TheCapeBlog

The stinking compost in the big elevated bed is still a mess. I tried breaking it up and mixing it. Put compost starter on it and hoping for the best.

Stored the extra bag of soil and peat moss in the outer shed until the stench goes away. Supposed to rain in a couple of hours and I didn’t want to leave the wheelbarrow out. Moved the good tomato plants and the basil to the table.

Ron had a minor mishap with the downstairs toilet. A1 took care of it. Ron didn’t seem to mind paying a premium for emergency service. I’ve been wanting that drain looked at for a while so offered to share the expense but he wouldn’t have it. At least not for now, we’ll see.

Drawer fits perfectly in the end table in the “guest room”.

Yesterday the basement cleanup person messaged to let us know that because of travel time, they’d be charging around $500 and did we still want to go ahead. We didn’t and thanked them for letting us know.

I wish Em/Bennett were here to help me with wall decorations.

Rain began around 4. Luckily, Ron finished mowing front and back beforehand. Bell and I made bubbles until it started to pour. Didn’t do much of anything after that.

Yesterday we met with the Housing people in Pittsfield to sign paperwork, one set of which was notarized.

Before that we visited the ReStore outlet, which is huge and impressive. Found a little medicine cabinet for over the toilet which Ron and I installed today.

We stopped to look at plants at Home Depot. I bought a nice phlox and planted it today.

Worked on the larger raised garden bed which is on the deck. Today I added some soil and the rest of the stinking compost that I put in a bucket last year. Letting it air before adding more soil.

Started transferring from the little bookcase to the “new” medicine cabinet, ended up dusting areas I haven’t been able to reach in the bathroom. Unbelievable amount of dust – not dirt, dust.

Roofer came over to check things out this morning and pointed out some things to be fixed unrelated to the deteriorating shingles, like bad flashing and another architectural problem that is probably causing leaks when it rains.

Heard from Matt, he will add us to his schedule.

Bought tickets to a jazz event at the Clark next month.

Got to Tanglewood very early, at 4, strolled around for a bit. They are not officially open, just for the Lenox Jazz Stroll so most of the campus and all of the venues except for the Linde Center were closed.

The tickets weren’t available until 6, the hall didn’t open until 6:30 and there was plenty of parking next to the venue so we didn’t need to get there so early. Considering that none of this information had been provided by the organizers, good to know for the future.

We ended up going back to Lenox center for snacks and a bottle of wine.

The concert was terrific: Bernstein & Bop: A Saxophone Colossus featuring Ted Rosenthal’s All-Star Sextet with a special opening set by Wanda Houston & The Convergence Trio.

I could have done without the lugubrious piano solo of “There’s a Place for Us” but the rendition of the otherwise cloying “I Feel Pretty” was a masterpiece, especially as performed by the formidable, youngish (32) alto saxophonist Erena Terakubo.

Up at 5, thought I heard a rotating sound in the house but couldn’t find the source.

Around 9 I picked up a good amount of nutritious food – eggs, produce, wheat bread and extras – at the Williamstown Food Pantry and stopped at the Senior Center afterwards to sign up for the pasta luncheon in two weeks.

No signup yet but Sarah asked if I wanted to try out the chair yoga class. It was excellent, terrific leader/teacher. I hope to return.

I finished loading up the raised planter on the deck with soil, worm casting compost from last year and peat moss. I planted the mums and grass that Ron bought yesterday at Stop & Shop. What a treat: planting without pain!

Later I steamed the kale from the pantry run and sauteed peppers and eggs for supper. Picked up this week’s produce at Wild Soul River; traded kale for an eggplant.

Arm is a little sore from the Covid19/flu shot. Ron got those and Shingrix but he’s not feeling any discomfort.

Peter is working today and I am laboring around the house.

Yesterday, though, I took the day off. I suggested to Ron that we not make the bed or cook but instead go for a joyride to see the Harriman reservoir in Vermont.

It was a pretty trip but Google Maps led us to a chained off dirt road so we never got to see the reservoir. Ron is having trouble with his right leg so walking, even a short distance (2/10 of a mile) was not an option.

We did come upon a Serenity Garden in Whitingham that has the biggest, most beautiful butterfly bush I’ve ever seen.

I finally figured out how to use the sound bar with the TV: what a difference! We indulged in several jazz videos.

The boys came over looking for a laser pointer and had fun making Pustefix bubbles.

This morning I moved things around the bar in the sunroom and brought the guest bed platform upstairs. It is in two parts and folds for storage!

I installed the liner and one of the bags of soil in the smaller elevated bed.

Picked a bouquet for us.

Made a vegetable tort of summer squash, peppers, tomatoes with basil, garlic and the mushroom/onion umami seasoning; a salad; and biscuits for supper. The mandoline saved time.

Ron bought wine and did a gigantic laundry.

We had to give up on the truck – it won’t be ready until next week – so the seller in Bennington kindly made arrangements to deliver the wardrobe to us for a small fee.

The pivot bars we got at the glass shop are too short so we’re back to square one. We were able to get both sashes rehung for now so at least we are not without a window.

Christine took pictures of the driveway. I invited her to see the first floor of the house. Nice to meet her.

We got coffee and a few other groceries. Picked up paint for the living room, on sale at Aubuchon. Inadvertently shredded one of the outdoor rugs – we will toss it – and did some sweeping and rearrangement on the deck.

I watched most of the Harris/Walz interview with Dana Bash on CNN.

Radishes, peppers, cherry tomatoes, carrots, snap peas: https://www.gardenary.com/blog/five-of-the-best-vegetables-to-grow-in-the-kitchen-garden

A list of plants not to grow in your raised beds:

• Potatoes
• Asparagus
• Artichokes
• Rhubarb
• Corn
• Wheat
• Rice
• Winter Squash
• Watermelons
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Romanesco
• Perennial flowers
• Blueberries
• Blackberries
• Raspberries
• Lemon balm
• Mint
• Anise hyssop
• Yarrow

We brought the top sash to Dave to extract the pivot bars. He installed a couple of new ones, but they seem to be too short.

We were able to put both sashes back but the top doesn’t “hold”. I sent a picture to an online supply house, hope to get an answer back in a few days.

Meanwhile, received word that our second grant proposal was approved! Christine will visit tomorrow to take pictures. I broke open the bubbly but had forgotten to take my meds until afternoon. Uh oh.

The photo of Trump and his bimbo supporters at ANC sent me into a rage. Those bimbos posing with a rapist/felon with their thumbs up at a gravesite: what does that mean, they’re glad their family member is dead?

Ron can’t explain why I was not good enough for him but a diseased adulteress with a thieving boyfriend was. He has no answer and it drives me nuts.

I wanted to celebrate anyway so picked up a pizza at Olympia.

Ron’s right leg is bothering him and it looks swollen from knee to toes. He had a checkup today and is waiting for the results of x-rays.

I picked up meds at Walmart and drove through Adams to the outskirts of Cheshire. Gorgeous farms and views on East Road.

Ron dropped me off at writers group and picked me up at 3.

No word on the truck; it was still in the parking lot.

I got our vegetables and ate one of our own tomatoes – delicious!

Yesterday we tried getting the screws out of the top window pane in the sunroom but no luck. We’ll have to bring the pane in so Dave can figure out what it needs.

Leftovers for supper: eggplant parm and cucumber salad from yesterday.

Grilled – rather, incinerated – the remaining veg hotdogs and fries for Ron on Saturday after he finished mowing.

Made a spinach casserole and white bean lasagna yesterday (Sunday).

The littles invaded the house yesterday and refused to leave. Their parents were not happy. The littles especially like Ron’s toys – understandable.

It looks like we may qualify for fuel assistance and I’m vexed with myself for not waiting on the oil tank replacement.

Christine called; she’s resubmitting our HMLP app, wanted info on accessibility changes made to the house. I told her about the cement stairs, the furnace return and bars in the bathrooms.

Reattached the legs of the little plastic Dutch boy doll, sewed him back up.

Received and deposited check from Insight.

Ron did laundry, I changed the sheets. Made the third bedroom a little neater in preparation for setting up the guest double bed.

We moved the planters to the far end of the garden. Fingers crossed.

Ron is doing the lawn. My big outdoor chore was to plant the new coneflower.

Spoke with a customer service rep at the Globe this morning (Saturday). Cancelled my online subscription and will receive a refund. He also removed my credit card info so I won’t be charged again.

I totaled the expenses for fixing the house: over $100,000, not including $10,000 in grants for vermiculite removal and insulation paid for by Mass Save.

This does not include the cost of moving.

This is for carpentry, plumbing, electrical, bulkhead stairs, roofing, windows, ductwork, arborists, the oil tank, the garage doors.

Someone told me the other day that he couldn’t afford to own a home in Williamstown.

Neither can we.