Immigration Protests; Shower Valve

They’re scheduled for this Friday, all over the Cape. I’m not sure how much good they do as far as setting policy is concerned.

The answer to the detention/processing/holding centers is more money and major changes in immigration law. Or, I suppose, mass deportations.

I slept well last night because we kept the a/c and the fan on.

It’s hot again today. I’ve been watering since early this morning.

I’ve taken the shower valve apart three times and put it back together twice. The cold water no longer leaks, the hot water does.

I told Ron that I’m going to take it apart for the winter, since it’s impossible to drain all the water that collects in the valve, in spite of what we’ve been told. Unemployment insurance for plumbers, perhaps.

Watched a good portion of the parade in NYC for the women’s soccer team. Very impressed, the City did a great job. Nice speech by Megan.

Ron finished the front gutters. For a while, it looked like one of those projects that never end. He started work on the back this afternoon.

I returned a nice but too small plastic planter to Mahoney’s so offered to drive Robert home. He was delayed a few minutes because of last-minute customers, but traffic wasn’t bad, so we made it in good time.

I went the long way back, via Pimlico Pond Road to 130, and stopped in to Naukabout to get some info on groups.

Got the last Misfits shipment today, a day late.

Attended a nauseating meeting of the MRTC.

Edgewater Brush

Took care of it today. The bushes in front of the house were quite overgrown, and I may do more in the Fall or the Spring. I also cut down a lot of cat briar next to the driveway. Much nicer to work over there than here, but still wiped me out. Dropped it all off at the transfer station brush pile and picked up a pot of zinnias and a pound of local honey at Sprout Farm on the way back.

Ron got a good review from the orthopod.

I met with the executive director of the local office of a national small business/nonprofit accelerator. She asked why I like mentorship; I told her I enjoy bringing people together. In retrospect, that was Caroline.

Sunday

It cooled off and was much less humid today, but even so, I’m wiped out. No idea why.

We moved one of the shower walls to the deck.

Ron water blasted and I weeded and watered.

He did laundry and we changed the sheets. Traffic was reported to be insane, so we stayed put until Ron went out for bagels quite late.

I roasted broccoli and acorn squash and made a salad for lunch.

Watched the US women’s soccer team win their championship and the first act of the Met’s February 8, 2019 performance of “Daughter of the Regiment”. Nice production and Javier Camarena’s Tonio got a standing ovation, and an encore, for hitting 9 high C’s flawlessly in “Ah! Mes Amis”.

Saturday

I bought a very expensive drill bit so Ron could make drainage holes in our two ceramic pots. I ruined a beautiful pot last year by failing to do this, so was determined it wouldn’t happen again.

Had breakfast and more conversation with Gary before he left for Connecticut. So happy he came to visit!

We did laundry. I got bread at Andy’s. Traffic and drivers were a nightmare, so we stayed put for most of the day.

Gary’s Visit

Gary arrived on his Harley around 3 as predicted, and reported that traffic was good on 495.

I’d made a deal with Ron that in exchange for his getting the second bedroom cleaned up, I’d take care of everything else: transfer station run, mowing the lawn, shopping, cleaning the bathroom, watering, setting up the air mattress, getting supper on the table: grilled veg burgers, potato and veg salads from Stop & Shop, leftover watermelon/strawberry salad for dessert.

We’re having a terrific visit. Gary has dozens of great stories about his time in the Navy and characters from the past.

He wanted to take us to dinner, but after I mentioned the outdoor shower value, he reinstalled it – without instructions or videos, only with instinct and experience.

I met our neighbor’s mother, Helen, yesterday.

Butterfly; Copper Soap; Transplants

Sprayed the roses yesterday with copper soap.

Potted a huge, gorgeous Stella d’Oro and transplanted a random bunch of something that I’d stupidly planted behind one of the big grasses.

I put the Stella in front of the shed so we can appreciate it.

Got blood test results back yesterday. High triglycerides.

Traffic was awful in Teaticket.

Saw a couple of butterflies yesterday. Plenty of bees.

Weekend

I don’t remember much about it except that we did laundry and changed sheets yesterday. I hung out the clothes and we got them in before a thunderstorm around 4:15. Ron finished them off in the dryer.

I went to Meeting but realized that I’m not finding God in any house of worship, anywhere: Christian, Quaker, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim. For me, God is absent around humans.

I picked more strawberries this morning. The tomatoes, squash and day lilies have flowers. The little Monrovia that CL gave us last year is beautiful, even though it’s not fully in bloom yet.

Plants do assert their right to life.