The New Water Cooler
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Praise be. So wonderful to hear an excellent visit at the doc. What a relief I'm sure.
I think you will just have to ask if they would still like you to come help for the birth. They may still welcome the assistance.
Hope your garden is ok. the only thing this weather is good for is corn.
It should be ok charlie got spoiled, it was only a few days and he was probably a good boy - aside from getting stinky. ;>)
Hopefully he enjoys baths.
Trying to stay cool.
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I picked up my bike, bought a blinking red back light for road riding, and a rear view mirror to see what is coming up behind me.
I picked up Charlie's poop piles at Becky's. Wow, it is hot today and the bugs are thriving. Russ and I are both tired today. My garden lived and the sugar snap peas are growing nicely. I'm not sure how the tomatoes will turn out. The green peppers have gotten larger.
I did ask the kids if they needed and wanted me to come. They told me to come if I want to be there but if I don't, they can get coverage for Halen. It is a long way to go all the way to Homer! I'm still thinking about it.
Russ and I go to our concert tomorrow eve at Interlochen School for the Performing Arts. It is an international school near us and they get a lot of big names for concerts. We are seeing John Hiatt. Russ wanted to see him. I'm not too familiar.
I know your heat is higher and longer this time of year, but I am still going to whine about ours, haha!0 -
This long/extended time frame of such high heat is unusual though. I will definitely be complaining about it.
I had ants in the kitchen yesterday. YUCK. It looked like they were coming in from one of the light sockets. Gross. Bernie is really failing on bug patrol. I had some spiders in my bathroom a couple of weeks ago (also no bueno) and now ants. Me unhappy.
Well, at least it's hump day.
Stay cool.0 -
Charlie and I did our walk this morning. There were some turkeys hiding in the tall grass that he did not see. I think he smelled them but I called him to follow me and he did. We checked the garden and all is well for now. I'm unsure when to harvest certain things like the sugar snap peas, thai peppers and kale.
I cleaned two shelves of the pantry and wiped them down, threw a lot of old stuff away and re arranged. I'm sure they will be a mess in a few days. I also cleaned out the veggie and cheese drawer of the fridge and pulled some old stuff from the shelves, wiped all down. More to do but not today. My sister Lynn (oldest girl) called and we talked for awhile. She has been busy with some older cousins that are in town. I'm glad they don't call me nor feel a need to see me. Not my favorite family of cousins.
I made some tuna fish and am waiting for it to chill so I can eat lunch. Beautiful day with sun and blue skies. I should do something like weed the garden, dead head flowers, go to my sister's pool or the beach or sit on the deck. Not highly motivated!
Your heat must feel oppressive for such long periods. I can't even stand the few days we had in Mpls or the few days of high heat we've had here.
We went to our concert last night at Interlochen School for the Arts. It was an open air concert area with a roof and no sides. A beautiful view of the lake that surrounds the campus and great music and people watching too. We have another concert on 8/13.
One more day and another weekend for you!0 -
Heard some sad news this morning. A young man I worked with the first year I was here passed away unexpectedly today. His father was a longtime Behlen VP as well. It's just mostly more jarring based on his relatively young age. I can imagine how devastated his parents must be. Sending good thoughts.
Pool time sounds good.
Friday eve at least.
Hugs0 -
I'm sorry for your loss of a young coworker. I always feel so sad for lives cut too short. None of us never know how long we have but it is always difficult to process the passing of younger people. People say we have a predestined date of death and only God knows that date. I don't typically believe that but sometimes wonder, is it true? There are people with stage 4 cancers that are terminal but recover, victims of horrific accidents that live, close calls for other incidents but no fatality, etc.
It will be upper 80's to 90 here today. Charlie and I took our morning walk and it was nice and cool with low humidity. I saw rabbits, a cardinal, but nothing else today. I could hear tractors and cherry shakers since the farmers are shaking cherries this last half of July into August.
I need to paint my chairs but hesitate with the high heat. I'm not sure how the paint will set and dry. I need to check on my sugar snap peas today. I read up on when to pick and need to see if I should harvest some and save them when I have a meal's worth. We have been craving pasta salad so I found some recipes we have not tried. Russ is buying the ingredients this morning after work and I will make one this weekend. One is an Asian Pasta and Spinach Salad and the other is Italian Pasta Salad.
I am zooming with my retiree friends in MN this morning and then off to check the flowers at the cemetery.
Have a nice day. TGIF!0 -
Pasta salad sounds good. Went out to lunch today with sis and Caleb. I don't normally leave work for lunch but she was taking a vacation day (came in 'only' worked three hours) and then wanted to take us to lunch. It was nice to have a good meal and conversation.
Then I saw last night a somewhat removed cousin (third?) had a daughter who was 55 pass away yesterday as well. While not exactly young, she was my sister's age and a bit jarring. I also asked Michele if that means there is one more bad thing coming. It often feels like these things happen in threes. And I asked her because she has a really fine tuned 'spidey' sense.
Two more brutal hot days and then hopefully it breaks on Sunday.
Unfortunately, none of us are promised tomorrow. I know/wish I was better at embracing and living life the fullest. I too easily get bogged down in daily grind/drudge and my anxiety.
Stay cool.
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That was nice of your sister to take you and C to lunch. Also good she was taking some time off. What did her spidey sense say about the 3rd event?
Beautiful day today but temps are still high 80's. We've had days of wind so that has helped with how the temp feels. I accomplished washing mildew off the camper awning and washing my car today. Lots of bugs on the car from the MN trip. I need to fill the hummingbird feeder and make a pasta/spinach salad for dinner tonight. I have a mild head ache from breathing in the mildew remover used on the awning. We will be replacing the awning canvas in September since it has torn at the top. I hate seeing all the mildew when I sit under it so bought a recommended product and it worked pretty well. I'll have to keep up with cleaning the new canvas now that I know it is needed.
There is an advantage to being the youngest of my sibs and cousins. My oldest cousin Vicki is in town at her seasonal home she bought last year. She lives in Denver but summered next door to us in her family cottage every summer since she was born. She sold the cottage 3 years ago. She is odd in my book and is way older than me. Now that she is here with her sister that has early stage dementia, she is constantly "telling" not asking my sister to come over to visit with she and Susie and tells her what time and when to leave. Wowzer! My oldest sister is a people pleaser, the most social of all of us, and also the kindest, so she never tells people "no". But then, she plays the martyr and complains about the experience of being with Vicki. I'm so glad I don't get the "invites" because I have no interest and would say I am busy which would be lying. I was so much younger than the older crew of sibs and cousins and they all hung out with one another during the summers growing up. I was the little kid so don't have a relationship with them. They also forget I live here now which is great!
The older I get, the more picky I am about who I spend time with. I don't care to be with people who judge, criticize, are snobby, or are bossy. One of the reasons I don't see my sisters as often as when we first moved here. I love them, but judgement, negativity, or acting like my mother who was controlling and critical can only be taken in small doses.
I hope you are having a good, relaxing and fun weekend.
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Chiropractor appointment this morning. My muscles are sore from cleaning camper awning and washing my car the other day. So sad that those tasks take their toll. I had to go up and down a ladder several times when cleaning the awning. My legs feel that!
I harvested lettuce, sugar snap peas, chives, and basil this morning. One of my tomato plants has two turning red. They are like a cherry tomato called Flavorites, I think. The sugar snap peas are good and I have enough today to share with Russ. I'm debating on driving out to a farm stand that has great pies and may have some early tomatoes. My Big Boys and Early Girls are still growing but there are many on the plants. I hope they grow, ripen and do not split or get diseased.
Two of my MN friends are going to come for a visit from the 14th to the 21st. It will be fun to have just two and show them all the fun summer things to do here.
I hope your week goes well and you can do something summery and fun.0 -
do you just eat your sugar snap peas raw, or do you make them into something? The only peas I remember my grandma growing were the big podded ones that had to be shelled.
Caleb is down to two work weeks as he plans to be done on 8/5 and then off for the following week and moves on 8/16. Zach I think is a few days after that.
Bernie heads to Juarez for work next week.
Off to get a couple more shots for Caleb shortly, they couldn't give him everything on that one day last month. So after this hopefully he is good and protected!
Any more thoughts on heading to Alaska?
A short Monday so that's something!0 -
We like the sugar snap peas raw as a snack. They are sweet and crunchy. We could take them out of the pod and cook them but I don't like cooked peas. Russ loves them but he can buy his own. I grew these for the raw snack.
C is off to college very soon! Z's senior year? Wow, time is flying by and the kids all become adults so fast. It sounds like Bernie travels for his job so you get time alone at home, which is probably nice for you. I always loved having the house to myself. My first husband had to travel but Russ didn't and he is a home body. I rarely had the house to myself in this marriage. Now that he works in the mornings, I have peace and quiet until noon. It's nice!
I'm leaning towards not going to AK until Russ and I can make it a trip. I'm being lazy but it is one heck of a long haul. I haven't made my final decision yet. I need to soon.
The farm stand was closed! It said it was open on google but not so. No one keeps there websites updated here or they don't have them. I was disappointed because I wanted one of their fruit pies.
Well enjoy your Monday.0 -
Mobile dog groomer came at 8am. Charlie looks and smells better! I put a coat of paint on the underside and back of my chairs. It is a very rich, bright marine blue color. I think they will be cute and vibrant in the room downstairs. I need to buy another can of spray paint in same color since I'm on my second can.
My friend Mary is coming over at 11am to take a walk, eat some pasta salad I made for lunch, and then we are going to the local theater to see James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause. It's part of that theater society where they show old, classic films. It is a 1pm showing today. She is going to have a friend from OH meet us there. Mary lives in Cincinnati and has a summer place up here. A lot of Ohio people summer up here since it is a 6-9 hour drive depending on what city they live in down there.
I really need to get on my bike but we decided not to ride due to forecast of rain mid afternoon. An early walk and then a movie instead.
I hope you are having a good week. Half way done!0 -
Caleb felt puny yesterday after his shots, so he decided to stay home. Or he just wanted a day at home. He probably was punky. He still looks pretty pale today. That kid almost always has strong reactions to shots. I always hated getting him immunized, because I hate seeing him not feeling well. Hopefully he shakes the rest of the yucks off today and then is good to go.
I am looking forward to Bernie being gone. I have another 'story' about him from this weekend, just haven't felt up to getting into it. Nothing horrid, just same old. He took off for a day with his family Saturday. I realized he was gone Saturday morning, texted him, he texts back he is in Fremont, I ask if my invitation got lost in the mail, he texts back I wouldn't have gone anyway, I told him to pound sand. Fun times. He's not wrong in that I wouldn't have wanted to go. Again, my issue is he doesn't have time to spend time with me, or do anything for me but does for his horrible family. Meh. I do still plan to have 'the talk' with him after the boys take off. To what end, I don't know. Anywho, status quo.
Went to the visitation for the young man I had worked with (also his father was a long-time employee) the other night as well. It was sad of course, and I'm glad I went to pay my respects, but boy does that take it out of me. I'm just not build as someone who can just shake that off.
Almost done for the day!
No rain here.0 -
Mary, Charlie and I took a nice walk up into the orchards by our house. I saw a long snake which freaked me out. It was uphill on the way and downhill coming home. Hard on my left knee and unused muscles. Uneven sandy two track road was a challenge. We ate lunch and then went to the movie. I had never seen Rebel Without a Cause with James Dean and Natalie Wood. Good movie, placed in the 50's, that touched on a lot of societal issues, family dynamics, teen insecurity and angst, etc.
I am zooming with my former knitting group in a few minutes. It has been awhile since I've talked to them.
My chairs that I am painting are going to be cute! Bright blue!
I hope C feels better and I'm sorry Bernie can be so insensitive. I can't believe he didn't even tell you he was leaving and where he was going. I feel your frustration with him. I dealt with similar stuff in my first marriage. It's hell!
Have a nice Thursday.0 -
Inching ever so slowly closer to the weekend.
Halfway through Thursday.
Are you still thinking that you will get your other knee replaced?
Friday eve0 -
I will try cortisone shots in my knee when it gets unbearable. I have to go through the steps of least invasive for insurance to cover a replacement. I will definitely get a shot before we go to FL in February. Right now I'm not sure I want one. They don't last very long with me, a week or 2, with my last shots years ago. Not encouraging but at least I can say they don't help. Maybe I'll get lucky and a shot will give me relief to go for longer walks/hikes.
Tomorrow I will zoom with retiree friends and then I'm going on a bike ride with a friend that bought an ebike. She doesn't go far so I'm guessing 10 miles max.
It was too windy to work on my chairs with spray paint today. Hopefully this weekend. I need to wipe down inside of camper and put clothes together and in camper for next week's trip. I looked at the weather and we may have some rain two of four days. Hopefully in the night or short lived.
Well Russ and I are going to plan our meal menu for next week.0 -
My Zoom meeting was canceled so Mary and I rode earlier and took our time on the trail. It was a nice, leisurely ride with her so we were able to chat while riding side by side. We took about an hour break at the 7 mile mark for water and snack, chatting the whole time. My sister likes to ride fast and far, one break and just work hard on the ride. This was more enjoyable. We rode about 14-15 miles which was just right today. I picked her up and took her home so we could transport her bike on my rack instead of her shoving it in the back of her SUV.
Tomorrow I will wipe down the camper and make my list for packing. Russ is going to help me stake the tomatoes with more support than the baskets I have around them. We need to tie them to the fence or something. I found one tipped over today. I picked two small cherry tomatoes that were red and Mary and I each ate one. Yum!
I put another coat of paint on my chairs today on the front. The wind picked up and I felt like the paint was blowing past the chair rather than on it so I will continue another day. I think I have to paint early in the morning before the winds pick up around here. It has been so windy lately!
How are you doing? I bet you are getting everything ready for C's freshman year and Z's last year. Wow! Your kids were around 10 and under 10 when we first started chatting on here.
I hope you have a great weekend!
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Yesterday was busy and went fast.
Great job on those bike rides!
Have a great weekend!0 -
Two coats of paint on the chairs. Tomorrow I will turn them over again and touch up bottom legs from the under side and then done. The color is bold and bright!
Today is our 29th anniversary. Lots of ups and downs through the years but here we are relaxed and retired. We are going to dinner in a bit at a nice inn that we enjoy. We are going early to avoid the tourist crowds that descend on the restaurants about 5:30/6pm.
The camper is clean inside, Russ fixed the seal on the shower door, my list for packing is made, and he will grocery shop tomorrow morning. We leave Monday around noonish. Of course, 2-3 days have some rain showers predicted. Fingers crossed we can enjoy the outdoors, make a fire and cook outside.
Doing anything special this weekend?
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We had a nice anniversary dinner on a patio at a restaurant. However, at the end of our meal, before dessert, a lawn care service pulled up across the road and started mowing a yard at about 5pm on a Saturday. The server told us that a septic pumping company had done the same thing during dinner time one time. The smell was horrible and people wouldn't eat. One would think these business owners would think about their schedules and respect the other establishment's ability to succeed in their business too.
I'm having ginger tea and then going out to paint one more coat on the underside of the chairs. They can dry while we are gone and we will put them in the basement when we get back. I need to remember to take my measuring tape out to the barn with me so I can measure for cushions.
I just need to get my clothes in the camper and help Russ with whatever he needs done for camping. I also should harvest lettuce and snap peas before we go.
Have a nice day.0
