Month: July 2014

 

 

 

 

 

I planted all four of the Montbretia (Crocosmia x. ‘Lucifer’) in the front side garden today. Some new blooms have started already, I think because I dowsed them. I was shocked at how dry they were in the pots, even through I’d tried to water them.

It wasn’t too bad to dig up the soil and enhance it with Ron’s good compost. Cleaned things up a bit, put down another pile of white marble rocks that Ron brought over from across the street, and covered with mulch.

We got a little light rain this evening, which was very nice.

Ron and I managed to get through the transfer station run and set up two hoses in the back yard for James. We observed National Ice Cream Day at Sweet Caroline’s.

This morning, I took a drive to the Otis rotary to see the protesters. Occupy Falmouth has been overtaken by the lunatic fringe. There was a flurry of email activity today, most of it unhelpful, and I’m ashamed to admit that I wasted time participating in it.

Did some NEPS work this morning.

Planted two of the Crocosmias. More rose bush pruning. Killed or captured a bunch of Japanese beetles. Set up the trap and sprayed the wasp nest. Put out the two bags of white marble stones that the Winslows gave us.

Thrilled to note from the tree sapling map that our young Arbor Day Foundation tree with the glorious leaves is an Eastern Redbud.

Pruned and pruned the roses for about an hour and a half. The amount of destruction makes me sick. I annihilated a few Japanese beetles.

Picked three summer squash from the garden. At this point, they may have paid for themselves, given the cost of organic produce.

We went to the Falmouth farmers market today and brought home a blueberry scone, donuts for Ron and donut holes for Laura, scallions, tomatoes. Caught up with Wayne the coffee guy. His kindness is one of only a handful of good memories from Fisheries.

Ron got to ride the Carousel of Light!

I made a big salad for lunch with our plunder from the farmers markets: too good.

Laura returned the bath towels (laundered, bless her), dropped off some compost materials and gave us a jar of her homemade strawberry rhubarb jam. Better than good!

Bought the three Crocosmia that Marcia Chapman at Soares had put aside for me yesterday. Was inspired by this magnificent display in a neighbor’s yard.

Now: to dig.

It’s been raining since early this morning. Last night, there were tremendous thunder claps, and we lost power, bit only very briefly.

Peter excused us from a ride we’d promised Emme.

I figured out another stupid web app problem of my own making. Had inadvertently left an old file with the same class name as a current file in the project, so the server controls couldn’t be referenced.

Earlier in the week, I’d left some bad debug code that resulted in hundreds of misdirected error emails.

After our Monday Senior Center run, finished Edgewater chores left over from yesterday, minor pruning and transfer station run.

Gave some business to the brand new Dollar Store in Dino’s plaza.

Returned uncooperative sunglasses to Dioptics for replacement.

Ron seems to be better today.

Yesterday I made fried fish for lunch. Ice cream and pretzels for supper! Did two loads of laundry, changed the sheets. Transfer station run for us, mailed Ed’s check at the Cotuit PO. Watered, watered, watered. Dropped off another sprinkler for James. Scrubbed two buckets and my poor pink clogs.

Ron cleaned and refilled the hummer feeders.

Creative project: rough painted small rocks to show where the soaker heads are.

Changed the water pitcher filter today.

Watered four gardens.

Uploaded new files. Fighting an image rendering problem on NEPS.

Yesterday, I spoke (again) to Chris at Cape Cod Hospital. I phoned on Thursday as well. No one is answering her calls, people aren’t in, etc.

Fed up, I booked an appointment with a cardiologist at the Brigham in early August. Ron and I figure to make a day of it if we’re able.

Ron is a little better this afternoon. He iced the knee and this afternoon, I set up his shower chair and bought two new PEVA shower curtains and hooks at Marshall’s. The system worked great and the shower chair fits in the bathroom closet, which is a huge help.

Laura was nice enough to drive us to the Osterville Farmer’s Market yesterday. She met Bonnie and James, and there was an excellent group of vendors, including Great Cape. Afterwards, we drove the back way so she could meet Peter and see the Edgewater house. Ed W. had just arrived to put in a new light in the downstairs coat closet.

Laura told me about seeing two hawks at Paul Harney. Good news, glad they are around.

Yes, we had fun yesterday, but Ron is in a lot of pain this morning. Too much walking, maybe.

We tried to take advantage of “Senior Day” at Whole Foods, but it turned out to be more like “Senior Minute”. We got there a little after noon and by then, Senior “Day” was over.

We stopped at Home Depot for landscape staples, no joy, but found them later at Scenic Roots in Sandwich.

Returned the growlers to Cape Cod Beer.

Redeemed the regular returnables in Mashpee.

Cleaned out the freezer the night before so we could make a transfer station run. Dropped off our neighbor’s yard clean-up bags as well. Kept their barrel staves for a beach bonfire.

Went to the Beach House for $5 pizza. Ron had buffalo chicken for the first time ever.

Rained about a half inch last night, finished watering the lawn this morning.

Bee Balm started blooming this week.

Obama made a political decision not to hold accountable any of those involved in the torture program conducted during the Bush years but zealously prosecuted CIA veteran John Kiriakou under the Espionage Act for publicly revealing and condemning one of the most horrendous episodes in the nation’s history.

Kiriakou, destroyed professionally and financially for his efforts to hold the torturers accountable, plea-bargained for the 30-month sentence he is currently serving. Whistleblower Chelsea (formerly Bradley) Manning was given a far harsher sentence for revealing crimes in Iraq in a war that Hillary Clinton supported. If she asks for your vote, you might remind her of Kiriakou’s words before being imprisoned:

“The conviction of Bradley Manning under the 1917 Espionage Act and the US Justice Department’s decision to file espionage charges against NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden under the same act are yet further examples of the Obama administration’s policy of using an iron fist against human rights and civil liberties activists. President Obama has been unprecedented in his use of the Espionage Act to prosecute those whose whistleblowing he wants to curtail.

“The purpose of an Espionage Act prosecution, however, is not to punish a person spying for the enemy, selling secrets for personal gain, or trying to undermine our way of life. It is to ruin the whistleblower, personally, professionally and financially. It is meant to send a message to anybody else considering speaking truth to power: challenge us and we will destroy you.”

That is the message that Hillary Clinton seeks to send to Edward Snowden. Remind her of that when she asks for your vote.

 

I’m a retiree and depend on the internet for my part-time software development business. It is also my main source of news and technical documentation.

I pay for internet access. It is not cheap when compared to our phone or even gas bills. Because it is available 24×7, I am willing to pay a premium for that convenience and for “best in class” upload and download speed.

Nonetheless, I am not willing to absorb extra fees for “preferred” providers. Fees for content, as is the case with cable television, yes: I pay for content on two news sites, and that’s fine with me. Fees for delivery speed of that content, absolutely not.

The ability to retrieve from and send information to interested parties, regardless of their location or size, is an important part of my online experience. This is especially true for my software development business.

I rely a great deal on the technical community for advice. Slowing down my ability to solve problems for customers has the potential to impact my livelihood.

Thank you for taking the time to read my letter.

Easy: when you stack it with plastic and paper bags to be recycled or reused.

Decided last night that it was time to put in the bedroom a/c, which has been sitting in my closet for the past year.

It took Ron and hour and half to get it installed, but he persisted, and we had a decent night’s sleep as a result of his labors.