So IRS wrote another demand letter, essentially ignoring the documentation I sent about Ron’s payment for 2024 taxes.

I need to send a written request to Congressman Neal for assistance.

We did a transfer station run this morning with trash, recycling, compost material, wood and leaves/grass.

Met Mary Summers who owns Tommy’s Compost Service. She was loading her truck as we pulled up with our bucket. She invited us to take the new bucket that was left there and to leave our old one with the leaky bottom.

I continued work in the sunroom, put together two containers for Remedy, which is not collecting donations until Monday, and two for storage.

We discovered that Jett responds to the English training whistle. When he heard Millie, he ran to the end of the deck but returned when I blew the whistle. Great!

We brought home groceries from the Food Pantry and bread from the Food Project.

Good thing: between the transfer station annual fee and stickers and the electricity and water/sewer bill, both our household checking accounts are almost demolished.

Dropped books off at the library.

Terrific lunch of pasta primavera and salad at the Food Project.

Ron found honing oil at Carr!

Looks like Williams is giving Remedy Hall a laptop! We should know details next week.

Ron mowed the back yard.

Deer are eating my flowers. I put out more deterrent and NEEM oil on the hibiscus.

Jett likes yogurt in his kibble.

Well, I haven’t done twenty years of gardening work here, but still, it looks pretty good for less than three seasons’ worth.

Andi and I just submitted a request for donation of a laptop from Williams College. I was lucky, she was available to fill it out with me on the phone.

Ron and I changed the sheets and shoveled mulch on the areas I planted yesterday.

We also got Ron enrolled in the Berkshire Patient Portal and read the results of his June and May blood tests. Turns out, his primary left him a message to call them the day after the blood draw, but he ignored the message because it was on his cell.

I asked them to please call the house phone in the future.

Turns out, he has been exposed to Lyme disease in the past but the most recent bite was negative. There are other concerns with the March test results, and I’m hoping he’ll get a call from his primary some time this week.

It’s hot out but pleasant in the house with the fans on except for the kitchen which has no fan.

The Senate passed that abominable bill with JD Vance casting the deciding vote.

I’ve decided MAGA wants to take away everything we’ve worked for. Up to us if we’re going to let them.

Ron mowed the front and had to stop because it started to rain. It’s been pouring for a while now. Our timing for mulch spreading couldn’t have been better.

Gorgeous sunset.

I planted the daylilies and daffs given to us last week by the generous woman from Bennington.

I cut down the daylilies to about 6 inches of foliage and planted everything in the new garden. I hope it’ll fill in nicely. Found more dead bulbs and roots, so it seems there was a garden there before.

Glad I got that done, it’s supposed to heat up later.

Finally cleaned out the gone-by forget me nots from the below deck garden.

The new daylilies arrived, bare root and dormant. I planted them where the gone-bys used to be. Meanwhile, Ron fixed the hose so I was able to give everything a good soak.

Same with the veg garden, good watering.

Made a salad for lunch.

It was over 90 degrees but a pleasant surprise, with the mini split working and the fans on in the other bedrooms, it is quite comfortable upstairs. In fact, quite a beautiful day in spite of the temperature.

In between garden tasks, played a little Fetch with Jett.

I’m tired.

We met some of Jett’s old family today at Ventfort Hall in Lenox.

We were there for a summer marketplace and they recognized him.

He made quite a hit with many attendees.

We brought home some first-rate bakery items: raisin sourdough bread and blueberry/lemon scones.

Good weather and a pleasant trip, especially the way back because we avoided downtown Pittsfield.

I did a deep watering of the lilac.

Delicious corn for supper. Actually a late lunch after Lenox.

Nasty, horrible smell of dead rodent in the cellar. Ron found what seems to be the source: a dead mouse and trap behind the big piece of plywood.

Yesterday, we kept the cellar door open after Ron installed a screen and cardboard device to keep out bugs.

Ron is going to try to fix the door. He is also going to fix one of the soaker hoses.

Jett was very restless last evening.

Nostalgic for favorite places on Cape like Four Seas, Osterville Center, Town Neck Beach and Boardwalk, Sandy Neck Beach, West Barnstable.

I moved the soaker hose from the azaleas, which don’t need it, to the new garden by the driveway. Finished mulching both areas.

Ron did a transfer station run.

Yesterday:

Met with Andi to discuss the inventory management system.

Dropped off more paperwork to the credit union. Forwarded a binder from Geico.

Installed the second bedroom air conditioner.

Jett and I were up a little before 6. Watered three gardens this morning.

NEEM Oiled the hibiscus.

On Thursday the 26th, met with the credit union, got the checks. Priority Mailed the big one along with paperwork to Toyota Financial Services. Kept the second one for when it’s time to pay the Registry.

Did about 90 minutes of outdoor work this morning. Watered the transplants, mulched the deck planters. Planted two begonias that Ron brought home last evening.

Received two bags of daylilies and two more bags of daff bulbs from a lady from Bennington who kindly offered to meet outside her hair dresser’s at 10. I wanted to get a small gift for her and lucked out, some children on Cole were having a cookie and lemonade sale. Very fortunate, Provisions was closed, so it worked out.

Put the daylilies in water for now, want to plant them in the below-deck garden when it cools off. It’s supposed to hit 90 today. With the high humidity, though, the plants don’t seem to mind.

Pulled almost all the switchgrass out of the area above the new daylily plantings. Got a rash on my right leg for my trouble.

Meanwhile, Jett and Millie got into big trouble with Alyssa. We got our signals crossed and I let Jett out when Millie was in their back yard.

Millie pulled out her run, jumped over the fence and got out of her collar. Jet refused to “come” which didn’t help. Alyssa got Millie under control. This evening, I had Jett out to play fetch and heard barking so brought him back in.

What else? Got a call from the credit union suggesting I need different paperwork. Evidently I got bad advice from Coggins. Toyota Financial was great, emailed the Direct Sale doc immediately. Left Anna a message that I’ll drop it off tomorrow.

Trying to figure out a stupid Crystal Report error with one of the inventory management examples.

Ron went to an ice cream social at the Harper Center and did some shopping afterwards, including gin.

I found what the mini split icons mean.

Full day yesterday.

Did an anti-war standout in Williamstown.

I found Blair Farm and brought home six more annuals for the deck planters. It’s nice to wake up to colors: red geraniums, purple petunias, a begonia.

Watered almost everywhere and added mulch to the new front yard garden. Prepped for the heat dome; 90’s expected this afternoon.

Vacuumed the living room.

Ron did a grocery run and may have made a new friend, a Dead fan who lives on Mass. Ave in North Adams.

We skipped the Solstice and Gay Pride events this time. Also cancelled our tickets to Senator Warren’s Town Hall.

Today Jett and I were up early again.

I organized the yard debris for the transfer station run Ron did this morning. There was a lot: a small trash bag, two types of recycling, several bags of leaves+ and redeemables.

Weeded the area next to the driveway.

Ron mowed the back yard. He’s done a lot over the last two days.

Went to the Farmer’s Market for bread and geraniums.