Author: thecapeblog

We mowed the lawn and did the transfer station, barely in time.

Burned about a bushelful of weeds and sticks. Trimmed the trees on the left side of the house.

Offloaded photos from Ron’s phone. Made some photo books of Robert’s graduation pix.

Washed several rugs that Fluffles had dirtied. Spread the small amount of remaining mulch around the roses. Trimmed the climbing rose at Edgewater while Ron loaded up the truck. Grilled sausages and cooked the rest of the corn for lunch.

Made a big salad for supper: lettuce, corn, tomatoes, avocado, cucumber, radishes. Ate it with some really good seafood (pollock) salad from Roche.

Strawberries are ripening. Saw a squirrel with one in its mouth this morning.

It stopped raining, at least for now. As far as Robert’s graduation is concerned, doesn’t matter since it’ll be indoors.

I’m glad that Ron spread compost earlier this week; it certainly got a good watering in.

Fluffles has had several accidents over the past couple of days. Right now, we have five rugs sitting on the deck that need to be cleaned.

The skin around my eyes was really bothering me yesterday, as if I were being bitten. I’m wondering if I need to fumigate for no-see-ums, some of which are tiny enough to crawl through standard window screens.

I went through years of digital photos today to create a collage to honor Robert on his graduation and found this fairly decent one of me.

It’ll be much easier when it’s time to do a collage for James!

Ron’s Father’s Day gift arrived yesterday, a miter stand for when we can afford to buy his compound miter saw.

I’d planned to hide it, but it was pretty heavy, so opted to let Ron carry it downstairs.

In other news, I quit AVID and NaviNet yesterday. Just one too many “you’ve got to be kidding” moments. It’s a shame: nice people, nice office, generous employer. Just too many ugly things hiding under rocks, everywhere.

Back in town for grandchildren’s high school graduations, Ed stopped by yesterday. I was pleased that I stayed put so both Ron and I could visit with him.

After the Mass. state auditor found that the DTA paid $2.4 million in welfare benefits to dead people plus “millions” more to recipients living in Florida, Las Vegas and the Virgin Islands (!), their spokesperson sarcastically “thanks” Rep. Shaunna O’Connell for paying $800 for a report of EBT balances over $1,500 “so taxpayers don’t have to pick up the tab.”

Unbelievable, incredible arrogance.

And by the way, Mr. spokesperson, I’m one of those taxpayers who gave Rep. O’Connell a contribution so she could pay the $800 “ransom”.

Looks like we got a pretty good rain last night. I staked some of the iris before leaving for the bus.

Transplanted two grasses today. Weeded almost everywhere. Pulled out some hosta and planted them in the back. Pulled out a mostly dead lavender. Spread more mulch; the giant bag is down to a couple of gallons. Transfer station run. The yards at Edgewater look great. Visited with Laura for a bit. Changed the sheets, washed the spread. Wish I could remember which plants are the “rescues” from last year.

Miss Kim’s are really beautiful and fragrant this year.

Cleaned the dishwasher trap, something I’ve been wanting to do for a while but figured it would be too difficult; it wasn’t.

Ordered Ron’s Father’s Day gift today. He mowed the front lawn at Edgewater, came home red as a beet. I did laundry and transplanted one of the Stella d’Oros which was being crushed by the rose bushes. Trimmed the others so Fluffles can’t eat the leaves. Transplanting took a long time because the new site was loaded with grass and rocks, hundreds of them. I sifted the rocks out of the soil and ended up with a bucket full.

Put down mulch, weeded the front garden and pruned the rose bushes. Think I got most of the damage from the caterpillars. Moved the poor fuschia to a shady spot and put out some pretty annuals that like full sun in its place.

I grilled burgers and hot dogs, and Ron made a salad.

It was quite warm today but gorgeous tonight. I signed up for Pandora One and Ron enjoyed listening to it. He had his window open and was playing the jazz station while I was working in the garden out front. Talk about a peak experience: it was exactly right!

I started our subscription to Aereo; what a treat for only $8 per month. We get to see shows on PBS, movies and even “Route 66”!

Work went well yesterday, the boss was pleased with the code review and gave us sailing orders for our project.

Ron picked up a Boston cream cake and a Game Stop gift cert for Robert to celebrate his last day of school.

Took the train home again; MUCH better than last Friday. It’s a nice change.

Looks like the Gypsy moth caterpillars are done for now. Something really hacked the roses, but I don’t want to spray them because it seems the pesticides we have are toxic to bees.

Feeling much better today than this time last week.

Woke up around 2:30, cleaned up after Mr. Fluffles who had thrown up in a couple of spots for the second time this week. Fed him and made coffee. Went back to sleep around 4.

Wanted to do some software dev today. I will, but this morning, finished up some little outdoor tasks: swept the deck, which was covered with leaf detritus from the gypsy moth caterpillers, propped up the asparagus with tomato cages, finished pruning the Summer Sweet and did some dead-heading and watering of the window boxes. Planted a little heliotrope that I’d purchased Saturday from a young man at the Waquoit Congregational church who is raising money for his Eagle Scout project.

Ron swept the driveway and is washing the vehicles.

Enjoyed a neighborhood cookout last evening. Would have stayed but the bugs were eating me. Got to catch up with the Winslows. We did the transfer station run and an inventory of wind damage at Edgewater.

I was hoping to sit outside but as soon as I put up the umbrella, the neighbor next door starting mowing her lawn. The fact that she is home all week and could do it then evidently has never occurred to her.