Just to torture me

Black flies have arrived, only just. I sat on the deck yesterday morning for just the briefest time, enjoying warm sun and nice breeze. As soon as there was the slightest break in the breeze the flies landed on me, one at a time but I knew if I stayed there I'd soon be buzzed on disagreeably so I went inside. This is the time of year when you sit inside, looking longingly out the window at the perfect spring day, knowing if you set foot out the door there would be a cloud of bloodthirsty black flies waiting to glomb onto you.

Saturday I got up at 5:30 and really enjoyed the morning, drinking coffee and talking to my dogs. I left the screen door open (you can do that in the coolness of the morning--black flies only like it when it's warm). Tess discovered someone walking the bog at 6:30 so she disappeared. The couple she found brought her back at 7:15, concerned that they'd found the right house. I told them they sure were the early birds at the bog and they said they have 7-month old twins and had the morning free so were enjoying themselves. The son's name is Jesse James Snow and I forget the girl's name. They said the boy was really living up to his name (I said to myself: why would you name your son that, anyway? oh but wait, his grandfather is Jimmy Snow, my former mailman).

I mowed my lawn on Saturday but guess what? it didn't look any different when I was finished. Ken's reaction: of course it didn't, it's too early. I thought it looked too long but I had the mower set high to avoid rocks & stumps so I lowered it a bit--even that didn't make a difference. Once I got over my pissed-offness I laughed.

I had company in the afternoon--the first of The Invasion of The Campers. Three people who own a really nice camp down the road, formerly owned by an elderly couple (she was the one who never had dinner cooked when you got there so you had to watch & help her cook it). I only had part of 1 bottle of wine, which I divvied up carefully into 4 portions. They gulped theirs right down & I figured they'd leave soon after, but they ended up staying a really long time. I like them a lot but wasn't really in the mood to receive company. I like lazy Saturdays.

Lin came after they left, just in time to watch the Preakness with me. It was really nice to see her--we don't get to see each other much these days and have a lot of visiting to catch up on. The race was fantastic and we had a great time. Watched the post parade, one of my favorite parts. We commented on the ponies, marveled at the horses, knew a lot about racing culture because we just read Horse heaven by Jane Smiley. At the end of the race we were shouting for Street Sense, who won the Derby and would have been a possible Triple Crown winner had he won. But no, lost by a dramatic nose in a photo finish. It was an amazing race, way cool.

Sunday I slept a bit later, then spent a leisurely morning cleaning the house. Never did get the boat house set up--will do that this week so I can be down there next weekend. Jim (cousin/former father-in-law) and his grandson (cousin/nephew) came for a brief visit because they had delivered the pump to camp so my friend Dennis can put the water in. Just as they were leaving book group! arrived. We had a great time. We ended up listing all the books we've read and talking a little bit about most of them. It was a lot of fun but we did hit on one that no one could remember anything about.

I only have to be at work 3 days this week--Thursday is the annual meeting of our umbrella library system, based in Canton. The meeting/luncheon is in Lake Placid and lasts pretty much all day so I'm not coming in. I'm off Friday through Tuesday--this is my time to be at home. I am sooooo looking forward to this! Linda will be here on Friday, lots of others will be here for the weekend, Fred will move in for the season, and away we go!

My friends sent me grass seed and asked me to plant it in the top soil from the water project they had done last fall. As a reward they also sent a Jane Austen action figure and a box full of atomic fire balls, wax lips and nickl-nips. I've shared it (wow--I saw a lot of people over the weekend. I gave Mary Lou and Martha a lot--turns out they love atomic fireballs). My favorite pastime over the weekend was giving Tess a fireball and watching her play with it. She'd suck on it for the shortest moment, toss it in the air, pick it up and repeat. She always ate them, but it was like a cat with a mouse--great game. Chances had one in her mouth for about 1.2 seconds, shook her head and spit it out with incredible force. These were atomic fireballs, incredibly hot.


As Vonnegut said "And so it goes."

So much cataloging, so little time. Celtic dance music, anyone?