Month: July 2018

I finished cleaning the big corner turntable in the kitchen.  Ron is almost done mowing the lawn.

Ron has kindly offered to put up a shelf in the den closet.  While he was out buying brackets, I decided spur of the moment to paint the closet.  Found a can of paint with primer – even a good color, yellow or close enough.

That’s the last project I’ve come up with for us/him.

We took care of two big ones yesterday: fencing around the new garden and disposition of the collection of wood that’s been leaning up against the shed.

I sorted through the wood and put good pieces in the shed lofts and bad ones in the truck.  Ron cut a couple so we could close the tailgate, and we brought the load, including the two hard plastic tables that we never use, to Bourne.

After trying to fasten the cloth wire to stakes, which didn’t turn out very well, Ron stapled it to the raised bed.  It was hard work and he gets full credit for it.  I can sleep better knowing that my vegetables are less vulnerable now, although I was sorry to see the struggles of a bee who couldn’t figure out at first how to get through the fence.  It succeeded eventually by flying over it.

Freed from household projects, I watered this morning for several hours.

I also wrote a letter to Falmouth Police Chief Edward Dunne.  The amount of posterior-kissing of the FPD on social media has become so bad that Falmouth’s finest won’t be able to sit for a month!

Did the CSA pickup.  Saw Shamus, my favorite, and only two other customers, who were almost finished.

Kitty has been by twice, yesterday and today!

Peter had the two non-working cars towed!

Dropped off a bag of vegetables for the boys at iCape.

 

Two or maybe three adult turkeys and 13 young ones walked through the corner garden and the front yard around 7 this morning.

Got the Gemini turntable hooked up, but one of the speakers didn’t work.  Ron figured it out and rewired it, so we now have a real music room!

Harvested cukes, zukes and tomatoes.

Did laundry and changed sheets.

Made a vegloaf, baked potatoes and green beans for lunch/supper.

Dropped off zukes to Cindy and Cathy, as promised.

Transfer station.  Cardboard collection was not available.  Glad I didn’t try to clean out the attic of empty boxes this week.

Used our Fair tickets, last day, to see this year’s version of the Lovin’ Spoonful and roam a bit.  Saw Lori at the Beer Garden.  Nice afternoon/evening, got home around 7:30.

Had breakfast with Cindy and Cathy at Betsy’s Diner.  Julia’s last first year class is today; two more years to go for her MSW!

Did the Falmouth Green standout.

Found a nice lampshade for the den at the Service Center thrift shop.

Ron checked out a pile of closet shelving parts given to us by a well-meaning friend and decided that it was not worth trying to figure out how to put it together, so it’s going to the transfer station.

Found instructions to put together an IKEA computer table that’s been downstairs gathering dust.

We made a special trip to Edgewater to give Robert his birthday gift.  He liked the card!

Slept restlessly last night, kept thinking about what I wanted to accomplish today.  Waking up was a “gird your loins” moment.

Windexed the pictures in the den.

Robert is 23 today.

Made eggplant parm, lemon zucchini bread and tofu lasagna with kale from the garden.  Thank goodness for the dishwasher!

Scarfed down the rest of yesterday’s egg salad for breakfast.

Ron is filing a complaint against Wells with the AG’s office via our local consumer council.

I fell asleep on the couch, didn’t wake up until 5:30.  Cleaned up the kitchen and that was about it.

Freaking no seeums making life miserable in the kitchen.

It rained early this morning and from the look of the plants, it fell pretty hard for a while.  Rained again briefly this afternoon.

Still no refund for Ron from the thieves at Wells Fargo.

I scrambled to get the house neatened up for a visit from Ron’s friend Dave.  Lunch was egg salad, cheese, salad vegetables.  Love Dave, always enjoy seeing him.

We hung pictures in the den, which pretty much finishes the decor; certainly, for now.  I’m pleased that we didn’t have to buy anything to furnish it.

Ron fixed the pressure washer!

We did some watering today.  I brought a load of cardboard boxes to the transfer station and hoped to drop off toys at St. Vincent’s but got there too late.  The traffic heading West on Route 28 was so bad that I took back roads from Cotuit.

Ron washed the kitchen and hallway floors!  Pretty grungy.

I picked up groceries at the evening Food Pantry; so much better than daytime.  Had to re-register, it’s been over a year since I was there.  Got two loaves of sliced bread, a baguette, an unsliced loaf, cheese and a gorgeous head of romaine.  We should be set with staples for a while.

Brought a nice little bookshelf down from the attic and unpacked Ron’s CDs.

Picking up “Warranty” again.

Ron figured out why he’s been screaming at me recently.  He hasn’t been taking one of his meds.  I figured this has been going on for almost 3 weeks, but he claims it’s been less time than that.  In any event, this has been a tough month.

The demolition derby came and went.  Traffic wasn’t as bad this year; at least, I was able to get home via Old Barnstable on the third light cycle.  Wanted to join a standout with the MRTC at the rotary but the location was hard to reach, at least for me with my bad left leg.

Still no refund from Wells Fargo.  Ron reached a customer service person today who at least told him the truth, unlike others he’s talked with before.  We’re hoping it’ll show up in his account tomorrow.  Thieves and robbers!

 

Got an email from a cousin that my half-brother, Bill, died earlier this month.

There are two sets of obituaries, one from his wife and one from his estranged family, who outdid themselves, having reached new heights of hypocrisy.

“Bill had been estranged from his family for over 25 years however he always remained in our hearts. While we are sad to have missed many years with him it gives us comfort to know that he went on to live a full and fulfilling life. We are happy he found his peace.

“He shared the second half of his life with his wife and partner Gail (Booker), her daughter Kari and her husband Matthew Woodard of Southbridge; two stepsons, Stephen M. Coleman Jr. and his wife Lynn of Charlton; and Matthew J. Coleman and his wife Sara of Goose Greek S.C.; as well as grandchildren, Mateo, Liam and Isabella Coleman and Skylah June Woodard.

“In lieu of donations we ask that you pick up the phone and call a loved one, make amends with someone, choose to do the right thing even when it’s hard, don’t give up on people especially your loved ones, and always remember that it’s never too late to forgive and be forgiven. If you are suffering from addiction know there is help.

He will be missed.”

Needless to say, there hasn’t been a phone call to “make amends”.  I’m sorry Bill and I never got to meet.  It’s astounding that in the year 2018, both of the families with whom I’m connected have 6 foot pokers up their butts.

I spent a good part of the day sorting and storing Ron’s music.  We had words a couple of times.  He’d forgotten his second meds yesterday and was on a tear this morning.  He was also upset that the refund Wells promised hasn’t arrived yet.

I was able to get all of the LPs put away, but still have two boxes of CDs.

I got in touch with Stanley and with GenesisDJ about the power washer coupling and the MP3 turntable.  Downloaded user manuals.  Fingers crossed.

Picked up our CSA share and was delighted to see Seamus the dog and NO OTHER PEOPLE.  I made my escape as one of the grim-faced Falmouthites was pulling in to the driveway.

Stopped at Jack in the Beanstalk for bread, half & half and desert.  Both of us were famished for most of the day, especially Ron.  Grilled cheese sandwiches and salad for supper.

Ron had laser surgery today on his left eye.  Fortunately, it was at the Mashpee office.

Did some weeding in the corner garden and some watering in the back as well as more organizing in the basement.

Made stir fry with leftover rice for supper.

Added NoRobo to our house phone.  It already diverted two calls, both around 4 pm.

We went to Falmouth so I could get my meds at Walmart and Ron could stock up at Kappy’s.

Binged again on “The Americans”.  What a show!

It’s quarter of seven and I’ve barely stopped, except for falling asleep watching TV.

Did laundry, changed sheets, did the transfer station run.

Cooked: Swiss chard and summer squash with onion and garlic; baked frozen tortellini from Whole Foods and made stuffed zucchini to take advantage of the oven and put together a big salad with lettuce from the Pantry, our cuke and tomatoes.

Surprised Ron by winding up a ratchet strap.  Did some cleanup downstairs while the laundry was going.

GERD last night, finally got it under control.

Ron was annoyed at my singing and making noise, which made me snap.  Irritable today; thank goodness for the a/c’s, but cooking raised the kitchen temp to 86 degrees and humid.

Tired.  Maybe a low levothyroxine day?

Ron must have paid a fortune to move his LPs.  Between us, we put 8 boxes into the new den.  Must be 500 pounds or more.

We also moved the sideboard against the outside wall, thus providing floor space for any one of a number of endeavors: carpentry, workout, sorting and culling.

I found a box of documents that I’ve been looking for since we brought 5 bags of paper to be shred to the Barnstable Senior Center in mid-May!  The docs include college and even a high school transcript, SAT and GRE scores, old mortgage papers, resumes and other memoirs.  So happy to have these.

The good people at Sullivan Tire in Falmouth changed the oil in my truck today.  I had a very minor check engine light, briefly, but was able to delete it, and the mechanic said the truck is okay.  Got coffee and a fritter at Cumby.  Three cop cars were there to investigate an assault that had happened a short while beforehand.

Picked up a red pepper and coffee at Shaw’s, we were out, and made a deposit at the Credit Union so I could make a payment that was due tomorrow.

Ron picked up a doodad at Aubuchon which he hoped will fix the power washer hose fitting, but no joy.  He was able to scrape off the old transfer station stickers.

I spent some quality time in the hammock and watched a hummer feed at the bee balm.

We fed the gardens.  Ron did the back, I did the front.