Field Notes- Wednesday, May 31st. sunshine.

 I haven't colored it as yet but wrote some color choices on the backside of the index card.

Yesterday was...like wearing clothes that don't fit or itch or are just not right.  It was like that all day. I did manage to wash and dry a full load of clothes.....this new washer holds quite a LOT more than the older one did.  This would have been two loads in the old one.  I didn't have much- even anything-- for the Pages.

Tru Green stopped by to fertilize and kill weeds.  They seem more professional. Also needy..wanting me to comment on their work etc. on the internet site the company has. Husband couldn't find his gardening tools...he wanted to weed the edges of the beds along the back side of the house.  Then he had a can of beer.  I should buy him some in bottles. Imported- I think he liked Blue Moon?  Next shopping trip.

I boiled some very good pasta for him...he adds it to the Chicken Parm Dinners.  That was it for cooking on my part.  I folded the washed clothing.  

My TV...I rebooted the TiVo 5 times and then gave up and watched MSNBC  while their faces broke into smears of colors etc etc etc.  The audio is fine.  Reception in the Dining room on that  TV is perfect. No TiVo.  I could disconnect it...But I have 90 hours of entertainment on the TiVo.  But...I wanted MSNBC.

I drew this cactus before I knew the TV would be messed up........Before I was sad.  Wrote color notes on the back- I have ideas and usually CAN recall them...but not these days.  So I noted them on the backside of the card. I also have to find an image for today.  Never mind.....I made two drawings yesterday..... I must have known I wasn't going to be in a good place today.....

I changed out the desktop calendar.  A day early.  The only blank space was up under the desktop stand...very heavy.  So I changed it out.....pasted a few things and did a small amount of fill in black ink work.   The three years of calendars would make an interesting visual display...... I cut out quite a few newspaper cartoons (political) and have headlines etc.  This month there is a side bar to my right for a list of books I read during the month.  I should have done that from the beginning.

Today (and most of yesterday)'s book is the Boyfriend Candidate by Winstead.   A woman meets a guy in a bar, they drink too much and before they make it to the hotel room...a fire starts...cameras catch the guy who wants to be Governor and the School Librarian exiting the hotel..... Political Scandal at it's best.  I am close to the ending....there hasn't even been a second kiss....and things have gone so very wrong.  This misunderstanding is... painful.  I like the characters... the plot moved well until the end.... there are enough pages to get to a satisfying conclusion.....but will I hang around for it?????  Let you know tomorrow.

Field Notes- Tuesday, May 30th. Got very cold last night- 40's and now..morning in the 60's.

 The newest index card art.  They have all been colored.  I am assuming I am getting better at this as I go along...... I like this one...very much.  I found a site with line drawings of cactus....not in pots. Like a coloring page.  I go and just look at them and then draw something else.  This first one is very like the images.....today's?  Don't know as yet.  I add details to the plain outline shapes.  Take ideas from one and put them on another.  I like the dish.  I did a good job on that.

When I went to get the newspaper I saw lots and lots of Ant Hills.  So I found some spray and just got in from spraying them...and now have a whiff of Ant Spray on myself.  I need to get something safe to dose the ant hills.

I might have already written this.....I vacuumed.  The entire house.  I had to take resting breaks but I got it all done.  and since I reminded myself...I had gotten sliced yellow cheese so I toasted it on a bagel and then added Bread and Butter Pickles.  A lovely Luncheon.  Ending with the last of the Sparkling Lemonade Water.

I have laundry to do. And perhaps a bunch of things to offload into the Pages.  Stuff I don't want to carry any more.   And I feel like I have ants on myself.

I changed the water in the birdbath out front.  Been used as a toilet by some of the birds.

I tried watching news yesterday......but wasn't the best thing to do.  Well, I need to eat breakfast.  then when husband is ready- the Library.  I have to check the Summer Hours...

Addition to Monday's Post.

 We drove into Town and directly into the ONCOMING MEMORIAL DAY STREET PARADE with a swift left turn into a side street- hoping it wasn't a dead end....then a few other turns and into the Grocery Store parking Lot.

Parade had tons of Participants, Cars, Wagons, Marching Bands.......

While in the grocery- Parade Goers were coming in for snacks and drinks.....

Gosh....for moments there I was thinking- a few minutes later- and we would have run smack into them..

Field Notes- Monday- May 29th. Happy Memorial Day.

 Another one but I cropped the top edge....oops.  I drew another after breakfast but no photo as yet.

I colored all of them while listening to daughter's excuses for not coming over etc.  She's tired. I get it...landscaping work in this heat...not so much fun... etc...

I fried Pot Stickers (from the freezer) for husband.  He was thrilled.  I had Mexican Street Corn Chowder from Panera (in the refrigerated section of the grocery store)...and added frozen Mexican Street Corn from a bag I got in Freezer Section last grocery shopping day.  Mixed and heated in microwave....delicious.

More ANTS.  I have no idea where they are coming from........

Husband dragged out a garden hose and watered the Peonies.  And some other stuff. I had to stop him and get all the hose knots and kinks OUT. Just that got his back all whatever and he was in pain.

It's going to be a LONG SUMMER, if you get my drift?

Yesterday's Book- Little Beach Street Bakery.....so so very good. Especially the end where he walks out of work, gets in a cab to the airport and a plane across the ocean with no baggage back to the Little Beach Street Bakery.   This book is going on the Book Store Shopping List....I have a $450 check from Joe Biden to cash. And spend on BOOKS.... 

Coffee to finish- it's gone cold....Shopping but no Library as it's closed today. No invites for Burgers from the neighbors......

In town College had Graduation.  All that (that!!!) in Town..... And then they will be gone for the summer.  The students we are used to-- the Parents...not so much...EVER. How many Mercedes, Lexus and BMW's can a small Town HOLD????  A LOT.  Oh, and Electric Cars. It's like a Luxury Car Parking Lot.  I hope they are all gone.....by the time we get to the grocery store.  Which is just a hop skip away from campus. Bowdoin.  Heard of it???? (Bowdoin graduate in a Russian Prison right now) Absolutely GORGEOUS campus. And the new ultra modern buildings....all very organic.  One has a Field of Sea Grass on the roof. Alumni trying to out spend each other with buildings.........in contrast to the ones from the early 1800's.

Earlier graduates- donated artwork to the Art  Museum on campus...Wow..some wonderful things there. My walking buddy and I spent time there before COVID,

Field Notes- Sunday, May 28th. sunshine- temps in high 80's???

 I've been doing a few extra cactus in pots.  On index cards.  I have three.  I did this one last night. Free hand.  Not using an image. Bit crowded but.....nice.

Chipmunks in the garden beds.  Rodents.  Read "Shipped" out of my own bookcase.  Little Beach Street Bakery is today's library book- the last book on the table.  A few of my choices are going back with only the first ten or so pages read....I don't like a tedious start to a book. I actually don't like a tedious start to much of anything...... (good first line for a book)

I haven't made a pie.  I think about it and then decide = not worth it. I also haven't been having Fruit and Bran Buds with yogurt. I 'd rather have five squares of dark chocolate.  Husband has been accepting Chocolate Chip Larabars as "dessert".  World is coming to an END!!!  Dates and Cashews..... no flour, sugar or butter or eggs.......I was speechless when he asked for one....and ate it.  Then next day asked for another.  And Earth is still rotating.......go figure.

And he's eating FRUIT.  This memory loss stuff is EXCELLENT!!!!  What's next?

Anyway.... Air in the house is getting dry...I have a bit of a tick-ly cough.  Need a lemon drop.

So...what's going on.....Procrastination is Top of The List.  Lots I could be doing.  Don't want to.

And that's about all I have to offer.  Tomorrow is supposedly a HOLIDAY.  Perhaps the Twins will invite us over for a Burger????  Could happen.  If they do...I'm going.  Not sure about a grocery visit tomorrow... Not sure Grocery will be open.... There are odd bits and pieces in the freezer......some vegetarian meatballs.  Pot Stickers I can fry up and make dipping sauce for.... for husband..... not me.  Too greasy. Two leftover slices of Pizza...... I keep hoping some American Cheese slices will magically appear so I can toast a bagel with cheese and add sweet pickle slices.....my favorite lunch. Sigh......

Well, index card and Uni-ball pen calling my name.....Time to Draw....  that Uni-Ball has an amazing ink line.  So smooth.....so black.  So inky.  Love it.  That's all it takes this week...a few good romances and a Uniball pen.  Oh...index cards.....it's all good here.....knock wood.

Field Notes- Saturday, May 27th. It's so cold in the house. I need socks. I refuse to open windows.

 Yesterday's cactus in a line drawing by me....  on top of my loaded desk calendar.  There is a blank edge up under the base of the computer.....which I will fill in on the day I switch pages.  For June.  I have just started in on a second cactus.  Tiny work.

I have on a thermal shirt under my work shirt.....but no socks.  Because i have on  above the ankle pants. I just will not wear socks with ankle pants......I have my limits.

Pizza yesterday.  Husband was thrilled.  And there are two leftover slices.  

Velchi had a very interesting show on last night....I got into liking him when he did the 10am to 12 noon show on MSNBC with Rhule.  They were obnoxiously funny with each other.  He who tightly buttoned up and Rhule with these wrap dresses unwrapping...... I was waiting for the day (morning) when her dress fell off onto the floor.  Watching while the guys were taking my house apart and putting it back together. Telling me to order Future Stuff for bathrooms they hadn't even started on.....Filling the hall closet with sinks, faucets and shower heads.  Door knobs and hinges.  Wood floor planks pilled in boxes in the entry way. My bedroom (empty of me- but holding the washer dryer /bathtub and other stuff)... I felt like I was tight Velchi...unraveling like Rhule.

So....I've read my way thru all the Meg Cabot.  I think there might be others...sigh.  The last one I read I think is the newest.  Police Chief and Children's Librarian.  There are two more.  Island books.  This one was the last of the Island series.  I'm not going to go looking for them.

I might have actually reached my Book A Day limits.  At least for a few days. Until Monday.when I visit the library.  Two reserves are in transit.  From "other libraries"...because my library doesn't actually buy  NEW books anymore.  They Fund Raise. For the Endowment.  And A Book Mobile. Laughable if it wasn't so very very Sad.  The Library is in the very center of the population needing Bookmobile services.  So already "there". Everywhere else...well, a Bookmobile coming to my area of Executive Homes....is pretty ridiculous.  And the Community Cottages between here and the Library start at 800K.  And I wouldn't "fit".  If you get my meaning????  I'm not sure I even "fit" on my street anymore. We don't have a whole house generator.  Yet.

Field Notes- Friday, May 26th. Sunshine and Cool.

 I'd actually like to MAKE something like this....and paint it.  

Yesterday- Haircut went smoothly (I got the Very Short Summer Hair).  I was concerned about parking.  But only one car was in the lot. So all that worry for nothing.  When we got home the Chad Little truck was here...with the serviced riding and walk behind mowers.....and the grass got cut.  Just under $1000.  But still so much less than a new anything.  The riding unit needed lots of work. New Parts.

He cut the grass. Using the riding mower.  Then I went out and flagged the spots he missed.  And those got taken care of. The side yard was left alone- there are tree parts littering the area.  One very tall tree looks like it exploded.  That happens if it's wet in the interior and we get a really hard fast freeze.....the tree just sort of explodes.

He'll need the lawn tractor to pull the tree around to the back of the property with a chain..  But he didn't "think" about it yesterday so I made sure not to "notice" and alert him to it.  He wasn't really focused yesterday.  I'm not sure if it's the new normal or just a day......things go along and then they hiccup and I just have to re-adjust......and wait and see.

I am still holding out for him taking a nap and not waking up.....it would be the kindest way for him to pass. And I want that for him.  His mom died that way... He's a lot like her.

We are having pizza today.  He's excited about it right now.......at 10:18am.  By 4 pm he might have other ideas.  

I am starting out on my fourth book by Meg Cabot.  I read three in the Heather Wells series of a former Pop Start turned Residence Hall (college) something or other.  Size 12 isn't Fat is the first one. This book is titled No Offense and takes place in a Library in the Florida Keys.  They are really entertaining. 

I asked daughter to take her father to the gas station to fill up the car and the cans he has for the lawn mowers. He had trouble with doing the credit card at the pump the last time I went with him.  I was no help.. It's been YEARS since I pumped any gas into a car.....I don't remember how.   I asked for help. You should all relax now...I do know how to ask for help..........when I need help.

Field Notes- Thursday, May 25th. In FLUX.......feeling off balance.

 You get this image again.  The CRAP my friend sent along with a recipe continues to mess up my desktop.  This morning- I couldn't access the picture file so I had to drag something over.  The tiny images are difficult for me to SEE.  So, You get this.  Again.  I once thought of open shelving.  No Longer.

Her crap is littering the in box each and every morning.  It just keeps showing up.

I just deleted this image from the file.  That's how I will roll going forward- deleting what I use here. There may be a period of no image.....we'll live with that. I am learning to live with loss. And less.

Haircut day.  Difficult Parking Day.  For husband.  And then we will stop for Bird Food. At Tractor Supply.  On the way home on the right side.  He has forgotten where it is.......He has forgotten (I think) where the hair cut takes place.  Otherwise he seems normal.  Here at home.  Outside...not.  

I am guessing things here in the house are easy to remember.  Breakfast. Newspaper.  Word Search with four tangerines on the Sunporch.  Coloring Books.  Puzzle.  Chicken Parm at around 4 pm.  Television shows he likes or Puzzle.  Bedtime.  Same same every day..... I try and facilitate that. Same. Same.

The Water People came yesterday.  The tech used to report usage was no longer "supported"- I imagine the company folded........so a new company and new tech had to be found.....and all the houses in Town worked on to add this new tech....... and now my water usage will be reported........ correctly? we'll see.

More trucks.  Out on the street.  Neighbor getting something done.

Our Lawn Tractor and Walk Behind Mower are supposed to be returned today.  While we are gone or when we are back home.  No time given.... It's been a month.   I need to eat.....

Field Notes- Wednesday, May 24th Sunshine. A Quiet Day, I think.

 Are you figuring out that I am often hungry?   I stare at the contents of the fridge...and draw a BLANK.

Husband is having straight Chicken Parm these days. Every Day.  I decided to stop making soup. Now. I have said that here so.....any moment now he will ask....about Soup.  I am saying No.  I have potstickers in the freezer.  I'll make that. Instead.  It adds EFFORT to my portion of the day but......it's about the same as was asked for to make soup.

Yesterday I decided to clear counter, sweep and wipe down things......to find the ANTS.  There are ANTS. It seems everywhere but only finding three or four.   Yesterday I found SIX.  And crushed them... There is also a fly.  But I haven't gotten it yet.

The Town Lazy Fat Guys were back.  Doing something to the "ditch" in front of my of the side yard.  They filled it with something that will wash out with the first heavy rain.  Or be plowed out when it snows. running-it over it with the heavy machine isn't going to solidify anything.

Across the street neighbor had to drive over her lawn to get to a meeting.  They had blocked her in. Five or Six happy, lazy stand around guys who work for the Town. 

But I got to talk to the across the street neighbor...and the new next door neighbor.  I thought next door were away for the Winter.....turns out she was sick and in the hospital.  Now getting better at home.  She looked pale and was not her bouncy self.

 She had questions about the guy living in Star's house #5  now that Star is dead. Star's Son the Drug Addict inherited the house..  There are lots of cars....a big No Parking sign nailed to a tree....blinds and curtains on the front of the house are all different...up, down, crooked....this is how Drug Addicts Take Care of An Inherited House while doing Drug Business out of Said House. And having a wife and small child. I had no answers for her.  Since I once had a brother just like this...living with my mentally impaired mother....it will all be a party until the money runs out.......... or he dies......I didn't share that.  My brother did die ........eventually.  He wrote (in his will) the I was not to get even one penny of his money.......and he thought that would hurt my feelings????

It actually made me laugh out loud......jerk.

Field Notes- Tuesday May 23rd. 11:37. Sunshine. Garbage and Recycling Day.

 Man Flying over his Neighborhood.

So....stayed in bed talking to myself.   Well, pretending to talk to someone else.  I do this.  I don't have real people to talk to...I used to do this with the Dog....no Dog.  So, I just talk to space around me pretending there is someone listening.  There never is.  There never will be.  It's like going to Therapy.

This House is all about Being Alone. That's sort of what all the talking was about.  Always and Forever being Home Alone.  Even with people in the house.

I felt better and then got up and dressed and had breakfast. Alone.

My Life has always been about Being Alone.  Which is why I read a Book A Day.  To be around people..Even Fictional People.  It's why I write this Blog Post.  Writing to.... well, I hope someone is reading this....but I'm also okay with no one reading this. I am writing to a Pretend Person.

I am slogging my way thru one of these Very Good Looking Men with Private Jets. Books.  I am not enjoying it.  One third in and I just don't care .........They have Strange Crappy Names (see how many odd letters you can use)  and they drink all the Time.  Moving on to another book.

The TV reception was acting up.  I rebooted the TiVo three times and then moved on to recorded episodes of Endeavor on PBS.  Watching another man drink too much.  Almost noon.  

I cut images and other interesting things out of magazines and the newspaper for the June and July Desk Calendar Art.  I have all the calendars (2 or 3 years worth) in a box.  I might someday make a display out of them.  In early years, I drew pictures.....I don't anymore.  but I do write on the blocks sometimes.

On this desktop E. Musk  Quote-  "Misinformation Sickness".  Takes one to know one.

Field Notes- Monday May 22nd. Sunshine. Grocery store. Bran Flakes. More milk.

 If only......I didn't climb the stairs or take the elevator to the second floor to look at puzzles.  He has one on the table now that will take FOREVER as it isn't an easy one.  The image up top is a puzzle. I was too late to buy it. The previous puzzle was really difficult- so I went over and got most of it done- he had the borders wrong.

He asked for another book to read.  Was reading it when I finished grocery shopping. He waits in the car. I took back a full bag and filled it up with new books for this week..... I might need to get him two books next time.  I think one of the books I ordered from another library is X rated.   Def on the cover of the book being...."not ordinarily seen" in my library.  Same guy- white tee shirt. Sells books, I guess.

Deb L you might want to try this guy on your next cover.

Bran flakes- generic- were on the shelf today.  I like a cold cereal in the Summer Months.  Oatmeal when it's below 50 degrees.  But, it goes down to 50 in the Summer......so I always have oatmeal in the cupboard. I bought an extra carton of my milk....... for the Flakes.

Husband is on the SunPorch eating tangerines and crunchy chicken nuggets. I have a bag of Cherries.

Still running on a "high" from the successful three loads of Washing.  Was amazing.  

Returned the newest Jude Devereaux.  Read it a second time and cried even more than the first time. There were a few pages I must have skipped.  And a line at the end.......

So. that's me.  

Sunday Again

Three loads of Washing.  First one dry and folded.  Second in the dryer.  Third waiting it's turn.

All went well and the already dry load smells nice.  The sounds the new machine makes are so very very weird.  I wrote two pages.   In the Washing Machine Pages.  Boring myself to death.

that's it.  now to find myself some lunch.

Field Notes- Sunday, May 21st. Very wet. Raining yesterday and today is clouds- dampness.

 Today you get a picture of a Sandwich.  I am imagining it to be the shredded baked chicken with honey and tons of mayo.  The sandwich I love just now..... in the past months.  Which I haven't had in what seems like a long time. I am imaging the bread to be that French loaf I love so much.

I made the Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta with the very last of the roasted tomatoes in the freezer. Full of pectin.  Creamy from that.  I am being frugal with it. Making it last.

I am like that when I love something.  I am frugal with it.  Holding on as long as I can to it.  My Beloved Sweaters.  My Favorite Socks. (both more mending that original)  My favorite books.  This old computer where this blog was created.  This blog.  How I look forward to sitting here and typing words that someone out there might just...possibly...read.  And connect with me.

I was very alone when I started this blog.  My quilting friends had died or moved away-----one by one until I was alone.  Very Alone.  So I worked at the Library.  And made transactional friendships --I checked out books to familiar people.  That ended.  I quit just before they fired me.  Then the Greenhouse. And after ten years I wasn't healthy enough to stay.  Breathing was a problem. My knee gave out.

And now....it's just me in this house growing older by the day.  Procrastinating about everything but the Field Notes.  

I have a huge PILE of laundry to do.  The change over from Winter Clothing to Not Winter Clothing. It's a GREAT PILE of CLOTHING. Mostly husband.  He creates a lot of laundry.  I have a load set to go...but never pushed the BUTTON to start it.  I have a Button Washing Machine. So STRANGE.  Like visiting a Foreign Land.......I am not comfortable with it.

I also need to vacuum the floors.  Dust.  Winter Dust.  Somehow, the lawn across the street got mowed.  While it was raining?  Or very early this morning.  How very very strange...........

Field Notes- Saturday. May 20th. Clouds. Perhaps cooler. A very lazy morning.

 When women wore 80 pounds of layers and puffy collars.  And rarely took baths. And painted their small pox pocked faces white with lead based makeup to "smooth" out the surface. (PBS)  Every one must have smelled really awful... specially the poor folk.

I got a very very late start today- was just awake and not wanting to get out of bed.

Yesterday put diced rhubarb and frozen strawberries into a pot with some sugar and water.  Made a compote.  Which will be served with Noosa Honey Vanilla Yogurt and Bran Buds.  My Lunch or Dinner. for the WEEK.  Planning Ahead.....a novelty.

Reading Deveraux's My Heart Will Find You for a second time....It's due soon.  

Lunch yesterday was a delight.  I had lemonade not wine and I asked and they provided "off menu" Manicotti.  Which is my Favorite Food.  From long ago and now. Traffic on Friday in May in Mid Coast Maine was........gasp awful... Parking- OMG.   And it's not yet Prime Tourist Time.  We call them Those F...ing Idiots.  Live up to the name each and every Summer.   Spend Tons of Money. Did I write this yesterday??????????  

Oh well.  I will continue repeating myself......

Lunch buddy time was delightful.........we stopped into the Health Food Store and got Arnica for Nancy's husband and some for a friend of mine in Atlanta if she hasn't found a source where she lives.   Any Health Food Etc place should have it....... Let me KNOW!!!!! Otherwise I will use it on G....

I also got ONE of the best French Baguettes in Maine.  I cut it into thirds and two were wrapped an into the freezer.  So I don't eat it all in one sitting. Like usual.

It's so dark in here....... G was up early and is asleep on the couch.  He naps.  Wish I could.

Field Notes- Friday, May 19th. Time is Flying Past.......Sunshine after two very cold days.

 I found a way to work around a new problem.  When I click the icon for the picture file...I get a Cookie Message...which will not let me go forward unless I click ACCEPT.  I will NOT.  EVER.... will not be dragged to the Trash Can.

This is crap from Patty's email.

I dragged the image from the desktop to the post.  That worked.  I can't say for sure I will be able to work around all this crap that now infests my files.   October and my Son the Tech Wizard can't come soon enough.  You and I will just have to deal with change and problems until then.

Going to lunch with my Lunch Buddy today.  In an hour.  I haven't had breakfast so I don't think I will be drinking any wine with lunch.  But there will be good food, good conversation and laughter. Consider it a Wellness Check on my sense of Humor and EVERYTHING ELSE.

I am re-reading a very sweet book.  Two lost souls.  Finding each other.  The Suite Spot.  Takes place near Cleveland, Ohio/Cedar Point/Sandusky.   Places I knew.  Long ago. Feels familiar in a very odd way.  I have read the book before- but I am in a different place now and the book seems better than the first time I read it.   Does that happen to you when you read a book again.  Does it seem different?  Do you feel different about the characters and events in the book plot?

Well, I am going to make myself a cup of coffee.   New empty Dumpster next door at the new neighbor's house--directly in line with my bedroom.  I hope they aren't going to start banging hammers at 7:30 am next to our bedroom windows. Again.  I can't imagine what else needs fixing.  I'll just bang my head on the wall, I guess......

Field Notes- Thursday, May 18th Feeling like I have ants crawling all over me.

 Husband and Wife.   Well.....it's only 11:39 and it's been QUITE a day already.  Husband decided to go to the dentist by himself.  11am appointment.  They called me a few minutes after 11.  Was he on his way???

Well.  He showed up while they had me on the phone.  While we were ALL "concerned" and now memory loss is on his Patient Notes. I am thinking he stopped first to pick up his hearing aid.  I don't actually know what he does to them...but one of them is always being sent to the company to be repaired. It's not like he can actually hear anything even when he has them on.  Cause he doesn't want to hear anything. My Voice.

I had to spend some time here- deleting unwanted things when I signed in.  The gift that keeps on giving.  The daily pile of crap that traveled into my desktop from Patty's email.  Lowe's also wanting me to stop in and apply for a few job opportunities 40 to 60 minutes south on I 95.

I applied once (here in Town), long ago when I would get laid off for the Winter months and applied for unemployment and had to "look for work". I did unemployment two years- and then said "f-it" and stopped.  Gift that keeps on giving even after 16 years.

Public works was back.  We have a new spray painted something or other from the Water Department.  It's on the property that belongs to the Town--where on a REAL STREET it would be on the sidewalk..  Not a new hydrant but possibly some other thing. We don't have a sidewalk.  We only actually have PAVING because my husband went to every monthly Town Meeting for a YEAR and asked to have our street paved.  We were still making do with the construction asphalt of 40 years ago.  

His squeaking wheel-- got the street paved.  Well...I think they actually referred to him as That Pain in The ASS.  But we got a real paved street.  Now we are getting something else...but the Public Works people stand at the end of our drive (no where near the new whatever) and give the house a HARD STARE. I know- cause I am looking right back at them.  

The riding mower that was picked up for service a few weeks ago- is needing more parts....they called to see if I wanted to spend the money.  I said YES.  Husband is so NOT getting a new mower.  They can replace parts until...well, he isn't mowing the lawn anymore (soon).  And a Service Company is mowing.  Or we sell the house. I prefer the Service Company.  

I have considered selling....but the housing for old folk is "close" and everyone is a busy body.  I don't like that.  Not one bit.  It's also quite expensive......but they "provide full service".......... It's a Club I don't want to join.  But I could ride a Sidewalk Scooter to the Library and Grocery Store.  That appeals to me.

Husband is back home... I can stand down.

Field Notes- Wednesday, May 17th. sunshine but cold in the house this morning.

 I found this image in a notebook.  I drew it.  Was considering this for an appliqué project.

The reunion was the 10 year one.  The woman was 28.  In the book I was reading. I wrote 20th.

I am now reading Ten Rules for Faking it.  I have read this book before and doubt I will get very far into  it before stopping.  It drags........ and this is something the editors and publishers should have NOTICED. I don't have have the patience for it today.  Or actually...ever. I seem have lost patience.  I might stop now. It was a mistake to take it out.  I have many more books on the pile.

I made another pot of Chicken Soup yesterday.  I have been making a pot Every Week it seems.  For Forever.  But there is no alternative meal he would actually eat at this point.

So........the cold lasted all day yesterday.  And was cloudy.

My daughter the landscaper wrote this morning that things aren't flowering on the ocean front estates like they should be.  The Estate Owners are probably complaining.  Like the Landscapers have control over that because you pay them....... wealthy people are strange.   I'm not that...yet. Wind off the ocean was colder than usual and we had little snow cover towards the end.

I worked on the puzzle G has on the table.  It's a very difficult one.  I told him he could stop and put it away.  But he keeps working on it.  

We might need to go to the grocery again this week.  I tried a avocado wrapped vegetable roll with sweet chili sauce from the sushi place inside the grocery store.  I liked it.  I think I want another one. Full of carrots and other things...... something new.  I like the vegetable sushi rolls also.  And I like the crispy fried chicken nuggets in the Hot Bar.  And I like the fruit and vegetable stock guy with the man bun hair.

So there's that....

Field Notes- Tuesday, May 16th. Clouds, 60 degrees, rain coming. Dark & Wet.

 Soup.  From top left and around.  Onion, parsley, celery, chicken thighs and center- two of the five carrots.  Also peppercorns and 4 chicken bouillon cubes.  Three to Four hours on simmer once it came to the boil.  Husband is bundled up.  He thinks he is freezing to death. 

I don't have on socks or anything really warm. No sweater, no corduroy pants.  I might change my mind.

Patty sent me a recipe for HER favorite Lentil soup.  It arrived with a multitude of "travelers" attached which I had a HELL of a time deleting, removing etc.  Reminding me to never open one of her emails. EVER. AGAIN.

I am reading a book Ellie Is Cool Now.  A TV script writer for a very popular cable show returns to her small Ohio hometown for the 20th (?) (could have been 15th) High School Reunion.  Sends chills down my spine.  

I have NEVER gone to a reunion of my high school.  My brother has gone to every one of his.  High School and College.  My husband went to one of his high school reunions.  25th or 30th. 

I was NOT invited to go along......everyone else brought their significant others. I would have refused. He says he "can't have a good time....if I am around".   Feel free to think about that.  I stopped long ago.

He showed everyone pictures of our dog Riley.  He had no pictures of me to share with his friends. They asked. None of our two children, either.  Just the dog.  Mentioned this to Riley and he came and sat next to me the rest of that day.

Anyway.  The lead character in my BOOK is a woman who was NEVER popular and NEVER dated in high school. (me) And she returned as a Hollywood Screen Writer etc etc.....and discovers everyone liked her but she wasn't friendly....so they never got to know her, Blah Blah Blah.  Her High School Crush confesses to always being infatuated by her....even now--and wishes  things had been different.  They definitely GET different. She has a list of items she has to complete at the reunion-- from her fellow script writers.  And she has to send photos. Proof..  

The book and premise makes me incredible sad at the same time making me laugh. And wonder....what IF I HAD gone to a reunion........

Field Notes- Monday. May 15th. Clouds. A Bit Cooler. My Clothes.......

 Flowers from my yard.   Might have already used this image...I am forgetting.  

More rhubarb arrived yesterday via my Master Gardening Friend.  She remembered- I got 100 on my Master Gardener Exam.  She got 70%....  We sat on the front porch and had Trader Joe beverages and her two rescue dogs watched out for everything.  Very nervous dogs.  Hard lives before Patty.

We discussed the virtues of homemade pie crust or store bought.  For the Strawberry Rhubarb Pie. I am making someday....

When I went out with my paint brush to pollinate- there were ZERO flowers on the Plum Tree.  And none on the ground.  It was like a Twilight Zone thing.  I am mystified.  1000%. The five on the Peach Tree- also gone.  It's like the Yard is gaslighting me.

Patty has planted Asparagus.  Will be ready to produce edible stalks in FIVE YEARS. She left after we had a short visit- to finish planting onion starts.   Four kinds.  I grew onions once.  They were nice. Storing them was not. 

Patty had visited all her neighbors who live alone out where she lives (by the Atlantic Ocean) to make sure everyone was okay and didn't need her to make a quick shopping trip for them.....I am now included in this list.  She also takes them to Urgent Care. She's a Nurse. I think she has a blood pressure cuff in the car..

It has taken me nearly 45 minutes to get dressed.  The Winter outfits were so EASY.  Corduroy pants, thermal shirt and sweater.  Husband is still dressed for winter.  And it is cold.  I should just give up and wear the sweater.  Summer pants.....I can't find the ones from last summer and what I have on is super baggy...... Shirts.   Finding ones that will button to the waist..well, it's impossible.  I was feeling like I had lost weight.  Now I feel like I gained weight. I don't know how.......we barely eat.  I don't cook.   We heat things up in the microwave.  Obviously the COUCH is to blame.

I feel cold.  I am going back down to put on pants, thermal and the sweater.  Socks.

We had a last minute home made pizza yesterday.  Zero Jars of Soup.  No Chicken Parm.  The Fridge was empty.  Not even a slice of bread.  So I whipped up a pizza.  I had the right cheese and the pepperoni from last Monday's shopping thank goodness. And I had preemptively thawed out a supermarket ball of dough. If we ordered Chinese Takeaway- he would still NOT remember where to pick up the take away.  Better to just not order. And I haven't test driven his car as yet.  It's got too many bells and whistles.

My car has a key, has lights, has windshield wipers.  PERIOD. I don't even remember how to get gas.

Son called and we had a long conversation.  Daughter was a no show.  I finally called her.  She had slept all day after a very hard day at work on Saturday.  I woke her up at 8pm.  So that was Mother's Day.

Field Notes- Sunday May 14th. happy Happy Mother's Day!!!! Sunshine.

 Happy Mother's Day.  A Beautiful Day here in Maine.  Warm and sunny.  Long phone call with son in California.   We covered quite a few topics.  Always good talking to him.

Today I am taking a paintbrush out to the Damson Plum.  It is self pollinating but not enough insects visiting to move pollen around.  So I will brush as many flowers as I can reach.  The tree is way taller than I am.  I remember the fruit being dark magenta and delicious. I might borrow husband's step stool  (which he uses as an end table)

The Peach trees have a total of five blossoms.  Five Peaches if all of them develop.  Sad. Very sad.

Having a garden is really really NOT for the Faint of Heart.......It can be wildly wonderful or deeply depressing.  Last summer the Peach Trees were loaded......we had many delicious Peach Cobblers.

I made a lovely bouquet for the house  after walking around picking whatever was in flower.  so much has gone by.  that's what happens here- and if I get ti right (any Gardener's Dream Come True) there is always something in blossom.  Not all at once....that's a Beginner's Mistake.  I used to see it all the Time when I worked at the greenhouse.  I could help with Perennial Bloom Sequencing but the landscape side didn't really try hard enough with their customers.

I did pretty good in my yard....but weather etc can ruin even the best plans.

Watching season four of Fringe.  Very confusing.

Well, I must cut this short and get that brush and start my Artificial Fertilization Project. Long Time Readers know I like a scientific project...a lot.  I saved one ice cream for today. 

Field Note- Saturday, May 13th. Sunshine. Warm. 4 Peach Blossoms on the Peach Trees.

I see rabbits in the candy assortment so I am guessing this was Easter Candy.  My image assortment is not great. So I spent last few minutes tossing images into the Trash.......I will need to take some photos of my own. Soon.

A FOX traveled in our yard and then out into the street.  Foxes are usually sick.  Rabies.  And not something you want in your yard or under your deck.....  

I had recored the two hour Season ending episode of Will Trent.  Really.  In the books, Will is very very much like Jack Reacher.  He's over 6 feet tall. Wide shoulders.  He wears suits that aren't BROWN.  He's always driven a vintage Porsche. Black. He rarely speaks.  I totally like the actor playing Will Trent on ABC.  He's great.  He's just not the book guy.  Read "Beyond" by Karen Slaughter..  Meet Will.

And don't get me started on Angie......So so completely wrong....Angie in the books is feral and mean, unprincipled,  cruel......especially with Will. 

I deleted all the Will Trent recordings from my TiVo..... the guy sewing the women's mouths  is from one of the last books in the series...possibly the actual last book.  So, so wrong.  To stick that in...so early. Without context.

Field Notes- Clouds. in the 60's. Rhubarb.

 I went out with clippers and cut the dead parts off Peach Tree Branches.  Husband also had a haircut. It's amusing...each time the haircutter removes more of his hair.  The back and sides are nearly bare.

Perhaps this month- I should get my own hair cut very short?? I used to in the months the greenhouse, perennial yard and annual house were so damned hot and humid.  And I also used to run the hose water over my head.  So my brain didn't over heat.

I think perhaps I've had this image here before- do you mind a second time?

My Lunch Buddy has a cooler full of rhubarb.  She is offering it to me.  I said YES.  And the resulting Strawberry Rhubarb Pie will be shared with her husband.. Still waiting for medical test results.....sigh. That sort of waiting is never easy.  This is a second set.

I have been dosing husband with one or two- (per day- not two at once) of the tiny Arnica beads.  They seem be having some positive result....... I bruised my thumb- the pad....a tiny bit of the Arnica gel and it was as if it had never happened. One time I slammed into something by the air conditioner and it really really hurt and started showing as a bruise immediately.  I rubbed the gel in and used one tiny bead... the pain subsided and by the next day the bruise was gone.  I read about Arnica on Jude's blog. Boron.

Daughter was fed two farm fresh eggs cooked in a small cast iron pan by her employer.  Now she wants to know if I have such a pan.  I do not.  But I can offer up a le Creuset to try out. Not as small but cast iron as well.  I was under the impression daughter was a vegetarian.  ?????

Well, I must get into the kitchen and make my Microwave Oatmeal Breakfast.  My Instant Coffee. My vitamin pills.  I have the NEW washing machine preloaded with the pile of husband clothing he put in the basket yesterday after his haircut.  This will be a new experience for the washer.  Hopefully the last of the heavy Winter Clothing.  I do need to read the booklet-- to see if they have a sweater setting.  Otherwise I will have to hand wash......and really do not want to.   I will hand wash my cashmere.  Because...I want them to last at least another 10 years.  I am counting on living that much longer.  86.

Field Notes: Thursday, May 11th. A Gardening Coloring Book in the mail yesterday. We found it this morning.

 I wrote about wanting to find a Garden themed coloring book for husband.  We hadn't checked the mail yesterday but this morning when he got the paper- there was a big envelope in the mailbox- postmarked on the 8th... one Town over..... across the bridge.

A lovely coloring book of gardens.  I actually have no idea who, locally, reads this blog.  I assumed no one.  But someone does and..well, thank you.....he loves it.  It's perfect.... and so are YOU!!! And the back of each page is blank so he can slide a thin cardboard under each image and use his ink pens (they bleed thru on regular pages).  He Loves using the pens.

I'm reading On Rotation by Shirlene Obuobi.  A Medical student.  Struggling.  And a guy she meets in a public garden and he asks if he can draw a picture of her.  They suddenly see each other everywhere, Especially in the hospital where he is a regular volunteer in the children's ward. The relationship is really difficult.... they are both damaged goods. Lots of emotional turmoil.  I've read it before.  I think I wrote about it here- it's a difficult book. But they fall in love...so I'm okay with it.

I finished the  The Bookstore.  Deborah Meyler.  New York City Used Book Store.  There was no happy ending.  She has the baby.  She walks the baby in the "pushcart" (she's British) down the street and happens upon the baby's father eating lunch at an outside table with a good friend or relative.  He won't look at the child.  He wants nothing to do with it......she goes into work.  The book ends.  

I think this is how Life really is.  

Unless someone sends your husband a great coloring book.  

Field Notes- Wednesday, May 10. A chilly morning. Furnace is on. A Difference in Washing Machine Pages.

 Wow...is this THE PERFECT Title.  I am thinking of changing the notebook holding Washing Machine Pages to Beginner's Guide to Running Away.  In fact, from now on this IS the title of my writing pages.

I washed one load.  I tried (attempted) the Washing Machine Pages with this new machine.  But it's not the machine.  It's me.  I changed at some point.  Then the machine changed....  The pages I wrote were.... I actually didn't want to to write.  Changes.....not always what or when you expect. No second load. I didn't want to stay.

Daughter finally reappeared... asking if she had missed Mother's Day.  I said no.  Not yet.  She handed me a pair of JCrew linen pants.  pale pink.  They looked too big.  But fit perfectly. From Goodwill.

There is an extraplus sized woman somewhere locally who buys....doesn't wear...then donates clothing. And this clothing occasionally comes into my house......Red Linen Summer Pants. Perfect in every way.  I think my favorite pants for This Summer with white shirts.. And now pale pink Summer pants to the ankles. I will be So Fancy. Colorful.  No longer in Black and White.

I went outside behind the house and picked all the spent daffodil flowers off each and every stem.  I imagined it taking a long time.  It didn't.  And then I noticed the Damson plum tree was in flower.  I do not have a pollinator.  So no plums. I should have purchased two trees but they only had the one where I worked. But the Beach Plums out by the shed- in bud.  So I cut an armful and tucked them into the branches of the Damson.  I was going to ask IF any neighbor had a plum tree.... and then I snapped back to rational thinking....I have the only fruit trees on the street.

I think I am too old to be buying another fruit tree.  Another Damson Plum.  And then waiting for the young tree to grow.  I might ask daughter... if she sees one. In the garden centers.  But I think she is still doing mulch and clean up.  Not buying as yet for the properties they care for.

Field Notes- Another sunny Day- Yesterday felt "too warm". Husband's Back has "given out"......

 I noticed I had quite a few "food" images in the file....mostly lasagna.  so I got rid of them.  and decided we should have a drink together. on May 9th.  Loaded with mint.  Cheers!

I had a very nice, long, hot shower this morning......washing all my troubles away.....if only. But my hair is shiny and so smooth..........

Husband's back has decided to give out.  He's been walking all bent over for a day or two. Trouble standing. Then started shuffling his feet instead of walking.   He is more confused these days......  his head is now even with my shoulders.  I lay the blame on genetics and a very poor diet.....hardly any calcium.   Soda with meals and not milk in his childhood.  We got one small Coke to share on Christmas Eve,  Three kids. Period.  Whole milk until I went to college. and I still got milk with my supper even there.

In fact, I got regular meals for the first time at college.......it was like a theme park.  the Cafeteria.

His people had a very poor set of genes to begin with..  I am now feeling like the lucky ones- his dad and brother- died at 60.  Before all this started caving in on them.

Measured at my usual five six at my last exam.  Same as always.  Excellent bone density.  I might live as long as that sweet 96 year old woman in the grocery check out lane who tried to introduce me to her son.

Reading:  From the Book Pile:  Evvie Drake Starts Over.  A recent widow (unhappy marriage) and a Yankee's Pitcher who can't seem to pitch anymore.  Takes place in Maine... The "Whitest" State in America".   This is still true....even with migrants farming upstate and raising goats. 

Maine could ACTUALLY accommodate everyone waiting on the Texas Border if they wanted to live in tents  in the vast empty of northern Maine until they had cash to build houses.........we wouldn't even notice..... they could garden and cut down trees and build stuff.....like old times....in the 1800's.

Field Notes- Monday, May 8th. Wearing Spring clothing. 61 degrees. Sunshine

 We didn't make the sides of ours this high.  We should have.  The soil would have warmed up sooner.

I am reminded of how FANTASTIC the garden was the first few years.  All that compost.  I had so many pickling cucumbers......so much zucchini....I think I canned bread and butter zucchini pickles three times that year. I don't have the wherewithal to even do it ONCE now.

I haven't walked down to the garden.  I can see that the daffodils I planted in one bed have returned. And the chive plants are looking abundant.  My Master Gardener classmate Patty asked if the grapes she gave me are doing well.  I said I thought they were.  They don't make any grapes...  there was massive amount ONE summer..  I made lots of grape jelly and even made a pot of grape juice to dye cloth a really wonderful blue.  I wished I had soaked a few of the work shirts in that pot. Wonderful Blue. And then no grapes........

Well, grocery shopping is done,  Library visit is done.  

I swapped out the corduroy pants, thermal shirt and sweater for some raspberry pink print above the ankle pants, a short sleeved v neck cotton tee and a very loose pink linen shirt. Spring. I could have done a white shirt but I'll save that for July and August.

This memory loss stuff.......within 24 hours things change...and not for the better. The only good thing (???)..he doesn't realize it.  Not a clue that anything is different. All the clues belong to ME.

Well, I have books......I can submerge myself in them.......The stuff at the Texas Border....I hope Hell has a real HOT Welcome for Greg Abbott.

I've solved the driving to the grocery store thing....I'll just tell him (from now on) we went "yesterday."

It may not work....I have to do a load of laundry....I am procrastinating.

Field Notes- Sunday, May 2nd. 74 Degrees outside. 67 indoors. Sunshine.

 Marbled Poundcake.  I used to make this in the Bundt Pan.  Wow....that was a long time ago. Where is the Bundt Pan?????? Was there a recipe?  Anyone know?

I saw this image and it brought bake memories of Domestic Life.  Which doesn't exist here at #12. I did find a partial package of Blueberry Biscuits.  In the way back of the fridge.  I resuscitated one in the toaster oven and had it with my Afternoon Tea.  I'll do the same today. Possibly with the remaining two.

I am ready a book about two ER doctors.  With mental health issues.  All the books in the Abby Jimenez series deals with "issues"......this is the newest one.  Most take place in this one hospital and mostly in the ER.  In all the books, the supply closet is where they go to hide and eat lunch. 

I often tried doing that when I worked at the greenhouse......hide and eat lunch. 

Working directly with the public- can be awesome but exhausting. I miss it. COVID shut the classes I taught down.  Now, after all these years, they realize the classes hardly affected the bottom line.

I have a soft spot for the ER.  I sliced my finger one November and the doctor who held my hand and sewed the cut up....was very very kind and gentle with me.  I was a bit over the top in my crying.... I was stressed and exhausted and we were getting on a plane the next morning.  And of course the multitude of ER people who worked on stabilizing my husband after his heart attack- stable enough to get in the ambulance and go racing off with sirens and lights......to the big hospital and it's ER and directly into the OR.  It was that close........but he made it. And then heart surgery four days later.

Notice the 74 degrees up top?  Warm weather has returned to Maine.  Not for long...but welcome anyway.

Field Notes- Saturday, May 6th. sunshine outdoors but the house felt cold.

 Did I use this image recently?  I like it. Thinking about some dark blue fabric and some fabric carrots. I might even give the bunny a go. (perhaps am repeating myself about that also)  I used to be able to make things out of cloth- in the way back years. And I do have that large piece of sewn carrot fabrics (multiples) I could finally cut into carrots shapes.

so.....the Jude Devereaux New Book. "My Heart Will Find You".  I wasn't going to like it...but I did. And it was 1880's cowboys.

It started on the very very first day of the EPIC TOTAL USA lockdown of COVID.  The woman in the story is in an airport in Kansas......everything shuts down.  No cars, No Taxi. No luggage coming down the ramps.  Just her carry on......no connecting flights... grounded.  She does get a very impolite ride into Town and then an even more abrupt braking of the car and a "get out" as the car races away. Town is completely SHUT DOWN.

She walks down a nice street of big old homes.  A guy opens his door and looks at her and asks if she might enjoy a glass of lemonade.  The guy is very old, lives alone and is hungry.  She works in a food truck back where she lives. She very quickly cooks him something nice.  She stays.  She sleeps.  She dreams of a life in the late 1800's as a mail order bride (arriving and quickly getting married). The story goes back and forth......now and then..... Devereaux waits till the last 4 pages.....actually the last paragraph.

I haven't told you anything you won't read in the first 20 pages.  I'm not saying anything else but I was sobbing by the end.  That's the usual for me with her books.

I don't quite know how I got the book so fast.  It has so many holds on it.  But I am fine with what ever magic got it to me.  The Curtis Sittenfeld new book also got to me so very FAST with a very very long hold list..  I have one more here.  Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez.  Not a long hold list but brand new. I have enjoyed all her other books.  Am looking forward to another full day of reading. And then I might retreat to the 1880's again.......and Etta. Cry some more.

Made us pizza for supper.  Not enough shredded mozzarella so I used a bag of shredded yellow cheese also. It was pretty all right.....good.  Cheese is cheese, I guess...learn something new, even at 76.

Field Notes- Friday, May 5th. Sunshine, mid Fifties. Birds and Squirrels in the yard.

 I think I selected this image for the file...because of the coloring page.  Husband would have enjoyed coloring that image.  I would like to find a coloring book (for him) with this sort of imaging. But we've looked everywhere locally.  Maine is such a waste of space.

He's out filling up the bird feeders.  Most of the seeds are being eaten by squirrels.  Useless thugs of the animal world.  Though I think there are humans who actually eat squirrel meat.  I wonder if it tastes nutty. Like acorns...which the squirrels will be eating in the Fall. Getting fat.

I am tired.  Bone Tired.  Feeling all of the 76 of my years right now.  Up until a few weeks ago- I felt young.  Younger.  But not today. And not yesterday.  Or the day before.  

I wrote a letter today- my handwriting was wobbly.  I HAD lovely handwriting.  Cursive. Not anymore. I had noticed it on the most recent "bill paying" day.  The wobble.  The stutter is the once fluid lines. Age.

It creeps up and then...finally you notice the change.  I also notice I sit more.  Resting.  I do less. That has been more gradual...... cooking less.  Cleaning the house less.....dust piling up.  This house makes a great deal of dust. All on it's own. No help from us.

Also the cold.  May and I am wearing a wool sweater, wool socks and my fingers are cold.

A gift I sent...has been received with JOY....it's arrival, at first, not welcomed. But I knew it was just the right thing for this person.  A perfect fit.  Not all gifts are that.....a perfect fit.  This one was. Is.

So, a good ending to the week.  The Mail Woman has just picked up my Wobbly Letter.  And it is on it's way, eventually, to California.  To my Son.  Contains clippings of the latest, very LOCAL, Rocket Test of a company on the retired Navy Base (close by- almost next door).  I might consider going over there to watch the next one.  When I worked I drove past everyday.

I did so many things when I worked.  Now I do nothing.

Field Notes- Thursday, May 4th. Jane Austin. Clouds. Assorted large trucks in the pull out spot.

 Center of the gift peonies from last week.

Going to be an all over the place post today......shotgun style.

Big trucks coming down the road, turning, backing into the turn around spot. (sort of across from our driveway)  Getting out to pee. The driver...not the truck itself- peeing.  Endlessly.  What is going on? Here comes another truck.  Beep beep...backing into the spot.

Reading:  I am seeing a definitely subconscious theme in the books.  First was  Accidental Beauty Queen Teri Wilson.  About identical twin sisters.  One a Librarian who loves Jane Austen and wears old large sweatshirts and one a Beauty Queen wannabe.......  Darcy is a pageant judge. A very lovely guy wearing beautiful tailored suits.  The author goes on and on about this guys clothing...it was swoonie.  The bookish awkward sister has to pretend to be the Beauty Contest Sister. I liked it.  A lot.

Next: Accidentally Engaged. Farah Heron.  Seeing a theme????  A young woman has a new neighbor living across the hall.  They meet.  He's supposed to be thinking about marrying her (parental interference) but neither wants to be married.  They get really drunk and video themselves cooking and send it into a Cable Network Food Show. For a "couples" contest.  They get selected.  And have to fake being a couple. For weeks.

Next: Off my own bookshelf: Incense and Sensibility.  Sonali Dev. Another Lizzie and Darcy knockoff.  A political candidate for Governor and a Yoga Instructor.  I actually adore this book. Read it over and over again. In fact, I like all three of the books.  The last one..the Emma Project might actually be my favorite.

So there you are...waiting for it to rain.  House lights on.  Trouble with TiVo yesterday.  The loss of TV would be a stake in my HEART.  I'm feeling dizzy.....lack of protein and it being 12 noon.  Sigh.

Field Notes- Overcast, Dismal, Wet, Dreary, Dark........May 3rd. Ick, Poo.

 My (in my 70's) style choices.  If I were to redecorate.  If I was assuming I could sit down this low and actually get my knees to work to get up off this low "couch" without a fork-lift.  Def needing forklift.

Dentist.  It was a "look see" to see how bad things were and I had assumed we would do work-- nope..  $158.  $50 co-pay.  I had two X-rays.  I'm coming back for the FIX in June.  Nothing To See Here.  Nothing was Hurting.  He poked.  Nothing.  Could have been. Happy there wasn't.

I had a NEW list of books for Mercedes.  She is a tech who has cleaned my teeth.  We bonded over books. Gave her a list of books to read. She loved Lessons in Chemistry.  Me, too.

Then Grocery - parking lot was PACKED ...... Crazy.  I had a discussion on the Hot Sauced Crispy Chicken Nuggets @ the Hot Bar........with a young man in a red tee shirt.  He confessed to being addicted to the hot sauce covered nuggets....and he was actually buzzing with excitement.  I told him to stand down- I was only interested in the plain ones......we laughed.

I sincerely wish I could have talked to young men this easily when I was actually YOUNG.  It would have been FUN.   I could have had FUN.  Of course I was an idiot when I was young.  So perhaps...not. I did talk to young men like this when I was a teacher's aide in the local high school.  And it was Fun.

There was one prepared Chicken Parm Dinner with a large piece of chicken.  So I got that.  Nuggets and and the Prepared Dinner.  Husband had the last of his Chicken Soup.  I showed him the large box of coffee pods- he said he was OUT. Then he had to "arrange them" in the BIG GLASS JAR.

Husband has been reading my blog...he was making comments on the drive into Town. On the speed, the traffic light, where to turn etc.  He usually is silent.  And the tone was slightly teasing and slightly testy. I mentioned I should give driving his Jeep a "trial run".....he said yes right away. O.M.G.  I told him just on this street and maybe just in the driveway.  I have driven his other large vehicles......there was one Jeep that was huge, black and I had to climb up to get in......I LOVED THAT ONE....but the engine crapped out once it reached 100K.  

I also loved the beat up Toyota Pick Up Truck.  I drove that until it started to snow.....no traction on snow or ice I discovered driving home one night......  Squirrels nested in the electronics over that Winter.  Chewed thru all the wires. We sold it for $500.  Guy got it going. Drove it. I think he shopped for parts at junkyards.  Toyota had just put an entirely NEW FRAME in the truck.  Lawsuit or something.  Free.

Well, the puzzle we were working on (finished yesterday) is going in the box and he'll lay out the pieces for a new one. Do the frame (edges) and then work on it a bit.  I brought home a weekly paper with a Word Search Puzzle- can win a prize... so he did that and mail guy just arrived to take it.....good timing.

Field Notes. Tuesday, May 2nd. 57 degrees, cloudy, no Sunshine. Rain is expected.

 Brian Wildsmith.

I chose the image because it is bright and colorful on this very moist, damp Tuesday. Soup Day.

Husband and I worked on his puzzle yesterday.  I look for pattern and color.  My mind works differently than his but he fits together the small pile of pieces I collect.  The puzzle pieces are irregularly shaped. Making things sort of impossible at times. This time he isn't giving up.

The house is dark.  I haven't turned on lamps as yet.  I read a very odd but good rom com yesterday. Penny Reid's Neanderthal Seeks Human.  Nothing about the title relates to the plot.  By the time I got to the end I was positive I wouldn't be reading anymore of this Knitting Club Series. You might like this book. It was sexy but short on plot. It wandered.

Husband is out on the front porch watching Public Works dig into the "by the road" part of OUR woods. Husband asked....they said "digging a hole".  Six or more guys standing around watching the back hoe. They brought bales of straw.  Not sure straw is needed in the woods.  But Public Works.  Strange. 

Why would they dig a hole in the woods on a dead end street?  In board daylight.

That's it for today.  I'm a bit rough around the edges today so I'll keep to myself till this passes. As it always has. I think it's the dentist tomorrow.  No idea what will be happening. Can he fix it. Will he say it has to come out.....who knows.  We'll both know tomorrow.

Field Notes- Monday May First. Sunshine after tons of rain. More rain coming- 53 degrees.

 So......The second or third day (this week) of living (coping) with someone with Serious Memory Loss.

It's NO FUN.  He seems to think GPS is the solution to not knowing where anything is. Or how to get home.  I am not a Fan of this thinking.  One wrong address and where is he?????

Grocery store and Library today.  That's the regular schedule for Monday.  (he drives (it's a test) and I guesstimate how lost he is) I got a ton of books.  Some that are really smutty.  I have no idea what they will be like.  It looks like three books ( different authors) have the same guy in a tight white tee shirt on the cover.  He's very young.  Well, compared to me.  He must be the Generic Rom Com Guy.  Is that a good or bad thing??? To Be.  Is his mom proud of him

I got the brand new Jude Devereaux.  I think it's one of those "fall asleep and dream you are in the Time of Cowboys"  1800's.  I usually like those.  Riding horses taking baths in the dirty stream water. 

Tomorrow is my emergency dental visit.  The broken tooth.  I think you can IMAGINE how excited I am about going.  But it needs to be fixed.  Or removed......and that isn't what I want.

Trump's lawyer in the Dressing Room Rape Case says the judge is not being nice to him and wants- what? A new trial?  A new judge? Someone nice? The lawyer has been very nasty. Judge doesn't like it. Tough.

I HAD to buy a new comb today at the grocery store.  I can't find the one I have been using.  Disappeared. I sort of wanted a brush.  But all the brushes had those wire things with the little plastic dot on the ends. Those aren't nice.  I combed my hair.

The ice cream selection was slim to none. On the Lactate Free shelf.  I got vanilla.  I was also going to get chocolate but decided not to.  They had salted caramel, cookie dough  etc etc.....too sweet. I think I liked the vanilla with chocolate cookie crumbles.  But didn't see it.  Vanilla is good.