TheCapeBlog

I forgot to unload the mulch from the rental, and it’s been leased by another customer. Thought I’d lost the camp chairs, too, but someone put them in the garage before I returned the car. Making too many mistakes recently.

Checked with MassMOCA, which owns the parking lot on Marshall Street, to see if they have a video camera that might have recorded the fender-bender, but no luck. Everyone I called to track down the responsible party was extremely nice, which is a consolation: the funeral home, the Social Security office and finally, museum security.

We missed outdoor frolicking this week, either because events were canceled due to weather or even if they were “on”, we didn’t want to get drenched.

Painters have pretty much finished the first coat on the third bedroom and started on the hallway. They are good guys, easy to have around. Carpet installer has been MIA.

I started moving living room furniture around last evening, did a little more this morning. It’s better, less disheveled, but would go too far to say it looks good.

Ron drove us to Bennington for errands at Walmart and Home Depot. Got covers for the new outlets, a couple of on-sale camp chairs, mulch, DEET spray, sandpaper and 75 tulip bulbs.

We trekked to Bennington yesterday to return the rental and pick up the Corolla, a misadventure that cost me over $500.

I floundered a bit but after stopping for ice cream (me) and mozzarella sticks (Ron), finally figured out the “pretty” way home.

Ron bought donuts and tonic at Big Moose.

The painters told us about Winchester’s, so we stopped on the way back and picked up sliced cheddar (very good) and beer for Ron.

Watched the last Downton Abbey film, a nice change from politics and mayhem.

Earlier this week, children and grandchildren served tea, and we got to sit with our friend Linnea who didn’t want us to be by ourselves!

On Tuesday, Ron did the lawn, stout heart. It was a very pleasant day to be outdoors.

I’ve been working on code for Jim.

Ron started cleaning the garage gutter yesterday afternoon.

We enjoyed a concert by the Eagles Community Stage Band last night at Windsor Lake. I fell trying to get into my chair on a slope; two people helped me up.

Painters started bright and early this morning!

Brought home a little Nissan from Enterprise to tide us over until the Corolla is repaired. Everything went smoothly at Coggins.

Stopped at Home Depot for mulch (limited supply, end of season, glad to get it) and a gorgeous perennial which had to come home with me.

Changed sheets, did laundry.

Peter, James and Jake came by for checks. Great to see all of them.

Ron did an excellent job fixing the downstairs vanity.

Changed the Brita filter.

We went to Walmart for our meds and on the way back, located Full Well Farm in Adams.

Very warm and humid today; Berkshires can’t seem to decide if it’s still summer. Had a little rain storm around 3:45-4:00. Gave the maple bourbon with soda water a try. Not bad but I still prefer Scotch.

We joined the celebration at Betsy and David’s home, which gets more beautiful with each year. Had a nice dinner with Ron’s high school mates at their 59th reunion. Attended a terrible Amos Fortune Forum presentation by a staffer for Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.

Had breakfast twice at the Monadnock Corner Cafe and attended the parade, which was a lot of fun. Our hostess and her granddaughter participated.

On the way back, we stopped at a distillery on Humpback Mountain. Best, I got to take pictures of the folk art oil tank “animals” on Route 8.

Returned home just before dark and were stunned by the change in the house by the replacement of the old doors with new 6-panel ones. Turns out the carpenters worked for most of Saturday. The electrician finished several projects, including installation of a range hood, wiring in the third bedroom and a new outlet in the downstairs bath.

The last is worthy of mention because although it wasn’t planned this way, it turns out to be in a good spot to power at least three different devices, including a window fan, Ron’s toothbrush and his hearing aid charging unit.

While we were in Jaffrey, I was able to make arrangements for the Corolla to be repaired at Coggins tomorrow. Just what you want to do when you’re visiting friends.

Although I was generally having a good time, I was so stressed by the activity and conversations that my stomach rebelled while Betsy was trying to show me some lamps she brought home from her antique store shopping trips.

Did some vacuuming, cleaned the big kitchen counter. Made a blueberry pie from frozen berries. Did laundry and rehung the living room curtains.

Don’t interrupt me.

Don’t undo my work.

Stick up for me in public.

Greater Heights Tree & Land Management came today to give our house and garage roofs some breathing room: 10-12 feet worth. They did a phenomenal job.

I almost blew it with them. They called last night but I thought they were the landscape company that’d offered to trim the forsythia. Freaked out the poor driver but we squared it away.

We dropped off recyclables at the Transfer Station and picked up peat moss and garden soil at Carr Hardware as well as the compound to repair the siding which I’d ordered in July that just came in. Hope to complete the hibiscus and salvia planting that we started yesterday but ran out of dirt.

Yesterday Ron and I returned a damaged range hood to Amazon via UPS. They’ve shipped a replacement. Peter installed the ceiling lights, which are way too bright; hoping he’ll be back on Friday to install a dimmer. He also started work on the outlet in the downstairs bathroom.

James and Jake have been busy, too, priming drywall and adding baseboard.

Spent some time washing and prepping yesterday’s produce haul for salads: kale, lettuce, tomatoes, cukes, red onions, zukes.

Ron fell in love with a couple of perennial hibiscus and dug out the turf to extend the center garden. Planted them today and another Salvia after removing more medium-sized rocks.

We attended the South Williamstown Neighborhood Association annual potluck BBQ and came home with pasta salad and a cake. We had the winning bid on the cake auction for the Food Pantry and demolished it in a day, with help.

So much good food in one place, and all but a couple of dishes were veg.

Ron mowed the “lawn”!

We visited a couple of garden shops in Hoosick. The big treat was stopping at a roadside stand for produce on the way back. Met the farmer and his two gorgeous, friendly dogs.

Up at 4:30 am, but it rained this morning (Sunday) so couldn’t view the Perseids.

Planted an oregano gifted by a neighbor and the lavender and Blanket Flower (Gallardia) from yesterday’s plunder. Watered both garden “patches”. Pruned the yarrow.

Ron got up with me for the first time in quite a while and with admirable good humor, dug in to the mess we left in the kitchen last night and started the laundry.

Gorgeous morning; hummer at the hanging plant.

Proud of what we and more accurately our contractors have accomplished since we moved in here.

For no good reason, I filled in a survey from the Milton High School Class of 1963 reunion committee. It asked for a summary of life at the moment, and I wrote that we recently moved to the Berkshires from the Cape and are in the process of renovating a 100 year old house.

It sounds a bit highfalutin’ even if it is accurate, which makes me laugh because we are underachievers who have spent our adult lives contemplating how we’re going to pay our bills.