Month: August 2019

I haven’t been working much outdoors but yesterday, we did a serious cleanup of overgrown brush on the Southeast side of the yard.

I noticed this after the heavy rains this past Spring but have been distracted by other things. It was great to get a handle on it.

We filled up the truck and came back from the transfer station with an impractical but pretty metal settee for the garden. We brought another half load or so to the brush pile before the station closed.

We haven’t received rent for this month. It’s out of control.

Ron and I are the same age as some rest home residents. We shouldn’t have to worry about this.

We received a package from Betsy yesterday: Ron’s Cape Cod Healthcare hat, which was cleverly found by Betsy’s granddaughter, and some clothes for me.

The dogwood that I transplanted earlier this year is suffering, and it may be due to lack of water.

My level was high enough, 14.1, so both of us donated to Cape Cod Healthcare yesterday. One of the nurses is a gardener; she encouraged me to not give up on the poor tree.

We picked up my Mashpee 9 tee and on the way back, stopped at Sprout Farm for corn and marked-down herbs. I finished making a planter of basil and mint this morning.

Ron wanted to stop at the library on the way home, so while he was browsing, I stepped in to the Mashpee School Department store, and wrote a note to a service person. Did some window shopping at Williams Sonoma on the way back.

Passed on an interview for a job in town.

Made egg salad yesterday. Haven’t done much today besides watering.

Must be the exercise and good nutrition: I made it to the end of South Cape beach today.

We worked on cleaning the house and yard for two days, and it was well worth it.

Weather was ideal for a cookout; no bugs, either.

Cathy and Cindy brought cheese and crackers, ice, cranberry juice and a superb salad. We had rum, hamburgers, hot dogs, rolls, coleslaw, swiss chard salad and watermelon.

Summer punch: coconut and dark rum, cranberry and pineapple juice.

What atrocity could drive a woman to sacrifice her own offspring rather than submit the child to it? Toni Morrison

I picked up a huge zucchini a week or so ago and finished cooking it today as zucchini bread and pasta sauce/panko “boats”. I baked one bread in the microwave and one on the grill.

Also made coleslaw with a mayo/horseradish dressing.

We had a welcome cloudburst this morning.

Went to a MRTC meeting last evening. We decided to put off the membership drive event until next month and to sign up for a table at Oktoberfest. Discussed naming a Mashpee Republican of the Year.

I was so impressed with Peter’s new little outdoor niche that I decided it would be nice to have the pop-up in place for the rest of the Summer and Fall.

Big mistake: Ron offered to help and because it’s impossible for me to do this on my own, I accepted.

He complained the entire time that everything I’d done was wrong, from selecting the site (too many trees) to putting on the canopy at the wrong time.

Today, there was another argument about buying outdoor chairs. Ron yelled that we can’t afford it. I asked him how he would know that, since I’m the keeper of the household expenses.

I found two folding camp chairs on sale at Aubuchon. These are ideal: they are lightweight so we can bring them to concerts and the beach, and they take very little storage. With a 20% off coupon, they were half price: $15.06 for both, which we can easily afford.

I ordered the chairs online and picked them up at the Falmouth store. Unfortunately, one of the chairs had a tear, but the South Sandwich store manager cheerfully allowed us to exchange it. We’ll be back.

I helped a very disabled lady load plants into her car.

We’ve been working on laundry. Ron hung sheets outside, which I think was crazy, but good for him.

We went to Shaw’s for bargain bagels. We saved so much on the chairs, it was like getting the bagels for free…..

I made green salad, potato salad, egg salad and baked an eggplant loaf on the grill.

Got that done today.

Ron did the lawn. He discovered that I was using the wrong gas, duh. Mower seems to be running fine, though.

Picked up a stellar old candelabrum for the garden at the transfer station.

I finally prepped the first set of harvested garlic. Used some tonight with spiralized zuccini. Fresh corn.