Sunday Morning

We had a nice time with the son yesterday. He brought fried chicken and an assortment of salads. He had last week off, so he, his wife and Yorkie went camping in Northern Minnesota. I don't know where it comes from, but he loves the wilderness. It must be a recessive gene.

Neighbor Bill has already shown up to start cutting up the fallen trees. He hasn't fixed Mark's chainsaw and Mark won't buy a new one because, you know, Bill with fix the one he has. Somehow, I am not holding my breath. I just want huge trees laying about the yard removed, however they manage it. I also need firewood. Problems problems.

The Prince of his Castle

Gatto is quite social and has overtaken Frieda in the photo department. Frieda has become more interested in naps and gladly hands her crown to Gatto. On the task front, other than the trees, I plan to spend some time continuing my work on the outside of the house. It's going to be on the hot side today and tomorrow, 80s F, so I'll want to do whatever I do in the shade. 

Yesterday was the birthday of my recently reconnected friend from 40 years ago. Facebook told me. I sent a text with virtual flowers wishing her a happy birthday. She called and we briefly talked. She was on her way to meet a friend for breakfast. They plan to visit sometime next month. Sometimes you just need to take that step.

Happy Friday

We are back to above average temperatures again for at least a week. I'll get back outside to work on that jumble. The son sent me a text asking if we would like him to come with lunch on Saturday. Of course! A visit with food is always welcome.

Speaking, figuratively, of food, I really knocked out the culinary skills yesterday with dinner. Oven baked wings and a salad, what an accomplishment! Simple is an understatement, good is not an overstatement. I buy beef and pork through Butcher Box, an online seller of organic meat and chicken, as well as fish and seafood. I've done this for several years, long before the pandemic. I get free wings for life. Or as long as I keep buying and they keep selling.

I placed an order for 11 bottles of non-alcohol wine last week from an online business started by a couple of young Italian men. It came Wednesday. There is no real comparison to, say a chardonnay, but it is pleasant enough and I can feel like I am drinking my one-time favorite beverage. Well, wine and gin. My son wrote a poem, a class assignment, when he was in second grade. "My mother is so very thin, that's cuz she drinks a lot of gin." What his teacher must have thought!! Ah, life.

We had our first frost overnight. These are happy to be safe inside.

I have been staring at the computer screen for what seems like forever, realizing there is nothing fit to print happening in my life. Plenty happening in the world. I read a Georgia judge struck down the hand count, after the automated count of votes, before certifying the election result, saying something like"too much too late". I will admit I worry about all of this. 

Enough of that. Onto the important stuff. I thawed duck stock for soup, today is the day to make said soup. Perhaps some bread will be made. Tomorrow I start up the outside work again. Neighbor Bill stopped by yesterday. It was pleasant to have another person to talk to for awhile. He is the neighborhood mechanic, which means he has been busy keeping farm equipment running. He told me he hasn't forgotten about the wood pellet stove. Mark could probably fix it, but Mark does not like doing that sort of thing. He is not mechanical and doesn't want to be. It's beyond my realm.

It's 9:30. Time to start my day. Have a good Wednesday, one and all.

From Stray to Hittin' the Hay

Synchronized Sleeping Beauties

Synchronized Waking Beauties 

Last night went down to one degree above freezing. Tonight is supposed to be one degree below freezing. I brought in a bunch of green tomatoes and several eggplant of various sizes yesterday. I think dinner will be Pasta alla Norma, otherwise known as eggplant in a garlicky tomato sauce. Procrastinator Mark has been working late every evening to get tax extensions done and he doesn't want to eat until he is finished for the night. We are eating late, later than our normal late. Anything I can prep ahead of time is welcome.

I did make focaccia yesterday and zucchini/carrot fritters. I have now used the last of the zucchini Bill gave me. Today is laundry and lunch from the deli day. Twice a week I get a break from making lunch. I think it warms up on Wednesday, which will put me back outside. I want to accomplish as much as possible while I can. I don't like mess and outside got out of hand after three years of doing only the minimum. Wednesday will be the day Mark is free from his office. At least for a day. We can both work outside.

Glowing Light and Other Things

I am a sap. I love the darkening of the season. There is a comfort in it for me. I know it can cause a depressive feeling in many people, but it is an emotional lifter for me. I love a fire and my amber light bulbs with the soft glow cast across the room. Of course, a kitty cat lounging on a piano adds a certain je ne sais quoi to the atmosphere.

 Nothing is ever complete without a Gatto pose. 

Now, off the sap  of my emotion and onto the sapping of my energy. I did what I said I was going to do on Friday. I stained the lower section of the east end of my house. It took me 4.5 hours to do it. I was surprised by that, but I was determined to be done with it. So I finished. My body was so sore, let me tell you, I wondered whatever happened to my life. I still have trim to paint, which will wait until midweek, as we are in a chilly period for a couple of days.

Yesterday I finished, or Mark finished, bringing in the rest of the plants, since we will have nights below freezing. I read petunias can do well inside over winter if they get enough light. The southeast corner gets plenty of winter sunshine, so fingers crossed. They are too pretty to just let them freeze.

There are no tasks for today. I plan to make zucchini/carrot fritters as a side for dinner, so that can be prepped in advance. Perhaps some bread may be made. Otherwise, a pottering, quiet day is expected.

Progress

In the spirit of keeping my cheering squad informed - yesterday I got the windows washed on the outside. Yes. I really did do it. I also split this old and sort of sad Snake Plant and repotted the Mandevilla. This morning I updated both Chrome and Safari (I know hard, right?) and got Mark's wireless working again. He was a bit, hmmmm, frantic. For a reason, he's trying to get client work done. After lunch I will stain the siding on the end of the house to the east. The stain has come off in many places and needs help. It's not a huge job, it only requires sitting on a stool to do. That end is mostly tall windows and I only need to stain the bottom part. The top is protected by wide eaves and has no damage. There will be a small amount of touchup on the trim. There is so much catch-up to do but I need to focus on what I get done and gear myself up for more in the spring. It's amazing how necessary I am and how much I took care of, which now excludes the care of the horses, but didn't used to. I am easily tipped over, which means handling those rather large beasts is not yet part of the program.

That's the report. Over and out.

 

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Here we are, Thursday and ten days into October already. I always believed time dragged on when days are mostly the same. I guess that is a myth. I had two exciting events Wednesday: I mowed and I made a loaf of bread. Look out world, I'm on fire. At least there are a few embers. Sort of.

Today will be low 80s F, meaning I will be washing the outside of the windows. This is done with a bucket of soapy water, a sponge mop and a hose. It needs to be on the warm side when spraying water at glass. Somehow it bounces back at you.

Plants. Mowing. Cat.

Good Wednesday to you all. This is one of the plants that hung on the front porch. The tag is lost and I don't remember what it is, but I hope it will get enough light here facing east. It's really pretty and has bloomed profusely. The excitement for today will be mowing. Yesterday I thought I would see a former neighbor and friend. We see her husband a few times a year when he brings tax information to Mark. She was planning to come with but in the end did not. It was disappointing. It's been maybe 28 years since I last saw her. We became good friends after they moved next door to us in Saint Paul. Her oldest daughter wore my beautiful wedding veil when she married. Life just moved on.

This fellow takes over my side of the bed. Every night. Bed hog. He lives the motto ~if you are going to do something, do it big~. And he does. I never thought my life would be filled with cats and yet, here we are. I can't have dogs anymore and life without housepets would seem empty, although much less work. So, yes. Here we are.

 

Take a Bow

I had a busy AND productive four days. Lopping saplings, washing windows, sills and baseboards. Steam cleaning rugs and then  starting the bringing of plants in for winter.

Gatto and Frieda have always been deeply intrigued by the palm. I need to keep it far enough away from the piano (cat perch) so they cannot maul it. You can see a spattering of color on the maples through the clean windows. Well, almost clean, I still have outside to do.

We have been surviving on leftovers the past few days. I'm done-in by the end of the day, making dinner just hadn't been on the agenda. Last evening I had no choice, all leftover food had been consumed. So, a boneless chicken breast with a bit of pasta and the usual suspects. Also a bushel of spinach to end up with a tablespoon.

As a believer in acknowledging accomplishments, I toasted myself at the end of the day with a glass of zero alcohol Sauvignon blanc. 

 

Rest & Relaxation

Just another Saturday night in the cat house.

 

Wool Eaters

Last winter teeny flying insects showed up in the house. They were minuscule little things which I couldn't identify because of the size. I had a dead one I put on a finger and took a photo, but they were so small I just couldn't figure what they were. It would seem they were some sort of moth. In the spring I had moved the chairs to do the periodic vacuum under them and found this. Yesterday I was steam cleaning the rug and decided everyone should share in my misery. Photos seemed appropriate. I like this rug and I can still use it as long as the chairs stay where they are, which in this small space is about the only choice. As unhappy as this made me, I feel grateful to the little bastards for not eating my other wool rugs. I have checked. I found mothball sachets I can put under furniture throughout the house.

We have a long stretch of pleasant weather showing as far into the month as my app goes. We desperately need rain, not happening. I'm continuing the window washing and rug cleaning over the next couple of days. If I stop to work outside I likely will just stop. I need to get things sorted inside for a reason other than it should be done. I have a house dust allergy. Not barn dust. House dust. Poetic justice. These past few years the minimal has been done in the house. My sinuses have been very unhappy, worse than I can remember for some years. I have air purifiers throughout the house, which helps, but a good cleaning helps even more. In the meantime, I'm kicking up a lot of allergen. Happy days. 

Oh, the Excitement

My gluteus is giving me a maximus pain. I spent several hours Tuesday afternoon bent over as I lopped what seemed like a forest of saplings. Wednesday I was made very aware of my limitations. Owie! It will be a couple more days before I can resume that job. I did wash the interior of 12 out of 18 windows yesterday, so I did something. Oh, the excitement of the life lived by an aging person.

Hello October. Nice to See You.

Hurrah! Hurrah! Autumn has arrived. At least for today. Currently 52 F, high of 65 F. My kind of weather. The afternoon will be spent clearing out the multitude of saplings growing everywhere. Take some advice:  don't move into a softwood woodland. Spare yourself. I plan to make soup for lunch, another thing I like to do. I consider myself the soup goddess. That's my story, anyway.

Yesterday was a good day. Laundry, some puttering and a nice hour or so on the deck with an audiobook. Life felt good.

I used the remainder of the shrimp from Mark's family gathering for dinner last evening. This time was cajun shrimp and rice. I have enough for another meal, but I think we will put that off for a day or two. I think an egg bake will be on the menu tonight.

We intend to watch the debate tonight. Walz has said in the past he is not a good debater, we shall see how it goes. I expect chaos will develop. CBS will not be doing in-real-time fact checking.

Good Morning

We had a quiet Sunday. Mark was recovering from two days of family socializing. I was recovering from life in my slow lane. A thought just came to me.....I come from a family that had hardly any contact with other family members. My mother's personality disorder drove everyone away, so it was us and my grandma. My three serious relationships, two of them marriages, were/is with men from large families. Mark, from a family of ten children, is the largest. And the unfriendly one. If I could have taken my first mother-in-law in the divorce, I would have! She was probably the best person I've ever known. Well, now, this was a divergence.

Carrying on. Although it was warm, there wasn't humidity. So I made bread. I don't know why, I really enjoy bread making. Probably memories of my grandma. I sat in the shade on the back porch with an audiobook for a couple of hours, no mosquitoes or flies. It was lovely. I did not let all of the things needing doing niggle at me, not at all. A perfect day.

Today is laundry, more hay delivery and lunch from the deli. The family gathering Mark attended Saturday was a seafood boil. One of his brothers likes to do this. There were a lot of shrimp leftover, some of which Mark brought home. I used half of it for dinner, the other half will be another dinner, probably tonight. It needs to be used. It's a good thing we like shrimp.

That's about it. 

 

More Food

The product of four cups of milk.

I've intended to make eggplant involtini for a couple of weeks and finally got to it yesterday. I thought I had ricotta but didn't, so I made some. Four cups of milk yields one-half cup of ricotta. I will use the whey to make bread. The sauce had too much moisture but was still good. Under all that sauce are small rolls of roasted eggplant stuffed with ricotta, some of those thyme leaves I spent to much time on and grated parm.

Three more days of weather in the 80s F and then a bit of a cool down. Mark had a good time with the male members (siblings and cousins) of his family yesterday at lunch. His brother from Florida made it out before the hurricane blasted through. His intention is to fly back on Sunday, if he can. The images I've seen are devastating. I don't know if his area was impacted, as I don't actually know where he lives in Florida. Wherever The Villages are. Yes, he lives there.

Today is unplanned, which could mean I may get something done. I often seem to buck my own plans. I need to be stubborn with someone, it may as well be myself.

Done and Dusted

A long time ago I was watching a Food Network program with a chef named Ann something. In the course of whatever she was talking about, well I guess fresh herbs, she said: I ain't got time for thyme. This was running on a loop through my brain as I stripped the tiny leaves from the stems. I also kept hearing a little voice telling me, hey brainy, you can buy this stuff. But it's fresh, I whined back.

The herbs are done. 

 

Herbs

Yesterday was quiet but productive. The afternoon was filled with herbs. I cut the basil plants, making five small jars of pesto and a partial ice cube tray of basil cubes. I had previously dried oregano, which I stripped from the stems. Two sage plants were cut down, one had the leaves put in the freezer. The other was put to hang and dry. Today will be thyme, tarragon and fennel fronds. The rosemary grows well in the house over winter, so it comes in. Signs of summer's end.

We are in the 80s F through Monday, then it cools to normal. Or what used to be considered normal. Being the delicate flower I am, I will occupy myself in the house until then. What a wimp.

Tuesday Already

After a busy outside Sunday I had a quieter inside Monday. There was laundry and kitchen cleanup duty and time for finishing this book. The plan is to head outside again today. It's another nice, mild day ahead.

I smoked a brisket on the gas grill this past weekend and used the remainder in a cream sauce for last evenings dinner. Somewhere under that low calorie (!) sauce is pappardelle, aka, egg noodles. You know, fewer of those so more of the other. Hey, it's healthy. There's tomatoes and zucchini. Mark once again told me he won the lottery. Odd he only says this after he has had dinner.

To finish this report, I believe I will spend the afternoon mowing before I delve into cleaning up the gardens. I'm not looking forward to painting the front porch, so of course I will put it off till the end and like so many other years, maybe not get to it. I can be consistent.

Sassy

Frieda and Sassy

I painted our dog, Sassy, in a school art class when I was 15. It was a gift to my grandma. I loved to draw and paint and was hopelessly untalented. I did it anyway. I took an art class in college and was sooooo out of my league. I dropped the class and the prof didn't argue with me. I did much, much better in his art history classes. I did continue drawing and painting on my own for years, simply because I enjoyed it, never fancying myself as a future Monet. Just a person doing something she liked doing. Frieda thinks it makes a nice backdrop for showcasing her beauty.

Drum roll........I got all of those honeysuckle bushes on the east end of the house, the bushes which for some reason shot up to the height of the eaves, all trimmed to reasonable height yesterday. They look scraggly, but the leaves will fall off soon anyway and the whole thing will start again next year. When you know in advance that you should not plant honeysuckle in front of windows, if you actually want to see out of those windows, be wise and don't do it anyway. A piece of advice given from experience.

This morning is laundry. I have a kitchen that looks as if a dish, pots and pans bomb went off in it. I wish I had my son's chef skill of cleaning as you go along. I am a hopelessly messy cook who often puts cleanup off. Which I did yesterday. Roasting tomatoes, making a brisket, whatever else I could do to make a mess, the mess was made. Unless there is someone else to clean it up, you always pay the piper eventually. An open kitchen is not my friend.

Monday and Friday are deli lunch days. Monday is a smash burger, which we split. They make a good burger. Mark likes to give me a break on meal making, so this is his idea and I certainly don't mind.

Eggplant and Other Important Issues

My flying monkey, Frieda. The little kitten who knocked on the kitchen door autumn 2019. The kitten who strolled in without a second thought and made herself a home. She looks chubby but in actuality that is a large skin flap. The girl is made for leaping, which she did plenty of until she decided she was a grown cat. Now the only purpose it serves is to sway side-to-side when she trots. It does that purpose well. Let's say Frieda and I have some commonalities. She is no nonsense, determined and can give the "look" perhaps even better than I can. Yes, I have learned torties are unusual.

It is a cooler, less humid morning. Tomorrow is, hopefully, the beginning of a Minnesota autumn. The best time to get outside projects done and to enjoy the out of doors. I look forward to getting a handle on some of the four years worth of my neglect. I'll need to join Lori's husband, Gary, in some porch painting. It's badly needed on the ceiling and floor. If I get a quarter of the projects needing doing it will be a job well done.

There was just now a small cat disagreement directed at Gatto by Jiggs with Frieda looking on. Gatto is a trouble maker. I did follow through with my plan to make sauce for eggplant parmesan. There is enough for another dinner. Tomatoes from my garden! I am now getting some ripe tomatoes. I planted really late. I will be having a lot of green tomatoes on the counters this year. That's ok.

Today is Philly Friday at the deli. We always buy one to split. Mark gets the chips and I have a salad. The sandwich is large and always good. There is the cat and food report for the day.

Good Afternoon

A rare afternoon post from me.

Today's lunch was clearing the refrigerator of leftovers. All have now been used.

Mark's Lunch

My Lunch

A small dish of vanilla ice cream followed. Tomorrow is supposedly our last day of high heat and humidity. It cannot come soon enough. On the isolation topic from yesterday.....I looked for senior (I can't believe I am writing this word) activities in my area. There is a senior center in a town 10-12 miles away that has lots of things going on. People from other towns are welcome. Now, I need to do what Val mentioned. Make the effort. There is the problem. I need to go over what is scheduled more closely, then determine if I can motivate myself to make the effort. I am my biggest problem, I've become too comfortable in my isolation. But still wanting interaction. Kind of a mess, yes?

I'm about to make a tomato sauce to be used for eggplant parmesan. I have two large eggplants so I will make enough sauce for a later eggplant involtini. It is always feast or famine with eggplant. It's a good thing we both like it.

Now you know the story of my day. woo-hoo!!

Another Day

Happy Wednesday. We are better than half way through another month. Friday is, hopefully, the last day of heat and humidity. Please let it be so. When it does cool down I plan to start helping in the barn. It's been four years, the first of those because I spent eight months going back and forth to St. Paul nearly every day after my mother died. It took much longer than I anticipated to get the house cleaned out, then I decided to make the place over, which took time. The market was hot so it sold right away when it was finished. It was a long time and  2.5 hours of drive time every day. I can help with cleaning stalls and watering. At least I hope so. It will be good exercise for me. What strange form of human looks forward to scooping manure?

Has anyone else noticed photos are darker when put on blogger? It seems to be a thing. This is a last hurrah of summer. Salmon cake with spicy mayo, sweet corn and a fresh tomato. A perfect combination and fitting for the weather. Our local deli has had very good sweet corn this year. They get eggs, produce and meat from local growers. Also honey. The eggs are large, free range with bright yolks. Worth the extra cost. They smoke the meat themselves. We are fortunate to have it so close.

I read a short article yesterday on the difference between a loner, or lone wolf, and an introvert. I have not felt I am an introvert. Being with people, being in groups of people, does not bother me. I am talkative and certainly not shy. I guess I am a lone wolf. Sounds so much more interesting than recluse! I have often said moving here was not good for me, in that I am too comfortable in my own company and therefore prone to hermitting. When this was a business people were always around, but it's been ten years since I officially shut it down and a couple of years more since things were busy, people-wise. When I read that loners (lone wolf) tend to be opinionated and not shy about sharing said opinions, as well as driven individuals, I felt I found my label. We do need our labels, don't we! Now you know.

So, enough blathering for today. 

Frolicing Horsie Photo Memories

1997

WF Impressive. WF Airs Above Ground. WF Maximum Velocity.

The boys at play.

I can't tell who this is, although I'm certain it's a gelding. This is what happens when so many of the horses are bay with no markings. It's probably Scamper.

We've been having hot, humid weather. It's cutting into the precious autumn weather when I can get outside work done. Over time I have become very heat intolerant. Let's not even go into the humidity. Hopefully we will have mild weather into October.

Mark has a busy schedule the rest of this month. Lunch with his cousins at a bar/restaurant convenient for all the guys. A medical appointment. A sibling reunion at the lake home of a niece at the end of the month. And in the middle, a class reunion. They have decided to have one every year, as quite a few of his small class of thirty have died in the past few years. What a difference from my school. I went to a very large high school, he went to school with the same kids from kindergarten through graduation. I have never attended a reunion. I suppose in a small school you form closer bonds than when you're just one in a crowd of many.

Today, being Monday, is laundry, lunch from the deli and who knows what after. Ah, Monday.

Yup

 Happy Saturday

* I just now remembered where I got this. Thanks, Pixie!

Grumpy Gus

I was off yesterday. The whole of it, from getting out of bed until getting back into bed. I tried to read blogs and just could not concentrate. I know what was making me this way. I had watched the debate and was impressed by Harris. That wasn't the problem. My malaise, if that's what it was, came from watching and listening to the other one. I haven't seen much of him since shortly after he left office. I wouldn't have thought it possible, but I was taken aback. He actually could and did get worse. That isn't what put me in a fog. What did was thinking throughout that "debate" that about 40% of the US population thinks this guy is the second coming. That takes the air out of a room.

Ok, 'nuff of that. Trying to explain my absence when I really should just leave it alone. 

We are having warm weather again, leaving wimp me out of yard work. I made an egg bake for dinner, forgot to add the bacon before cooking, so on top it went. Looks sort of like pizza. I'm having trouble with books, meaning finding something to hold my attention. I had a hold on It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover. It became available yesterday and I'm going to return it. I don't like the romantic novels and that is where it's going. I'm not going along. It may be a good read, but the overload of sex in so many of these novels gets on my nerves. It's not offensive to me, it's boring. I also have Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann. I am not in the mindset for it right now. Way too depressing. I just finished The Story of Edward Sawtelle, this one bothered me. The prose was lovely, but I guess I was not needing something so dark.

I do believe this is enough. I am seeming like that thunder cloud moving in on a summer picnic.

Kitty Ditty.

 Were I a cat, I would not chase a rat. I may call a mouse a louse, but I'd leave it in the house. I'd find myself a chair, I would not share. I'd lay my body down and never have a care.

A Good Day

This is something I don't get to say often......I had a productive day on Sunday. It's uplifting, energizing to accomplish even simple tasks when that has been difficult for so long. I know I am speaking (writing) this to many who know this well.

I made roasted eggplant soup for lunch.

Tomato sauce for dinner.

I made dinner.

And......I made pesto with two different types of basil, which went into the freezer.

On top of this, I picked tomatoes and got one more honeysuckle bush trimmed. Can we have a hallelujah! A feeling of accomplishment can carry over, as I have experienced already today. I got up earlier, put water on for my coffee, made the coffee and put the first load of laundry in the machine, which is happily whirring as I type. An aside. Putting the laundry room on the first floor of the house all those many years ago was one of the very best things we have done. Hands down.  Today I need to clean the mess in the kitchen, I am not a tidy cook, and do the laundry. If I have the energy I'll trim one more bush. It's going to be moderately hot today, so that may not happen.

Mark wasn't twiddling his thumbs. He trimmed dead branches in the ancient apple tree. It is very old, not a hybrid, and gorgeous in the spring. He was busy all day but that is the only thing I know he did. Bill said he is bringing more tomatoes and green beans sometime today. I've already put a gallon freezing bag of whole tomatoes in the freezer. Winter prep is starting.

Sunday Morning

After subjecting any and all to the image of my foot yesterday, my meager attempt at making amends. Kitties in repose.

Tri-pod kitty, Jigglet.

Monster kitty, Frieda.

 Frieda does have two eyes. Really.

About Shoes

Something I had't given thought to until recently.....the feet as they relate to the back. My back has been better, mostly because of pain medication, but I still have a lot of pain and I am limited in what I can do. Much more liberated than I was even six months ago, but not all that great. I have seen ads for barefoot shoes for at least a year, gave them a flicker of thought which was swiftly forgotten. I saw an ad a couple of weeks ago that had a BOGO sale, so I looked and then bought. Two pair for $70 seemed like a small risk. I have to say, they are helping me. The shoe is very comfortable. I have trouble with shoes as I have a high arch/instep. This shoe doesn't hurt my instep and I'm able to walk with a less forward leaning back for longer than I have been able to do. I grew up with the rule shoes are off in the house and it has stuck for me. It feels wrong to have a shoe on my foot in the house. These don't do that. They are light and pliable. I got a pair in white as the freebie. They also come in an ankle boot which I will buy for winter use.

This perspective makes it look like I have a huge foot! Sort of like a platypus.

We have another nice day ahead of us. I hope to get most, if not all, the hedge trimming done today. There is so much to do I cannot procrastinate. Too many years without my help around this place is showing.

Baking and Books

It's a clear, brisk morning in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. My kind of weather. I did get panini made. Not the best formed but they will do. I got one honeysuckle trimmed and quit. I have been barred from using the hedge trimmer for unfair reasons. Just because I cut not one, but two extension cords a couple of years ago should mean a life sentence? Injustice. I told the Lord and Master I am overturning his verdict and will be using the trimmer instead of loppers. He was all aflutter. No No. You cannot do this. I will. Case dismissed.

Yesterday Boud wrote about watching another rendition of Persuasion. I commented that I thought I had the book and had read it but didn't remember. I do have it and it looks like I'd started reading it as I had it bookmarked at chapter seven. In my teens I bought many unabridged collections of classics, so I'm sure that's when I bought this one. Interesting that I actually had been in the process, at some time, of reading the very story we talked about. Now I must read it, it seems fated.