly ODD as he has a REAL sweet tooth.  I found the raspberries sort of sour.  And in a pie- mushy.  It was an expensive pie- $25.  If I still had tubs of Greek yogurt in the fridge I would top the yogurt with pie.  But I don't.

I never got any further in the "Jane Austen" "sequel".  I didn't read anything.  I did watch news.  I did write to people on my phone.  I did realize that husband thought today was going to be Wednesday. It is not.  It's Tuesday.  He checked with  me a few times.  Still going to be Tuesday, today.

I am going out for lunch tomorrow with a greenhouse co-worker.  She's on vacation. We always do a long lunch in August and catch up on family and events etc.  Even last August.  We ate at a deli and gave our contact info to the owner in case of a COVID outbreak.  This year we'll have lunch by the ocean out on Mere Point. The place where we will eat has excellent ice cream.  Husband and Riley used to visit the boat ramp.  Riley would swim. Riley loved being in the water. It might be hard for me to be there.  I hadn't thought about the swimming.  But now I have- so I should be prepared for the wave of sadness.  But it might just be happiness.  Who knows.

My son got his birthday card and sent a text "mom, please check the address you have for me-- you have written it wrong on the envelope".  But the card got to him.  Just saying...........  

Daily Notes- August 2nd.

 In the mix of things showing up on my feed- Peach Cobbler with ice cream.  I am watering my Peach Trees hopeful of baking a Peach Cobbler just like this one.  The tree with the smaller peaches is doing well and has quite a few peaches on it.  None ripe as yet. The other tree has 3 peaches total.  One year it produced One Peach.  Which was perfect and quite quite delicious.

Right now I have a Peach Raspberry Pie in the fridge- a gift from a neighbor.  So...we'll be eating that. But no ice cream- not enough room in the freezer.  It's full of frozen vegetables and Chinese dumplings.

Today's book is Lydia Bennet's Story- by Jane Odiwe.  So far the author of this book is trying very hard to make Lydia someone we might "like".   In the previous Austen-ish book- the Pursuit of Mary Bennet-- that author had Lydia giving birth (unwed) and Kitty and Lydia making Mary's life a nightmare. Lydia ended up on a ship heading to America with the father of her baby- not Wickham.  

At this point in THIS book- Lizzy and Jane are as yet unmarried and Lydia thinks Lizzy will marry Wickham.  I had to stop reading as I was getting quite dizzy trying to keep track of several crazy story lines including the girls undressing a soldier and then dressing that soldier up in women's clothing to pretend he is his own sister.  I might need to make a chart.  Not sure I have a large enough sheet of paper. I confess to not remembering if I ever read Pride and Prejudice.  Sigh.

Reading this book seems like WORK.  I mean if the Reader needs a CHART to keep plot lines straight......I will be sure to let you know what happens.... tomorrow.  I had a Romaine sandwich for lunch.

I feel the need for a large tub of dark chocolate covered caramels.  But a slice of pie is okay as well.

Daily Notes- August First 2021

 My stack returning to the library tomorrow.  Only the middle one going back unread.  After 20 pages I just slammed the book shut.  Walked away from it.  Characters so disgusting.   The Writing Class became something else as it went on......something dark, sinister.  But still excellently written.  Even when the story doesn't work for me- I love a well written page...so so much.

 Tomorrow at the Library, I may search the W,X,Y,Z fiction shelves and then go to the A,B,C shelves.  After the new shelves and the "you might like this book" shelves.  Then the grocery store.  Fully masked in both venues.  Politics having nothing whatsoever to do with it.  I don't want to make anyone sick- even by accident- nor do I want anyone to share their germs with me.

If COVID goes on into a THIRD YEAR--I'll still be wearing my mask.  

 Is the Planet in danger?   I think it might be.  Could be that the Virus, Fire and Lack of Water, Floods and Mudslides are getting rid of excess people.  To save Earth.  From us.

Counting Down-  49 days until I am 75.

A fresh white blank desktop calendar.  Like the first day of school.  And the first day is top left and the bottom four right squares are unmarked-  My right hand desk drawer is filled with images clipped from magazines.  Glue stick ready.  Fresh White Paper.  One of my all time favorite things.