Dripping woke me up last night. Still raining. Ron’s timing could not have been better. I’m so glad he finished the powerwashing yesterday.
Had a nap last evening after riding with Ron to bring James home. Was in a lot of pain last night but much better now: back, left ankle, hands.
Looked back at some posts from December 2008. That was a very tough year.
Ron finished the power washing! Fantastic. That leaves only gutter cleaning for the last major outdoor chore.
Had a great annual checkup.
Finished out my week at the bakery. Pureed a case of bananas, washed a “cement mixer”, labeled bags, cleaned a cooler, washed dishes, cleaned the coffee area and the side window sill.
We are running very lean this month. Peter is late with the rent; property taxes were due on the first; and we had a gigantic water bill thanks to someone’s leaving a sprinkler on all night.
So, I was astonished to find that Ron had drawn down his bank balance to $0.
Turns out, he transferred about $270 to PayPal – for probiotics! – and didn’t realize it.
Finished cleaning the windows this morning, or at least, made a good attempt.
Slept with the puff last night. Frost this morning.
Made a killer chicken stew and rice and beans tonight.
Drove Robert and later, James, to work.
Ron was at the bakery. He drove everyone home tonight!
Did some database updates for the school.
Swept leaves from the driveways, Edgewater and here.
Made more progress with old paperwork.
You like it under the trees in autumn,
Because everything is half dead.
The wind moves like a cripple among the leaves
And repeats words without meaning.
In the same way, you were happy in spring,
With the half colors of quarter-things,
The slightly brighter sky, the melting clouds,
The single bird, the obscure moon—
The obscure moon lighting an obscure world
Of things that would never be quite expressed,
Where you yourself were never quite yourself
And did not want nor have to be,
Desiring the exhilarations of changes:
The motive for metaphor, shrinking from
The weight of primary noon,
The A B C of being,
The ruddy temper, the hammer
Of red and blue, the hard sound—
Steel against intimation—the sharp flash,
The vital, arrogant, fatal, dominant X.
Wallace Stevens, 1879 – 1955
Not less because in purple I descended
The western day through what you called
The loneliest air, not less was I myself.
What was the ointment sprinkled on my beard?
What were the hymns that buzzed beside my ears?
What was the sea whose tide swept through me there?
Out of my mind the golden ointment rained,
And my ears made the blowing hymns they heard.
I was myself the compass of that sea:
I was the world in which I walked, and what I saw
Or heard or felt came not but from myself;
And there I found myself more truly and more strange.
Wallace Stevens, 1879 – 1955
Ron did three loads of laundry and finished powerwashing the front of the house.
I had a good day at the bakery. Did a lot of scrubbing and cleaning in addition to washing cooking equipment. Told Liz I’m interested in being a baker. Standish visited for the day.
A huge flock of starlings flew from our yard to Tony’s to the left side of Laura’s, then the right side, and over Laura’s house. Quite a spectacle.
Did the lawn at Edgewater today, brought leaves back to one of the new plots. Did the transfer station run as well.
Ron completed the new dryer vent! It looks very professional and works great.
Stop the Presses! Hide the Women and Children! I’ve gone back to work. Marcia and I are splitting a full time job washing dishes at a local bakery. The White Lion Bakery in Mashpee makes Certified Gluten Free goods, some are on sale at the Market Hall in Oakland (Piedmont ?). They make a wide range of confections from Magic Bars (dark chocolate/honey fruit high energy bars) to Pumpkin Cheesecake. No bread or rolls at the moment, cookies, cupcakes, Pumpkin Cheesecake, pies, pizza dough mix, all sorts of cakes. Sweetened with honey, no preservatives, certainly not low cal, but wholesome and very tasty with crackers made with cheddar cheese. Throw in a quiche and a dieter could do some serious damage to him or her while remaining gluten free. We get to lick the bowl and or beaters…who could ask for more? The erstwhile manager, the son of a restauranteur is a dead head and management loves us both. Their business is going great so who knows? I’m wearing t-shirts and shorts and Teva sandals at work, I have a 3 day work week and Marcia is working 2 days. As the Holiday Season approaches we’ll be splitting a 7 day work schedule while the other of us is transporting grand children to and from work/our regular home & garden duties.I’m not sure of the shop’s name within Market Hall but it should be easy to find. The contact person in Oakland paid $ 43.00 for the package overnight postage so this stuff will be pricy.Best to all and I’m lucky to be well enough for a physical job once again.
