TheCapeBlog

Fell asleep early last night, second time this week. Kept dosing off watching tv in the afternoon.

Trying to dig out a big plant on the side of the house.

Did a shop yesterday at the Berkshire Botanical Garden annual plant sale. Great drive down to Stockbridge and back, well-run sale.

Attended the last Log Lunch of the season. Skipped a concert last night, too tired.

Brought a big box containing years of confidential papers to the transfer station this morning for shredding. Went back a short time later with trash and recyclables. Brought redeemables to BFAIR.

We visited Linnea. She’s doing well, hopes to be home in a couple of weeks.

Missed the aurora last night, didn’t know it was going to happen, and it’s cloudy now.

Misplaced my long-handled shovel. Sad.

Yesterday, Ron raked the back yard, and thanks to his work the day before, I was able to clean the front and garage side siding.

I ordered an adapter to read Ron’s old hard drive.

Attended a Statistics senior thesis presentation.

Had to fix some bad links that mysteriously appeared in the MRS confirmation emails.

Had fun with Bell making giant bubbles with Ron’s Pustefix kit.

I’m tired this morning.

I dug up garlic mustard from the garden next to the deck and grass around the oval.

Harvested Forget Me Nots as collateral damage. Ron’s grandmother’s creamer serves as a pretty container for them.

Over the last couple of days, I made time to watch “Ride Like A Girl” and “The Man Who Knew Infinity”. Enjoyed them both and returned them today to Milne.

Ron has been working hard today to attach a hose to reel cart at the front of the house.

I got creative with gifts: actions not things.

Changed the sheets and found a Mac specialist who happens to live within walking distance to check out the old Powerbook.

We had lunch at the Project, then stopped at Walmart for my meds. Got groceries at Job Lot and Stop & Shop.

I baked a chocolate cake with horrible store-bought icing (never again) and made tacos for supper with “on-hands”.

Best gift to Ron might have been that he didn’t have to clean up afterwards.

One mouse this morning.

It’s been raining all day.

Ron received seeds from one of his charities, so I sowed them in the section of the yard we cleared yesterday: Zinnia, Coreopsis, Alyssum, Marigold.

Planted some old sunflower seeds in the oval garden.

Struggling to get Ron’s old computer to run. I first tried to change his password, but couldn’t get it done in single user mode. Another suggestion was to create a new user, but the machine “sticks” part way through.

Surprise: we went down two USDA Hardiness Zones when we moved, from Zone 7 in Mashpee to 5 here. No wonder we didn’t expect the latex paint to freeze.

The email announcing Donald Trump’s appearance at the national convention must surely be from the Borowitz report or some other satirical outlet.

How many Libertarian principles does Trump honor?

Personal liberty: he’s attacked LGBTQ and Trans people

Free trade: remember those tariffs on Chinese imports?

Immigration: Trump is proposing using the National Guard to deport 15-20 million people

Separation of church and state, respect for the constitution, honoring the self-determination of women of child-bearing age….these are consistent with Libertarian principles and in every case, Trump gets a failing grade.

He was the first modern American president to leave office with fewer jobs than when he was inaugurated. He exploded the national debt. His response to the COVID pandemic was, in the journal “Public Administration’s” classic understatement, “sub-optimal”.

Trump’s temporary tax cuts make him a hero to some. They seem to forget that these expire next year. Let the Republicans have their Trump convention, but please reconsider the decision to invite him to ours. This is not the kind of association that we need – now or ever.

Ron did, too, eventually.

I/we managed to cleanup the left side yard. Even the horrible corner with the “Tree of Heaven”. We filled four bags, Ron took as many as he had time for to the transfer station. Got there with four minutes to spare!

Ron mowed the lawn yesterday and it looks fantastic. By lawn, I mean the collection of ground cover and grass in our yard.

We went to the Log Lunch yesterday. Showed up for the line at 11:30, but it looked like the big crowd got there around 11:40 or so.

We went to Ben’s first baseball game of the season, and he did very well. Bell came over to stand with us, which was fabulous of him. He asked how long it would take for a frog to get around the world: I figure about 7 months.

Tonight we went to a fine discussion and concert featuring the Eddie Henderson Quartet at the Manton Center.

I cleaned up on both side yards and made good progress on shoveling out the soil and tree debris in front of the driveway-side gate.

Bell helped me unload the logs in the back shed.

I forget what Ron got done today but I’m sure it was worthwhile.

Dropped off the check for the half-year property taxes.

Ron finished putting up the tool holder in the family room, and it is a very good addition!

Picked up lunches to go at the Food Project.

Seem to have made progress on Warranty.

Pruned and sprayed the roses off the deck.

Started clearing the plowed soil that was interfering with the right gate.

Ron met with Betsy et al at Five Corners yesterday on their way to NH.

I installed the bracket – with screws this time – on the bedroom window and rehung the curtains.

After liberating a black wasp which likely entered the bedroom from the attic, I squared away the hatch cover, which had been put back a little askew.

Finally rehung the two rods that had gotten torn off the big wind chime.

Ron did laundry; we changed the bedsheets. Ron also picked up lunches at the senior center. I’ve not signed up for May.

Ron did his best to stir the paint, but it seems to be a lost cause. Wonder if I can return it?