As the weather got warmer and muggier, the pace at work has slowed down significantly in the past couple of weeks.
My sympathetic boss gave me leave to work offsite for partial days this week and next so that I could chauffer Bob to computer camp in Harwich, about a 40 minute drive from Mashpee.
Bob’s parents agreed to this, mostly because there aren’t a lot of activities close by to keep him busy this summer.
He’s been enjoying the camp a lot, and even though I’ve burned through a few vacation hours and about a tank of gas, the change of scenery has been enjoyable.
Gardener’s Diary
The tomato plants are doing great, and I’ll have to re-pot them soon.
We’ve had so much rain recently that the nasturtium leaves are yellowing, not a good sign, but several plants are flowering. There’s even an occasional Morning Glory.
Fourth of July, Rain, Gardener’s Diary
It started raining late yesterday afternoon, not enough to cancel the fireworks, but enough to make watching them a bit miserable.
We’ve had a fair amount of rain so far, and more to come. This is great for gardens and lawns.
The annual bash at Bonnie’s folks’ house was bigger and better than ever, and after contributing everything from salads to desserts to flowers these many years, I finally found the optimal contribution to the feast: bring meat.
No Excuses
I’m sick and tired of reading stories about good-looking people who abuse kids.
This one is about a white man with a handsome face and an ethnically acceptable last name, one Bryan M. James, 34. James is accused of biting a tiny 3 year old girl so badly that “she lost part of her upper lip, police said. Her ear was so disfigured that surgery couldn
Fourth of July
It feels like Saturday.
Great day, perfect weather, especially for this morning’s parades.
Last weekend’s power washing was one of the hardest outdoor jobs I’ve ever done and by about 4 on Sunday afternoon, I was finished.
It worked, though, so it took CM, James and I less than an hour to scrape and sand the deck. CM helped me pick out a good-looking Cabot stain. It was quite busy at the one hardware store that was open.
Next step will be to wash and re-paint the railings, probably this weekend, since rain is predicted through Friday.
Now that the worst is over, I’m looking forward to getting this job done.
Best of Craiglist
From Pizza Delivery Girl in Vancouver:
http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/van/346308204.html
Rain
It finally rained last night, not a lot, but a help.
Yesterday, CM bought two trees at 50% off at the discount nursery, and with the purchase, we got our pick of vegetable 6-packs for free. She chose lettuce and I came home with a dozen tiny tomato plants which I planted for now in two large previously unused flower boxes filled with Miracle-Gro potting soil.
Gardener’s Diary, Power Sprayer and a Tree Limb
Peter has been worried about a massive tree limb that dangles over the back yard, and after three tries, I found an arborist, my next door neighbor’s employer, who is willing to take it down today.
Peter has also been wanting to power spray the porch, which still has vestiges of the lousy paint job from four years ago, and I’ve reserved a unit at Taylor Rental for late today/tomorrow.
That’ll mean sanding and staining the deck in the weekends to come. I’ll be a very happy person when that job is over.
Continue reading Gardener’s Diary, Power Sprayer and a Tree Limb
Humidity
It’s been a good ten degrees cooler than Boston, but the weather on the Cape has still been oppressive for the last three days.
We’re supposed to get a break tomorrow, not soon enough for many of us.
None Yet on the Cape
So last night, I finally bought a $20 “Star Spangled Sweepstakes” ticket, the Mass. Lottery’s most recent opportunity for instant wealth or self-delusional scam, depending on your point of view.
There haven’t been any winners yet on the Cape, so if the law of random numbers applies, maybe there’s a better than average chance at either the daily or final Fourth of July drawing.
The Lottery claims it’s distributing $40 million in prizes, ranging from $250,000 to $20 million. You can’t win if you don’t play.