Not much into Halloween decorating this year, but fortunately, others were. I took off around 7:15 to tour a couple of neighborhoods. The Bartletts at SPE had the most spectacular displays: fantastic! We had about 20 kids; plenty of leftover candy for us.
We did food shopping today. Ron worked on the compost; I picked up more starter.
We also pounded in more rebar and attached the wisteria trellises.
We – both of us – managed to get the hibiscus out of the kitchen and into the new room in the basement. There were, of course, the usual arguments, but I’m thrilled to have that done, and hope the plant will be okay.
Also did laundry and mowed the front and back yards.
Started testing and debugging MRS2020.
P&B’s 25th anniversary, and James’ second road test.
Washed and cleaned out the truck and brought a minuscule load of yard clippings from yesterday to the transfer station.
Ron and I put the right side shelf back on the Weber.
He also cut the prongs of a tomato cage that needed to be regrounded.
Vegetable soup and good bread for lunch.
Last “Civility” group meeting tonight. The moderator baited me, and I took it, hook, line and sinker. So much treacle from a couple of the “born luckies” that we all could have had diabetic seizures.
Ron spent most of yesterday trying to figure out his checking account/checkbook.
Watched “Maiden”. Quite a film!
Yesterday, we did transfer station runs for us, Peter and a friend of Peter’s. Lunch at Dunkin’.
I smashed my left side mirror yesterday at the transfer station. Brought the truck to Battles (Falmouth) this morning for an estimate.
Grabbed sandwiches at one of the new restaurants. Too expensive. I can get a whole meal at Subway for less, and enjoy it more.
Uploaded final files to NEPS. Sent a draft 2020 MRS schedule to Nicole.
Did some front yardwork: looking better, much better. Trimmed the bushes by the front steps and trimmed gone-bys along the fence, front and back.
Still struggling to clean the wound in my left ring finger. It’s been bothersome for over a week and a half.
After thinking about going to a vegetarian food event in Osterville, we stayed in yesterday. Phoned them; they sold out an hour before they’d planned to close, so just as well we didn’t go. The organizer was nice enough to give me a rundown of the offerings, which was helpful for future menu ideas.
We read the Times, did laundry, changed sheets: the usual. I started reading a Booker prize nominee, “Ducks, Newburyport”.
I stopped after four “readers”, though. It was surprisingly tiring.
Made a new friend; we had lunch at Crisp.
I did get to be a reader of two “books”, one a dentist who immigrated from Eastern Europe and a Mashpee woman who spoke about being Black on the Cape. The conversation with the second woman was more about her son who is handicapped. I was interviewed by a radio station freelancer.
Finished watching “The Spy” on Netflix.
Up at 6:45 to get ready to drive Robert to work. He looked pretty sharp in his purple shirt!
Washed the truck, much to Smokey’s displeasure; I think he may have been sitting under it.
Did laundry. After Ron finished his morning ablutions, we dropped off wood at the transfer station.
Salad and garlic bread for lunch.
I went to the Food Pantry this morning. On the way home, I stopped at Soares and picked up two healthy-looking Vitex “Flip Side”, a shrub that sports purple flowers and leaves, for Edgewater; 60% off, about the best deal around.
Ron and I spent part of the afternoon at Edgewater working on the front lawn and the grass garden.
Planted and watered the shrubs in the grass garden while Ron mowed the front. We mulched the new plants with the clippings.
I’ve been nervous about the increasingly cold temperatures; last night, it got down to the mid-forties, and we are very close to the average first frost for this area.
So, after a light supper of corn on the cob from the Pantry, I sprayed the potted hibiscus and mixed diatomaceous earth into the top inch or so. Ron brought it in to the kitchen until we get it set up in the basement.
I’ve taken care of the back yard, which has been neglected this year.
Peter was sick and his shoulder was acting up for a while. I can’t remember my excuse.
I mowed yesterday – twice. Once the grass dries out – we had 17 hours of rain last night and this morning – it’ll need to be mowed again.
I dug up all the “junk” plants in the corner by the fence.
I also dug up, moved and dug new holes for the big grasses, which were overtaking the garden and picked up blow-downs from the big storm earlier this week.
Today I finished planting the big grasses. Returned one to the “grass garden” and placed four by the metal fence. Pruned two of them; I’d pretty much mashed their fronds.
Picked up three nice fall asters on sale yesterday at Scenic Roots and planted them in the new area, adding Peter’s favorite color, purple, to the back yard.
Besides finishing the planting, I spent a good part of today, about 3 hours worth, cleaning up the grass garden as well as the newly planted area. Loaded everything on the truck and made it to the transfer station, maybe five minutes before it closed.
Yesterday, I grabbed lunch at Subway and drove James to work. Picked up bagels for us and a coffee cake for the MRTC meeting at Panera.
Unfortunately, we were locked out of Mashpee TV. The gang decided to go to Bobby Byrnes, but I’d already spent enough money for the day, so aside from signing papers, I abandoned the meeting.
We watched a terrific film about a single mother activist in DC, Virginia Walden.
The smoke alarms went crazy today; I burned half a dozen eggs. Had some for a late lunch; they were good, even so.
Started the day by cutting up the pile of Russian olive brush that Ron hacked a few days ago and hauling it to the transfer station. We fit all of it in the truck, reserving some large branches for Ron to do something with.
We went to a memorial dance/fundraiser for Chris Sweeting, Greg Baker’s bandmate, who passed away earlier this month.
I went to Falmouth for the Jazz Stroll. Too many people, but I enjoyed a couple of the groups anyway. The flowers are from the Museums on the Green. Stopped at Cumby on the way home.
