Tears And Laughter

Plans for the day were thrown out the window when I got caught up in the funeral services for Congressman John Lewis.  We should all aspire to live lives worthy of the heartfelt accolades and fond memories spoken for this man by past presidents to office staff and family, no trite words of sympathy from anyone.  A latecomer to politics, I was aware of many of the civil rights events, but little of the men and women involved, and did not recognize the name John Lewis until recently.  Like Senator John McCain, he was a true hero.  I was brought to tears.

Later in the day I spoke with my friend Tinka.  Our shared laughter and memories were the perfect and much needed antidote for sorrow.

Still later, I received word that my mother-in-law had died.  She was well into her nineties and had not been herself for some years.  She and her husband Glenn had raised good sons.

It was, as they say, one of those days.

Stay safe.  Be well.

For A Change

I need to change my ways.  It certainly isn't the first time that summer arrived before I was ready, but I haven't yet adapted to the new reality.  As has been noted, I am a creature of habit.  While I am not a clock watcher, I do certain things in a certain way, routine being a security blanket of sorts.  Yeah, well, that being said, I need to shorten my morning time at the computer.  It works fine for winter, but now it drops me into the heat that drains me of incentive.  Sitting in the chair all day, constantly dousing with the spray bottle, isn't cutting it.  Michael and I need to get out and moving much earlier (she said with more hope than conviction).

I am being plagued by robocalls.  In less than a week I've received more than twenty, ten in one day from "Apple, Inc."  My phone identifies the caller and if I don't recognize the name or number, I don't pick up, but they're still irritating.  Michael either does or doesn't like them...he sings along with the ring tone each and every time, so I get the double whammy.

Insects change with the seasons just like the birds.  We are now in the time of the tiny sugar ants in the kitchen.  Where do they come from?  Where do they go?  I am constantly wiping out steady streams, and still they come.  And then one day, poof!, and they'll be gone.

It's still cool, the sun barely up.  If I'm going to take my own advice, I'd best get moving.

Stay safe.  Be well.

Correspondence

Once upon a time, long, long ago, people wrote letters.  We've learned so much about history from correspondence that was saved:  Winston Churchill, Julia Child, John Adams, and on and on.  In that regard, technology hasn't done us any favors.  Texts and emails are quickly deleted (not soon enough for some in politics).

It used to be that going to the mailbox could be the highlight of the day, holding hope for a missive from a friend or loved one.  There was a time in my life that I wrote a letter every day for a year, corresponding with people all over the world and, best of all, hearing back.  Now I don't even send Christmas cards.

As I said recently, going to my mailbox now is not much fun, bills and advertising being the order of the day.  A lot of trees are sacrificed during elections with self-promoting candidates.  Once in awhile, however, there is a ray of sunshine, and I found one this week.

I will not embarrass her by saying her name, but there is a cousin in the family (all who know and love her will recognize her immediately), who must spend her allowance on cards and stamps.  Every so once in awhile I will find a card of encouragement, sympathy, or just to say hi.  We talk now and then.  She never gossips, but keeps in touch with the extended family and, through her, we all do, as well.  It made me smile this week to see her familiar handwriting on an envelope even before opening it.  Inside was a card worth keeping.  It makes me want to be a better person to justify her kind thoughts.  She's pretty special.

The heat remains oppressive, sapping whatever energy I might have stored (which wasn't much in the first place).  Michael and I take our walks, long or abbreviated, and that's about it.  We are well into the dog days of summer.  (I just found out recently why they are called 'dog days,' and it wasn't what I'd thought.  Look it up.)

Stay safe.  Be well.

Scaredy-Cat

Our last walk of the day has been getting shorter because of the heat.  In the morning, we go all the way around the drive, but in the evening Michael has enough piddle places in the junipers and we only walk as far as the picnic table in the shade and both sit to enjoy whatever breeze there might be.  Yesterday afternoon we were sitting together, Michael sniffing for smells and watching for movement when one of those gawdawful stinging insects buzzed by.  Whatever trauma he suffered in the past from one of these bugs definitely made an impression.  He jumped to his feet, looked at me and said, "Okay, that's it!  We've got to go and we've got to go now!"  He led the way and we hotfooted it back to the house.  I don't know if there's a correct term, but when it comes to stingers, Michael is a scaredy-dog.

When I was in town during the computer/monitor debacle, I picked up a miniature whiteboard, less than the size of a regular sheet of paper, to keep by my chair.  It has turned out to be a boon, taking the place of all those tiny scraps of paper and empty envelopes for making notes, lists, and phone numbers.  I also write a (brief) list of daily chores.  It's more of an impetus when I see it right there in black and white, and very satisfying to wipe them off.  Not much got erased yesterday...going shopping will do that to me.

Stay safe.  Be well.

Shop 'Til You Drop

I think I've made it pretty clear that shopping is not my favorite, probably least favorite, thing to do.  That being said, sometimes there's nothing for it but to bite the bullet and do the deed, and yesterday was the day.  It was a must-do or the cats would have gone on strike.  They were down to crumbles in their bowl and the bag was empty.  It wouldn't have been pretty.  Having put off such an ordeal for the better part of a month, there were things I needed, too, especially in the canned goods department.  It must have been my 'robust' physique that influenced the checker because she loaded my purchases into two bags.  Appearances are deceptive;  I'm at that stage in life where I ask for and need help loading groceries into the truck.  A genial young gal was volunteered, and out we went.  When she lifted the first bag, she grunted and said, "My gosh, that's heavy!  What was she thinking?  Wait right here," and off she went, coming back with a handful of bags.  On her own, she dispersed the goods into what turned out to be five manageable sacks.  As I told her, there are nice people in the world and she was one of them, and gave her a 'gold star' for kindness.

George is another kind soul.  He stopped by briefly to drop off another box of peaches, big, ripe, juicy peaches, and said he'd be back soon for a proper visit.

I got the groceries into the house and the frozen goods put away, and then dropped into my chair exhausted.  The canned stuff could wait, I could not.

It looks like the eye of the hurricane is going to miss Oahu.  Larry said there were strong winds, but they were okay.  Whew!

I've got to feed the cats now.

Stay safe.  Be well.

Back In The Saddle

Once a habit is broken, be it an exercise routine, a diet, a morning blog, it's hard to get back into the swing of it.  I think Newton's first law pertains, the one that says a thing at rest tends to remain at rest  unless compelled by outside forces.  After a week off, it's hard to get my brain kicked into action again.  That, and the fact that the summer is here and that takes its own toll.

Be that as it may, it is so good to have the computer back again.  There's just one thing.  There seems to be one leftover wire, the one that provides audio, that didn't get plugged in and I'll be darned if I can find where it goes.  Makes it interesting going through FB.  It doesn't help that the computer is in a small, cramped space and it takes the talents of a contortionist to see what I'm doing.

I think Ralph regrets his grand adventure.  He has kept a very low profile since his outing the other night.  He may be able to torment his sister in the house, but Missy is 'top dog' outside.  I'm just so glad she didn't run him off the property.

It is very difficult to keep from becoming a 'helicopter mom,' hovering over your Kids no matter how old they are.  There's the coronavirus to worry about because they're all out among 'em down in the valley, and now there's the hurricane headed toward Hawaii where my youngest son lives.  Actually, Larry is the second youngest, my son-from-another-mother takes that title.  I might send a text now and then, but try not to call.

Ah well, things to do, places to go (darn it!).  I've got to get back in the saddle again.

Stay safe.  Be well.

Where To Begin

TWTWTW...That Was The Week That Was (satirical British comedy show, 1962-63).

I won't say it was comedic, but it's been quite a week.  The computer monitor went kerphlooey again.  I went and bought a new one, brought it home and found that there was no receptacle that would receive the cord.  Hmmm.  That meant hauling computer and monitor into town to the shop.  Turned out that I had fallen into alphabet-soup hell.  I have a VGA computer and the cord was for an HDMI (whatever).  It was a simple-enough fix, just get a new cord.  Ta da.  I wasn't up for hauling the equipment back into the house for a couple of days, and then a couple more to work up to the task of rehooking all those wires up again, which I did this morning.  Evidently I did something right, because everything seems to be working.  Fingers crossed.

After a spell of truly lovely weather, the heat has returned.  Oh goody.  Candy came and gave me a Judi Dench haircut on the porch.  It's the next best thing to a buzz cut, but it is so much cooler and I'm not waking up to a bad-hair day every day.  I'm grateful.

One day I noticed a quail sitting lookout on a post in the front yard.  That was unusual in itself, but then a babysitter went by on the driveway in front of the house, herding a choo-choo train of babies.  They've never come so close before.  What a delight!

My totem has returned to the chair on the porch.  He's growing.  There is a praying mantis on the screen this morning.  I would advise her to avoid the lizard.

We came close to tragedy and I didn't even know it.  The cats find hidey holes to sleep in during the heat of the day so it was nothing new that I hadn't seen Ralph for a bit.  It was fortunate (for a change) that I had fallen asleep in the chair.  I was awakened by two cats threatening each other on the front porch.  I got up to scare them off, turned on the light, and was shocked and stunned to see that one was Ralph, the other being Missy.  He dashed in when I opened the door.  Holy cow!  How did he get out?!  And when?  After checking all the doors and windows, I could only conclude that he'd snuck out when I took Michael for his last walk of the day.  He'd been out for hours!  We had a long talk about that.

I appreciate the calls and texts from those who missed the daily blogs.  I'm fine, and don't plan to be absent again.

Stay safe.  Be well.

One A Day

Every day starts with good intentions and big plans.  Yeah, how's that workin' for ya?  It could be that there is so much to do that it's overwhelming, just plain laziness, lack of willpower...take your pick.  All I know is that I'm good for one chore done, maybe one-and-a-half on a good day.

So much of my mail is advertisements, sales promotions, just plain garbage, that I have a tendency to put it down and ignore it.  Yesterday's task was to go through the current stack (I won't say how high it was) and weed out the important from the trash.  It's amazing what I discovered.  Hmmm, probably should have opened that...and that...and that, too.  Oh well.  I have to be careful to look at every envelope before pitching because I grab any piece of paper close at hand to jot down phone numbers (must remember to add a name) or notes.  I ended up with half a sack of trash.  There's another pile in the kitchen, but that's a chore for another day.

We may be getting close to the end of Michael's shedding for the season.  Our daily brushing only yields a brush worth of fluff now.  He looks quite sleek and I'm sure he feels better.  In winter, his official vest fits quite snugly over all that fur, now it slips and slides around with his summer do.

I haven't decided yet what the task of the day will be.  There's no sense making a list because I can count on only one a day.

Stay safe.  Be well.

All Clear

Always good to get the "all clear" notice from doctors, and I got another one yesterday...won't have to see either of my guys for six months.  That'll be in January, and I'm hoping 2021 will be a better year for the world (and me).

Nice drive on the way to town, and then I got to town.  Diamond Springs is a little bitty town, one main drag and that's about it.  When they're doing road work on one of the two lanes, traffic comes to a grinding halt.  There must have been fifty cars in each direction waiting for the go ahead.  I didn't know there were that many people in the whole area!  I hope the feeling of power the flagman has doesn't go to his head.  I made my appointment with two minutes to spare.

Michael is becoming quite the social butterfly.  He greets everyone he meets now with smiles and wags and gets, "Oh, aren't you cute!" in return.  It's nice to see his personality blossom.  There was even a man clear across the parking lot who yelled, "What kind of dog is that?  He's beautiful!"  Remembering his manners, he lay quietly in the office.  I hope all this adulation doesn't go to his head.

We were on the last stretch of dirt road on the way home when a three-point buck (six-point in Texas, you know how they are), his antlers still covered in velvet, bounded across in front of us.  No danger, since you can't drive over five mph on that section.  Just lovely to see.

The mimosa (Persian silk tree) is in bloom.  This tree is a tribute to Steve's determination.  He was told he couldn't raise one from seed.  We brought it up in a pot from the valley, put it in the ground, and it thrived.

It was a good day.

Stay safe.  Be well.

Coping

We didn't have air conditioning when I was a kid, although I don't remember it being as hot then in summer as it is now.  On hot nights, we'd take blankets and go the the park or the backyard and sleep on cool, well-watered grass.  Given the nighttime predators, lack of grass and the dearth of water, that isn't an option here.  My Kids grew up with a swamp cooler in the house.  In my opinion, all that did was raise the humidity.  Come to think of it, I didn't get the luxury of A/C until I bought my house in West Sacramento.  Now I dream about it.

Once upon a time I used to bake a lot of bread by hand.  It was a problem up here because it was too hot in summer and too cold in winter for the dough to rise well.  That was solved when we refurbished the kitchen and put in an oven with a proof cycle.  Now if I get the rare urge, I use the breadmaker.

Given the cats' snugly sleeping habits in winter, I'd wondered how we'd cope in summer.  I needn't have worried.  I think they go downstairs.  Michael shifts between my bed and the one in the guest room.

Michael continues to shed clouds of fur.  I brush him every day, and still he sheds.  I'm thinking of getting him a wading pool.  Bessie Anne got good use from hers.  Me?  I fill the spray bottle continually.  Talk about bad hair days!, but it gives some relief.

Here I am complaining and it's only in the 90s.  Nature hasn't really turned up the temperature yet.  The weatherman is already talking about breaking records.  I don't find that nearly as exciting as he does.

That's okay.  We'll cope.

Stay safe.  Be well.

Siblings

Just as with my own Kids, Ralph and Celeste may be brother and sister and share certain familial characteristics, but they are individuals in their own right with distinct personalities.  When Celeste wants attention, she gives out tiny squeaky meows and does gentle rub-ups.  Ralph is more of an in-your-face guy, headbutting or insistently patting my leg or shoulder.  Celeste tends to be a couch potato, sleeping here and there most of the day.  Ralph is on the move, racing up and down the hall, knocking things off any flat surface in every room, pestering his sister.  He is a little redheaded troublemaker (apologies to redheads everywhere).

Celeste takes off running at the first sound of an engine in the driveway and stays hidden until she hears the vehicle leave.  Ralph's curiosity always gets the better of him and he has to come back and socialize.

Their differences are never more apparent than when they are on my lap.  Celeste usually asks permission first, jumping up unbidden only if I lag behind.  She makes herself comfortable and settles in for the duration.  Except for the weight (she's pretty tubby), I wouldn't know she's there.  Ralph springs up from the back, scaring me silly, and then his fun begins.  He tromps back and forth, checks stuff on the one table or paperwork on the other, generally making a nuisance of himself.  "Ralph, please, just lie down!"  If and when he complies, it's not over yet.  Even when his body is still, his tail stays on the move, flicking back and forth and whapping me in the face.  The one thing I can count on is that he never stays long before he's off and going again.

Celeste is a comfort.  Ralph makes me laugh.

Stay safe.  Be well.

Changing Times

Five-thirty a.m. and it's barely light out.  Daylight Saving time won't end until November, but the sun doesn't look at the calendar.  Nature goes on about her business without regard for we silly humans.

Bob Dylan had it right in 1964 when he wrote "The Times They Are a-Changin'," but I don't think he could possibly have anticipated what is happening in the world right now.  The Coronavirus is bringing out the best and worst in us, the populace as well as government.  Unbelievable acts of kindness and heroism contrasted with hatred and divisiveness.  Sometimes I feel we are stuck in a real-life "Lord Of The Flies" (1954, William Golding).  So many deaths that there are mass graves and refrigerated trucks used as temporary morgues.  It's enough to make you weep.  I've had to wean myself away from watching so much news.  Depression was getting the better of me.

What I have been watching are several series with Lucy Worley on the Queens of England.  They are marvelous historical productions...intelligent writing, elaborate costumes, her tongue-in-cheek humor, and so informative.  They've been a great antidote.

Heat or no heat, yesterday I actually got some things done for a change.  Not enough, of course, but something was better than nothing, and I was tired of sitting on my duff all day, spray bottle at the ready.

Six-thirty and the sun isn't up yet...maybe another hour to enjoy before the heat lands like a ton of bricks.

Stay safe.  Be well.

Strange Stuff

Cue the music for The Twilight Zone.  There were certainly some odd happenings yesterday, beginning and ending with the computer.  My morning routine rarely changes, beginning always with turning on the computer when I roll out of bed and letting it warm up while I make coffee.  Yeah, well.  The box hummed, the lights flashed...and the screen remained as black as the inside of Moby Dick's belly.  I went through all of the diagnostics I know how to do:  turn off and on, check all wiring sites, unplug and replug, etc., etc.  Nothing.  The computer continued to show me a blank eye.  Well, that was a fine how-do-you-do.  So much for my morning routine.  It being Sunday, I couldn't even call for help.

NASCAR, horse racing, old movies, and naps filled the day.  Heat seems to affect me more as the years roll on, and yesterday we hovered near the 100s.  Not as bad as Phoenix, but still.

In the late evening, my cellphone sent a message that my Google account had been approached from an unknown source and advised changing my password.  Oh good grief, now what?!  I did as instructed, and then started fretting that maybe the message was, in itself, a breach.  'Hacker' being the word of the day, who do you trust?

This morning, Computer behaved as if nothing had happened, Google confirmed my new password, and, at least for the time being, all is right in my world.  I'm still hearing theme music, but I'll take what I get and be glad that I got it.

Stay safe.  Be well.

That's Done

Two down, one to go, and I'll be done with all this doctor business for a while.  For someone who saw a physician maybe once every ten years, this has been a journey down the rabbit hole.  To think it all started with a lump the size of a pea.  Yesterday I got a six-month all clear from the oncologist, the 'big gun' in this ongoing production.  Good news, for sure.

Deer were abounding and a-bounding in the yard when I got home.  There haven't been so many lately, so it was a nice surprise.  Hardly a day goes by that there aren't postings on FB of sightings of bears and mountain lions in the area.  I'll settle for the deer.

I hope Missy has found herself a cool spot to hang out in.  She hasn't been around much in the daytime, although I can tell from her bowl that she comes to eat in the evening.  I did see her yesterday.  With a regular diet, she's really filling out and is no longer the scrawny little barn cat as she was.

Michael has learned that "I'll be back" means I'm leaving without him and he hardly lifts his head, although he much prefers "Want to go for a ride?"  It pleases me no end that he gets excited when I come home.  I'd like to think he misses me.  I know I sure miss him.

It's been awhile since I've added a photo of the sunset.  This wasn't the most spectacular, but it has more color than the blazing blue sky of late.  Those aren't dark clouds overhead, just encroaching darkness.

Stay safe.  Be well.

Persnickety

"Okay, kids!"  That's the signal every morning for the cats to head to the kitchen and for Michael to go to the front door.  It's time for cat treats and dog walks!  I've been buying the same brand of snacks for the felines in different flavors for a long time now, but we've hit a snag.  It used to be a contest between Ralph and Celeste to see who could snarf down their treats first in hopes of sneaking a few of their sibling's.  Lately they've become very picky, turning up their noses at the salmon flavor and rejecting the seafood altogether.  They're even iffy about the chicken.  Because I don't go to town any more often than I have to, I buy the large size containers.  Now I'm stuck with at least three full boxes.  The cats are going to have to get over themselves or go without.  Besides, Michael is waiting at the door to go walkies.

I'm off to Cameron Park today.  Aarrgh.  One more doctor visit next week and I should be done for awhile, thank goodness.

Stay safe.  Be well.

On The Outs

All is well.  Sheila was out and about yesterday.  I can assume that she and Tessie had had a falling out.  Hey, it happens in the best of families.  I'm glad they made peace and was very happy to see them together.  Living with pets and livestock through the years, one learns that death is inevitable, but it's never easy.  Unfortunately, there is a reminder of Lonesome Lulu in the front yard.  Before I could dispose of her remains, a predator got to her and efficiently plucked all but the wing feathers.  It looks like a snowstorm hit the yard.  If it wasn't fire season, I'd mow and be done with it.  As it is, there's Lulu every day on our walks.

We're heading into another week of high temperatures.  At least it cools off at night, and I'm grateful for that.

Stay safe.  Be well.

Day Tripper

("Day Tripper," the Beatles, 1965)

Michael, my green-light good luck charm, was with me in spirit yesterday, if not in body.  I zipped through almost every stop light, and traffic was so light on the roads it was almost unreal.  There was one incident on the freeway.  I was behind a huge truck that kept going slower and slower.  Hwy. 50 is very hilly and I wondered if he was having engine problems or an extra-heavy load.  Then he pulled over into the fast lane to pass and I found the reason.  Some kid on a small motorcycle was going 35 mph and weaving.  Learner?  Drunk?  I had given myself time so I stayed behind him, fearing that someone would blow him off the road unprotected.  I had to leave him on his own when I got to Cameron Park, but I hoped he made it to his destination, if he even knew where he was going.

The radiology center ran like a well-oiled machine.  From check in to walk out was less than half an hour, including the mammogram.  That left time for a couple of my standard stops in town.  I considered stopping for lunch, but coming home smelling of shrimp tempura or KFC would have been too unkind to Michael.

I'm concerned about Sheila.  She didn't show up for breakfast with Tessie.  I can't remember how old she is, but she isn't young.  I didn't have time to look for her in the morning and was too tired when I got home.  Fingers crossed for today.

As far as a day trip goes, this one wasn't too bad.

Stay safe.  Be well.

Fringe Benefits

Look on the bright side, if you have to do something you really don't want to, find something, anything, that will make it easier.  ('Mitigate' is probably the most used word in the news lately.)  In my case, yesterday was pay-the-bills day.  It was another hot one and I really wasn't looking forward to sitting at the computer to get the job done.  I'd been planting my butt in front of the TV all weekend and it seemed easier to just not move.  Dragging my feet down the hall to the south, hottest, room in the house, it was time to get 'er done, either that or go to Debtor's Prison.  Air-conditioner is not a word in my vocabulary, and I'd forgotten about the little A/C window unit in the bedroom.  Duh.  It turned out to be a fringe benefit, not only for the job at hand, but knowing there was a cooler sanctuary I could return to, I actually got some necessary, long-neglected chores done.  The news has been so depressing, it was a nice break from that, too.

A/C in the truck will help today when I have to go for a mammogram in Cameron Park.  My buddy Michael can't go with me and I hate to leave home without him.  He has become my constant companion and I'm rarely out of his sight.  Knowing he'll be waiting will make coming home even better.  He's more than a fringe benefit.

Things to do, places to go.

Stay safe.  Be well.

Off To The Races

Saturdays are for cooking shows, Sundays are for racing.  My biggest problem is knowing when it is the weekend...days tend to blur one into the other now.  All of the horse races were at Belmont Park, New York, yesterday instead of skipping around the country.  The commentators keep between-race gaps interesting by critiquing the horses, such magnificent animals, and explaining why they favor one over the others.  Even the advertising features horses, either for sale or for stud.  I will be bereft when the season ends.

NASCAR at Indianapolis Raceway was somewhat delayed by rain, so I watched most of that after Belmont.  NASCAR has made so many changes to the rules that I have somewhat lost interest, sometime skipping a race altogether.  I keep track of Clint Bowyer's standing, and was very sorry to hear that Jimmie Johnson and his wife have contracted Covid-19.  I'm about ready for football season, if any of the teams will be playing.  It's a different world now.

I can't say that Michael and I race around the driveway on our walks.  I'm grateful that he is willing to go at my slow pace.  Sometimes I worry that he might not be getting enough exercise, but then think of the dogs who live in apartments all their lives and also go for regular outings and seem to do well.  Were it not for his penchant for going walkabout up the road, I would love to let him roam and sniff on the property on his own.  I've tried to explain this to him, but all I get is, "Lalala, I can't hear you," in response.  For such an intelligent dog, he is stubborn on this one point.

Well, if yesterday was Sunday, it's a good bet that today is Monday.  So far, so good.

Stay safe.  Be well.

Independence Day

Yesterday was saved from being a dud holiday by a visit from George.  He is such a simpatico guy and our conversations are varied and wide ranging.  In addition to other goodies, he brought me packages of hot dogs, so even dinner last night was Fourth of July worthy.

George always brings treats for Michael, too.  Yesterday's offering was chunks broken off large, "big dog" milk bones.   Michael ate one piece in our company and then asked to go back in the house.  He was making little worried sounds and I was somewhat concerned.  I found out the reason later in the evening when I heard crunching sounds.  It seems Michael had carried one of the pieces into the house to hide somewhere for a late-night snack.  I've never known a dog with such self-constraint.

Last night was blessedly peaceful.  No sounds of fireworks going off nor the resulting sound of sirens as there have been in years past.  I watched A Capitol Fourth on TV.  There has never been such an ongoing, hour-long, spectacular fireworks display.  I did miss Gary Sinise and the introduction of American military heroes, but it was a most satisfying Independence Day celebration in the nation's capitol.  No crowds necessary.

Stay safe.  Be well.

The Fourth

I like the fourth of May, "May the Fourth be with you!"  It always sounds like Obi-Wan Kenobi with a lisp.  This Fourth of July is just going to be hot.  There will be none of the festive gatherings and barbecues.  Fireworks have been banned up here for years, so I won't be missing them.  As I so often do when the present fails me, I revert to the past.

When I was a kid, before it was dark enough for fireworks on the Fourth of July, I was permitted to light off "snakes," small black pellets that would rise up and coil in a column of ashes.  I thought they were magical.  Next came sparklers.  Not the wimpy kind on sticks today.  Our sparklers were on wires and lasted forever, or at least long enough to dance about and "write" your name in the air.  Not as safety conscience as we are today, I well remember stepping barefoot on a hot discarded wire.  That's how we learned.

As a teenager, my family joined with my sister's for an all-day picnic at a park in Hollydale.  My grandfather, Papa, was still alive then.  He was a crusty old dude who had mellowed with time and kept an eye on my nieces and nephews while my mother, sister, and I played a marathon, nonstop game of double solitaire.  I was picked up later by a date who took me to the Coliseum in Pasadena for a big aerial fireworks show.

My best Fourth of July ever was sitting on Waikiki Beach with my son, drinking mai tais, feeling the breeze come off the ocean, and watching fireworks out over the bay.

Ah well.  That was then, this is now.

Stay safe.  Be well.

Nothing Doing

Nothing, nada, zip.  For no good reason, I was cranky all day yesterday and woke up this morning in the same mood.  Fortunately, these times don't come often and don't stay long, but when they are here I find it's best not to spread them around.

Enjoy your Fourth of July celebration!

Stay safe.  Be well.

My View

This is frequently the view from my chair.  In case the photo needs interpreting, that grey hairy lump in the foreground is Celeste.  I didn't move quickly enough before she leapt up (without asking, I might add), so all fifteen pounds of her landed across my arm, effectively rendering it useless, or at least immobile.  As I've said, cats have no sense of nor respect for personal space.  Obviously, I was in the process of using the remote to do something or other, thus the disembodied hand.  Anyone who lives with cats will tell you that once a cat has settled wherever they please, a big Do Not Disturb sign goes up that we all obey.  Fortunately, I had one hand temporarily free to tend to my wants, like picking up the now ever-present glass of water.  Like Gammy's bed ("The Egg And I"),  the table by my chair holds a conglomeration of small items within reach.

What was I watching, you ask.  Another Canadian cop show.  I'm a big fan of Canadian and Australian productions.

The afternoon heat was enough for the ceiling fan and spray bottle (by my chair) to come into play again.  My own Do Not Disturb sign went up and I took a nap.

Stay safe.  Be well.

Give 'Em The Brush Off

Welcome to the House of Fluff.  If the animals are any indication, it's going to be one hot summer.  They are shedding like nobody's business.  Except for his neck ruff, Michael has lost most of his long, soft winter fur and is down to the coarser base coat.  And still there are puffs of fluff throughout the house.  It's not just Michael.  Pet Ralph or Celeste and get a cloud of cat hair floating up your nose.  In an attempt to control...no, not control...contain is a better term for the situation, I keep a slicker brush next to my chair and any critter within reach gets a going over.  Fortunately, this is a procedure they all like.  "A little more to the left, Mom.  Ahh, that's it!"  Michael particularly likes the butt scrubs, but inevitably rolls over for a belly rub.  Slicker brush or hand, makes him no nevermind, we finish up on his tummy.  This goes on time after time throughout the day.  The "guard" who checks your receipt at Walmart told me he'd had a Sheltie.  "You can brush them 24/7 and it never ends."  I continue to be amazed at Michael's "star of the show" qualities.  I'm just along to hold the leash as he gets compliments left and right wherever we go.

Yes, we did get down to town yesterday for lab work and to pick up my whole seven-day "emergency" prescription.  That will mean another trip whenever Doctor decides what I'll need next.  Gahh!

I appreciate the calls and texts inquiring about my health.  Normal being a relative term, I'm there again.  Migosh, I even have ankles again.  How is it that dehydration can cause ankles, feet, and hands to balloon to the point they could be in a Macy's parade?

If you need me, I'll be giving one or another of the insiders a brush off.

Stay safe.  Be well.