TheCapeBlog

Busy yesterday. I finished the second coat on the living room wall and painted around the front windows. Much left to do: trim.

We had a light lunch at the Senior Center and listened to a not very good presentation about composting at the Transfer Station. Incomplete and, worse, inaccurate information was provided.

What do these bureaucrats do with their time anyway?

We went to Walmart for our meds and brought home groceries as well.

Ron misplaced or lost his hearing aids. He has replacement insurance and can get another pair for $1,500 instead of $6,000.

I couldn’t get my project to run, sent it to Jim. He sent some code back which works. He thinks there is something environmental going on with my setup and I think he’s right, have a feeling that SendGrid is blocking my IP address. He’ll write an API for me.

The imps next door had a tiny snake and brought it over to show me. The garage door was open and they raced in, decided to give the snake a “ride” in the Corolla’s wiffle ball marker.

Bell was intrigued with the satchel of produce and wanted a carrot, but his Dad said they had some at home so, no. “But we don’t have GIANT carrots!”

It was warm today, 60 degrees, so I scraped and spray-painted the left side garage door today. It’s not a great job but at least the wood is protected with primer and paint.

Ron is very depressed about the hearing aids, had a long nap late morning to early afternoon. Got up to do a redemption run but got there too late. He’s continuing to work on the fence now.

I moved my computer setup into the second bedroom and looking out the window, am enjoying the gorgeous beech leaves. Soon I’ll have a view of mountains.

Put off the contract for the driveway. With the new oil tank and a possible big plumbing project in the works, we just don’t have the cash right now. I’ve cratered my credit rating with all my borrowing to get the house in order.

I downloaded an Excel spreadsheet, clumsily edited it and came up a list of heat pump providers from Mass Save; will start calling.

Made a topping for penne pasta today: onion, garlic, a little sweet pepper, spinach, sliced “giant” carrots, mixed greens, tomatoes. We ate it all.

Baked Pillsbury biscuits the other day for lunch with soup but they were gone by the time we went to bed.

Theocracy has arrived in America, a far right election denier was elected Speaker of the House. Well, it’s just for 14 months.

I worked on the South living room wall today, put on a second coat past the windows and a first coat on the rest, including the new support column which as it turned out is a nice architectural feature.

James and Jake stopped by to figure out where they could install a return. Great to see them! From the photos, looks like they’ve been doing fantastic work up the street.

As if this was not enough joy, I was warmly received by my professor friend at Williams College who asked where I’ve been and invited me to come back on Monday. Brought candy to his seminar. Met some very nice students, too.

Stopped in to Dollar General yesterday for cookies, crackers and mixed nuts. Exactly $10.

It’s pouring rain today.

I set up the metal pumpkin buckets with a string of lights in the front windows.

Ron is off to the transfer station with a full pail of compost and about half a bag of trash, left with 15 minutes to get there, in and out.

Foliage peaked overnight, it was gorgeous in Williamstown yesterday.

I’m writing to ask you to co-sponsor the Workplace Psychological Safety Act, H1882, to give employees the right to a psychologically safe work environment.​

Unfortunately, we live in a society, even in Massachusetts, “where getting along with others” too often means subordinating oneself to MAGA-type bullying and abuse. I am sure as an office-holder you know exactly what I mean.

Managers and supervisors generally don’t have the skills to deal effectively with this behavior. They will put up with hits on productivity and morale to avoid confrontations with psychological abusers. Same is true for Human Resources professionals.

Having worked in Human Resources for decades, I can assure you that employers respond to threats of legal action more than any other incentive to change. For this reason, I think it’s necessary to provide workers and employers with legal recourse when psychological abusers run rampant. Such recourse does not exist now, which is why I’m writing to you today.

The Workplace Psychological Safety Act (WPSA) provides a cause of action for employees who suffer from workplace psychological abuse.

No doubt you’ve received other correspondence that details the reasons why many of us are supporting this legislation.

Sparing you a recap, I simply ask as your constituent: will you please co-sponsor the Workplace Psychological Safety Act?

The oil company owner and his son installed the new oil tank. It was more difficult and took longer than they’d figured, about par for the course for this old house. Ron griped that it was a disaster; I chewed him out for being so spoiled that he didn’t appreciate that a real disaster is when you don’t have people to help you. I reminded him that he had no idea what work his parents and grandparents did to keep their Rindge house intact.

I saw a squirrel take off with one of our tulip bulbs, so installed a piece of chicken wire that was behind one of the sheds and anchored it with rocks.

Got a not great photo of a deer in the corner garden eating tree leaves. There were three in all; two stayed behind the fence.

Modern Pest was here for a quarterly inspection and feeder refills.

Ron was not feeling well all day and finally remembered that he’d skipped his meds twice.

I’d forgotten to pick up the produce on Tuesday; fortunately, the box was still there yesterday morning.

Have been reading the CARES project report.

Roasted a pile of vegetables today, made enough to freeze half: squash, turnips, beets, Brussels sprouts.

Planted the tulip bulbs today. Measured and weeded about a 15 square foot area in front of the corner garden, dug out two boulders, arranged the bulbs in groups of six or so.

We got both living room blinds up. Ron did one and gave me an assist on the other.

Ryan and Travis from the Town Building Department came today, liked the third bedroom and living room renovations. Compliments to James and Jake. Travis will sign off on the project.

Last night, I was delighted to hear three members of the Jazz Messengers plus three younger musicians perform a tribute to Art Blakey, and it was a stunner: elegant, classy. Ron, who had a problem with one of his feet, stayed home.

We’d gone to the Repair Cafe earlier, dropped off a blanket that needed its ribbon binding reattached. We did a trip to Stop & Shop for groceries and foot supplies for Ron, then back to Sheep Hill to pick up the blanket.

Ron’s friend Greg stopped by for lunch and a visit: a treat for both of us.

I spent the morning decluttering and organizing, put the painting supplies in the sunroom, hung pictures and attempted to dust. The house actually looked pretty good by the time Greg arrived.

Ron made a very good carrot cake which we shared with the neighbors and picked up one lunch at the senior center; Rick kindly delivered the other later. I brought home cheese, bread, macaroni and pasta salads and potato salad from Winchester’s.

Epic one yesterday.

Ron got his Greylock password squared away, so we stopped at the bank ATM for cash.

Picked up meds at Stop and Shop and Walmart. In between, had lunch at the Berkshire Food Project.

Returned the blinds to Home Depot in Pittsfield.

Got to Stockbridge two hours early. Mailed the Mirabito contract documentation at the post office and enjoyed pastry at The Lost Lamb. Fortunately, the library was open so we used their facilities before boarding the bus for Naumkeag.

Gorgeous day for an outing at the Naumkeag Pumpkin Show.

Got home in time for a stellar neo-bop/post-bop 90 minutes plus concert at Williams College by the Jimmy Greene quartet:

Jimmy Greene – saxophones

Aaron Goldberg – piano

Reuben Rogers – bass

Jonathan Barber – drums

I spent hours yesterday listening to The New Republic’s “Stop Trump Summit”.

This morning I finished painting the side window frames.

What misery.

This morning I tried a light sand and first layer of paint on the window sill. Difficult time getting the brackets off, thought the whole top trim was going to fall.

Baked the delicata and brussels, made a sauce that wasn’t bad but it set up like hard taffy.

Yesterday we attended the Historical Museum Fall Harvest Fair. Had the worst veg burgers ever eaten but enjoyed the rest, especially the new barn. Got good reviews for my photo montage in Facebook.

Watched the Patriots game into the third quarter, gave up.

Hoping for some foliage photos, I suggested we visit Royal Enfield in Pownal. The owner was welcoming and he and Ron had a good conversation. No photos, though, not enough sun.

We stopped at Dwyer’s for beer for Ron; he tied on a good one while we watched TV. I made an Amaro sour; Ron did the same and added it to a glass of maple bourbon.

How can someone who is paranoid about cancer be so cavalier about alcohol poisoning. Self-medication? Same for me for that matter; I gorged yesterday, much of it healthy but more than I needed. Why?