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Thursday, September 27, 2012
They really do not like to have their pictures taken together
I'm trying to get a good portrait of my dogs. This is a big undertaking, it turns out. They do not like to sit still, nor do they like to sit still next to each other. I could take pictures of them while they're sleeping, but then they'd just look dead.
I walked to camp yesterday afternoon to get some plastic jugs for the cider pressing that Lin is having this weekend. I had a few in the boat house, and it was a beautiful day for a walk. I'll pick up a bushel basket of apples probably tomorrow on my way home (I hope--I asked at one orchard & she said she'd put together a basket of cider apples for me). I'll make something like a dessert or salad or something to take. Guess I'd better decide and get going on that project, huh. I also have to make a cake for Sunday--Pat's granddaughter's 19th birthday.
Had a nice evening with the Holts and McDougalls last night--dinner at Barn Swallow. What a nice group of people. I walked home alone in the rainy darkness, which was really great. I used to walk at night a lot, when I was depressed and feeling lonely. I don't feel depressed or lonely anymore, so I don't walk so much at night. How do dogs see at night?
Getting some good color in Hawkeye
We really are getting some pretty trees. It's not peak yet, maybe another week or so. We need more oranges and yellows. I love it when the leaves are so bright that they light up the air. It's like walking in bright sunlight even when it's cloudy.
Ken used to say this was like money in the bank
Here's my wood for the winter. YIPPEE! It's stacked and under cover. Bill's "boys" did it for me. I think I moved,maybe, one wheelbarrow load and they did the rest. Poor boys, they've handled some of this wood several times, moving it from one place to another.
I need to order another load (or 2) for next year. But I need money to do that.
Monday, September 24, 2012
488
Just threw this one in because I like it. It was taken at Champlin's in RI in August. That's my sister.
I look very tall, don't I.
I like this effect. Except that my sweatpants look like bellbottoms. Which they ARE NOT.
They look great, except they're all BLURRY
A good picture, if you're not wearing your glasses so everything looks blurry anyway.
No, they REALLY don't want to have their pictures taken
Trying to get a good picture of 2 dogs is not easy. They won't sit still, they won't look at me.
River smoke on the Saranac in the early morning
A recent morning, when it was cold. Very cold. Well, not really very cold--just wait a couple of months, and 32 will feel very warm.
Long time gone
Wow I didn't realize it had been so long since I posted anything. Although the days seem to take forever to get through, the weeks fly by. It will soon be October, then Columbus Day, then the neighborhood will revert to it's winter state.
It's been fairly busy and sort of cold. It was 32 this morning, a recent morning I had scrapable frost on my windshield. Whew--guess it shouldn't come as a surprise. I saw a flock of geese flying south this morning. The first I've seen. Loons are still on Silver Lake, I can hear them from time to time.
There are still plenty of people in the neighborhood so I've been pretty busy. We had a nice brunch on Saturday at the Blue Heron, with Duncan & Sue, Joe & Martha, Linda & Erd., David & Maryanne, Bill and me. Lots of good food, with Linda cooking pancakes on the porch. It was a beautiful morning though very windy. The porch was sheltered and there was sun so it was very, very special. That was a busy day for me--coffee in the morning with Fred: his porch is NOT sheltered and it was pretty chilly. Bill brought his boys to my house to finish stacking my wood in the wood shed. It looks very impressive now, all ready for winter burning. Dinner at Big Daddy's with Fred, a nice time.
Friday night I had dinner with Joe & Martha, Linda & Erd.--Linda made gumbo. It was good (fortunately, the okra pretty much disintegrated to tiny pieces so wasn't too slimy). I had stopped at Pat & Jim's, had a drink with Jim & Steve, then home, then back to J&M's. I spend a lot of time going back & forth, don't I.
Yesterday I did a huge wash at the Holt's (still uncertain about the water in my well, though I did a small-ish load of wash on Sat. with no consequences). Fell asleep on their deck in the sun--sooooo lovely. They'll be here later this week.
Last week I had lunch with my friend Barb--it always amazes me to remember that we've been friends for more than 20 years. She's a good friend and is about to become a grandmother to twins. That amazes me, too.
I went to the dentist for my 6-month exam. My former dentist told me I didn't need to go every 6 months; I have a clean mouth, good gums and plenty of space between teeth. This dentist has a fancy new office to pay for, so they want to see me again in 6 months. That makes it MARCH. Wow. Anyway, all is well in my mouth, which was a relief. I am a lucky girl.
I went to the AuSable Forks library to meet with the new director there. She's a peach, young and full of enthusiasm and energy. This week I go to the E'town library to work with the director there. I want to get out more during the next couple of months, before everyone settles in for the winter.
So I've been having dinners with friends, hosting a dinner party--which was very dramatic, and for which I polished my silver (!). I cleaned my house and have managed to keep it clean, which meant I didn't know what to do on the weekend. No pressing cleaning chores to do. So I fussed away the days, but had a nice time doing that. I walked the bog last week, but it was too crowded all weekend to set foot there.
The leaves are turning but progress seems to have slowed a bit. They were zooming right along a couple of weeks ago but now have stayed the same for a while. Hoping they'll stay on the trees at least until Columbus Day. I have an appointment to have my chimney cleaned the day after Columbus Day, which means I have a DAY OFF. That will make 4 days in a row. Whatever will I do? Whatever I want to!
It's been fairly busy and sort of cold. It was 32 this morning, a recent morning I had scrapable frost on my windshield. Whew--guess it shouldn't come as a surprise. I saw a flock of geese flying south this morning. The first I've seen. Loons are still on Silver Lake, I can hear them from time to time.
There are still plenty of people in the neighborhood so I've been pretty busy. We had a nice brunch on Saturday at the Blue Heron, with Duncan & Sue, Joe & Martha, Linda & Erd., David & Maryanne, Bill and me. Lots of good food, with Linda cooking pancakes on the porch. It was a beautiful morning though very windy. The porch was sheltered and there was sun so it was very, very special. That was a busy day for me--coffee in the morning with Fred: his porch is NOT sheltered and it was pretty chilly. Bill brought his boys to my house to finish stacking my wood in the wood shed. It looks very impressive now, all ready for winter burning. Dinner at Big Daddy's with Fred, a nice time.
Friday night I had dinner with Joe & Martha, Linda & Erd.--Linda made gumbo. It was good (fortunately, the okra pretty much disintegrated to tiny pieces so wasn't too slimy). I had stopped at Pat & Jim's, had a drink with Jim & Steve, then home, then back to J&M's. I spend a lot of time going back & forth, don't I.
Yesterday I did a huge wash at the Holt's (still uncertain about the water in my well, though I did a small-ish load of wash on Sat. with no consequences). Fell asleep on their deck in the sun--sooooo lovely. They'll be here later this week.
Last week I had lunch with my friend Barb--it always amazes me to remember that we've been friends for more than 20 years. She's a good friend and is about to become a grandmother to twins. That amazes me, too.
I went to the dentist for my 6-month exam. My former dentist told me I didn't need to go every 6 months; I have a clean mouth, good gums and plenty of space between teeth. This dentist has a fancy new office to pay for, so they want to see me again in 6 months. That makes it MARCH. Wow. Anyway, all is well in my mouth, which was a relief. I am a lucky girl.
I went to the AuSable Forks library to meet with the new director there. She's a peach, young and full of enthusiasm and energy. This week I go to the E'town library to work with the director there. I want to get out more during the next couple of months, before everyone settles in for the winter.
So I've been having dinners with friends, hosting a dinner party--which was very dramatic, and for which I polished my silver (!). I cleaned my house and have managed to keep it clean, which meant I didn't know what to do on the weekend. No pressing cleaning chores to do. So I fussed away the days, but had a nice time doing that. I walked the bog last week, but it was too crowded all weekend to set foot there.
The leaves are turning but progress seems to have slowed a bit. They were zooming right along a couple of weeks ago but now have stayed the same for a while. Hoping they'll stay on the trees at least until Columbus Day. I have an appointment to have my chimney cleaned the day after Columbus Day, which means I have a DAY OFF. That will make 4 days in a row. Whatever will I do? Whatever I want to!
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Nearly frosty
It was cold at home yesterday morning--38 degrees. Guess they had frost in other areas, but we just had cold. And it felt SOOO cold. Which makes me laugh because there will be much of the year when we'll think 38 would be great, nice and warm. I made a doctor's appointment for 6 months from now and it's in MARCH. In onlly 6 months it will be nearly spring-like. Time is a funny thing.
The weather is September-ific. Sunny, warm but not hot, nice breeze. I sat in the sun and read last weekend, really enjoying myself. I started reading Await your reply by Dan Chaon. I like him--book group read You remind me of me last year or so and some liked it, some didn't. I like Stuart O'Nan better, Richard Russo really more, Richard Ford some. It's hard to narrow down any "favorites" or authors/books I like best. We just finished Cutting for stone for book group. Long book but good. I like the ending.
Social life is settling down. I was busy last week, dinners & cocktails, but this week I'm less committed. I had dinner with Linda & Erd. on Monday--delicious organic beef burritos. Wow they were good. Last night I went straight home, which was a pleasnt thing. I walked the dogs to camp to move my kayak closer to shore so that Duncan & Sue could use it, and to check on my supplies. Liquor, that is. I am lacking some key ingredients so will re-stock this week. Gin & rum, pretty much. What I had got all drunk up.
I'm having company for dinner on Saturday night--at my HOUSE. This is very unusual. I can't remember having anyone other than Ken, Bill & Fred come for dinner in recent years. We used to entertain a lot but it's hard for me to do it alone. And my house is arranged in such a queer way that there's not really that much room for company. So I'm having Duncan & Sue plus Linda & Erdvilas. Where will we all sit? I moved one chair upstairs so I could put my great-grandmother's desk in its place next to the couch. I'll figure it out--I do have enough chairs, they're just not in the living room. And I have to move the dog cage that dominates the dining area. Which will probably make Treasure very nervous.
I have some cleaning to do, of course, but it's not too bad. I've mostlly got clutter to clear, vacuuming, bathroom cleaning and lining up dinner supplies. I bought new dishes in RI, which sort of frustrated my mother, who wants to be getting RID of things and hopes my sister and I will take them. I needed to have more than 4 matching plates. So now I do. What will I serve? Linda & I are sort of splitting up the meal--she'll make the sauce, I'll cook the pasta. And I'll make cheesecake. And there will be other things. And yes, I think we'll all fit around the table. Wouldn't it be great if I cleared out the area behind the wood stove?
Work is fine--we got a grant for $10,000 to come up with a bunch of information on diseases & health, including e-books and streaming videos. We're gearing up to get started, will be partnering with the local hospital and health department. I've been staring at videos for a couple of hours, trying to identify what topics the vendor has to offer. And I started cruising e-books but that's way more intensive surfing. First we have to pick the diseases.
Dogs are doing well. Treasure loves to go for walks and whines as she bounces around next to me, in front of me, behind me when we start out. She's really pretty easy to please. Tess is doing well. She spent some time with bogwalkers a while back but was pretty good over the weekend. I chained her up on Sat.; on Sunday she stuck around. No one but me seems to notice that there are only 2 dogs now. I think of Chances often; I miss her but it's nice to have just 2 dogs. Wonder what it might be like to have ONE dog?
Tonight is dinner with Duncan & Sue, which will be nice. A good visit. We dined together last weekend, in a crowd, so we didn't get to visit much. Last Saturday night I had a nice dinner with Jim & Judy plus a friend of theirs from Cape Cod. Boy did we laugh a lot. It was extremely nice.
I ran out of water on Saturday, but the well refreshed itself sufficiently by Sunday so that I've averted THAT crisis. I'll do laundry at the Holts' now. Spoke to both of them over the weekend, they had a good time at the DNC. Rush said he came home feeling inspired, which was good to hear. I'm an unrealistic optimist and do believe we'll re-elect our President in Nov. Color me stoopid.
The weather is September-ific. Sunny, warm but not hot, nice breeze. I sat in the sun and read last weekend, really enjoying myself. I started reading Await your reply by Dan Chaon. I like him--book group read You remind me of me last year or so and some liked it, some didn't. I like Stuart O'Nan better, Richard Russo really more, Richard Ford some. It's hard to narrow down any "favorites" or authors/books I like best. We just finished Cutting for stone for book group. Long book but good. I like the ending.
Social life is settling down. I was busy last week, dinners & cocktails, but this week I'm less committed. I had dinner with Linda & Erd. on Monday--delicious organic beef burritos. Wow they were good. Last night I went straight home, which was a pleasnt thing. I walked the dogs to camp to move my kayak closer to shore so that Duncan & Sue could use it, and to check on my supplies. Liquor, that is. I am lacking some key ingredients so will re-stock this week. Gin & rum, pretty much. What I had got all drunk up.
I'm having company for dinner on Saturday night--at my HOUSE. This is very unusual. I can't remember having anyone other than Ken, Bill & Fred come for dinner in recent years. We used to entertain a lot but it's hard for me to do it alone. And my house is arranged in such a queer way that there's not really that much room for company. So I'm having Duncan & Sue plus Linda & Erdvilas. Where will we all sit? I moved one chair upstairs so I could put my great-grandmother's desk in its place next to the couch. I'll figure it out--I do have enough chairs, they're just not in the living room. And I have to move the dog cage that dominates the dining area. Which will probably make Treasure very nervous.
I have some cleaning to do, of course, but it's not too bad. I've mostlly got clutter to clear, vacuuming, bathroom cleaning and lining up dinner supplies. I bought new dishes in RI, which sort of frustrated my mother, who wants to be getting RID of things and hopes my sister and I will take them. I needed to have more than 4 matching plates. So now I do. What will I serve? Linda & I are sort of splitting up the meal--she'll make the sauce, I'll cook the pasta. And I'll make cheesecake. And there will be other things. And yes, I think we'll all fit around the table. Wouldn't it be great if I cleared out the area behind the wood stove?
Work is fine--we got a grant for $10,000 to come up with a bunch of information on diseases & health, including e-books and streaming videos. We're gearing up to get started, will be partnering with the local hospital and health department. I've been staring at videos for a couple of hours, trying to identify what topics the vendor has to offer. And I started cruising e-books but that's way more intensive surfing. First we have to pick the diseases.
Dogs are doing well. Treasure loves to go for walks and whines as she bounces around next to me, in front of me, behind me when we start out. She's really pretty easy to please. Tess is doing well. She spent some time with bogwalkers a while back but was pretty good over the weekend. I chained her up on Sat.; on Sunday she stuck around. No one but me seems to notice that there are only 2 dogs now. I think of Chances often; I miss her but it's nice to have just 2 dogs. Wonder what it might be like to have ONE dog?
Tonight is dinner with Duncan & Sue, which will be nice. A good visit. We dined together last weekend, in a crowd, so we didn't get to visit much. Last Saturday night I had a nice dinner with Jim & Judy plus a friend of theirs from Cape Cod. Boy did we laugh a lot. It was extremely nice.
I ran out of water on Saturday, but the well refreshed itself sufficiently by Sunday so that I've averted THAT crisis. I'll do laundry at the Holts' now. Spoke to both of them over the weekend, they had a good time at the DNC. Rush said he came home feeling inspired, which was good to hear. I'm an unrealistic optimist and do believe we'll re-elect our President in Nov. Color me stoopid.
Thursday, September 06, 2012
September arrives
They're selling mums at Pray's now, so it must be fall. I took a plant to Linda and she gave me a dirty look--"Are you telling me it's autumn?" Well, yes, it is. The leaves are really turning fast. Hope they last until Columbus Day!
Had a good 3-day weekend, lots of sunshine and relaxing. I read a lot, finishing our book group book (Cutting for stone), which I enjoyed. Though it's a bit tedious in the middle. It's a good story, I think. I went to camp but didn't stay there. My cousin was at his camp across the lake for the weekend and took out the docks. sad face. There are so many nice dock days in September, but he's nice to take care of our docks so I can't complain.
It was so nice to have 3 days in a row off. What a luxury. I did some house cleaning--mostly picking up dog hair. I spent an entire day reading. I read Russell Banks' latest, which isn't very new, and which I had already read but didn't remember much about. So it was good to re-read, and I enjoyed it.
Friday night was drinks with Linda & Erd., Sat. was dinner with them, Sunday I DID NOT SEE THEM. Tuesday night, however, was dinner again--this time with Michael & Stephanie. They stayed to watch the convention but I went home. Tried to watch speeches but made the giant mistake of lying down on the couch, so consequently went right to sleep. I recorded Clinton's speech last night and listened to most of it this morning. Nice, very nice.
Sunday I went to Pat & Jim's, had a good visit with Bill and P&J. I haven't seen them yet this week, may not make it to their house. Tomorrow night (Friday) is dinner with Michael & Stephanie and--you guessed it--Linda & Erd. That's as far as I have plans for. I think it's supposed to rain this weekend, so maybe I'll start closing the boat house. Like, clean out the fridge for starters. People left a bunch of ratty food in main camp, which I should deal with too. Chicken sausage. Olive tapenade. Hummus. Salsa. A stick of butter. HONESTLY! What is wrong with these people?
Work is fine, fairly busy. My co-worker was out most of last week & part of this week so I played library clerk & filled a lot of interlibrary loan requests. Which is a rewarding task, mostly--except for those times when you cannot find the book and know it has to be somewhere in the building but where?
I did some cataloging at the Platts. Pub. Lib.--continuing on through their collection into New York State history books. Of which there are plenty. And I haven't got to the LOCAL history stuff yet. But I'm making progress.
Had a nice evening last night, drinks and food with Joe & Martha, L&E, Nadals, Fred. All very pleasant and very, very pretty sitting on Nadals' porch on the water.
Started catching mice sans cat. Kitty disappeared in June and never returned. Do I want another cat? No, not really. I don't want to have 3 animals, I'm feeling that 2 is fine. So I set traps. Caught & killed one, caught & maimed another. Poor mousie dragged the trap across the kitchen to the living room, across the living room to the door before dying. Caught by the hind leg. Well, I'm sorry it suffered, but I just don't want to co-habit with mice. It was nice to have a cat take care of that. I had a chipmunk in my pantry over the weekend--I heard loud chirps throughout the day, finally spotting chippie in the afternoon. He tried to beat a hasty retreat through the front door but the dogs spotted him & he ran back to the pantry. He knows how to get in & out of the house when I leave the door open, has worn a little path across the house, I think. He finally left and I shut the door. I like to leave the door open for the dogs, but maybe that's not such a great idea...
Tess spent a lot of time in the bog over the weekend--she was returned to me once. The tag on her collar says "Tess the Bog Dog, I live next door," but some people just want to make SURE she really DOES live next door, so they deliver her to me. I chained her up on Monday so she had to make do with my company. She does like to socialize with visitors to the neighborhood.
Had a good 3-day weekend, lots of sunshine and relaxing. I read a lot, finishing our book group book (Cutting for stone), which I enjoyed. Though it's a bit tedious in the middle. It's a good story, I think. I went to camp but didn't stay there. My cousin was at his camp across the lake for the weekend and took out the docks. sad face. There are so many nice dock days in September, but he's nice to take care of our docks so I can't complain.
It was so nice to have 3 days in a row off. What a luxury. I did some house cleaning--mostly picking up dog hair. I spent an entire day reading. I read Russell Banks' latest, which isn't very new, and which I had already read but didn't remember much about. So it was good to re-read, and I enjoyed it.
Friday night was drinks with Linda & Erd., Sat. was dinner with them, Sunday I DID NOT SEE THEM. Tuesday night, however, was dinner again--this time with Michael & Stephanie. They stayed to watch the convention but I went home. Tried to watch speeches but made the giant mistake of lying down on the couch, so consequently went right to sleep. I recorded Clinton's speech last night and listened to most of it this morning. Nice, very nice.
Sunday I went to Pat & Jim's, had a good visit with Bill and P&J. I haven't seen them yet this week, may not make it to their house. Tomorrow night (Friday) is dinner with Michael & Stephanie and--you guessed it--Linda & Erd. That's as far as I have plans for. I think it's supposed to rain this weekend, so maybe I'll start closing the boat house. Like, clean out the fridge for starters. People left a bunch of ratty food in main camp, which I should deal with too. Chicken sausage. Olive tapenade. Hummus. Salsa. A stick of butter. HONESTLY! What is wrong with these people?
Work is fine, fairly busy. My co-worker was out most of last week & part of this week so I played library clerk & filled a lot of interlibrary loan requests. Which is a rewarding task, mostly--except for those times when you cannot find the book and know it has to be somewhere in the building but where?
I did some cataloging at the Platts. Pub. Lib.--continuing on through their collection into New York State history books. Of which there are plenty. And I haven't got to the LOCAL history stuff yet. But I'm making progress.
Had a nice evening last night, drinks and food with Joe & Martha, L&E, Nadals, Fred. All very pleasant and very, very pretty sitting on Nadals' porch on the water.
Started catching mice sans cat. Kitty disappeared in June and never returned. Do I want another cat? No, not really. I don't want to have 3 animals, I'm feeling that 2 is fine. So I set traps. Caught & killed one, caught & maimed another. Poor mousie dragged the trap across the kitchen to the living room, across the living room to the door before dying. Caught by the hind leg. Well, I'm sorry it suffered, but I just don't want to co-habit with mice. It was nice to have a cat take care of that. I had a chipmunk in my pantry over the weekend--I heard loud chirps throughout the day, finally spotting chippie in the afternoon. He tried to beat a hasty retreat through the front door but the dogs spotted him & he ran back to the pantry. He knows how to get in & out of the house when I leave the door open, has worn a little path across the house, I think. He finally left and I shut the door. I like to leave the door open for the dogs, but maybe that's not such a great idea...
Tess spent a lot of time in the bog over the weekend--she was returned to me once. The tag on her collar says "Tess the Bog Dog, I live next door," but some people just want to make SURE she really DOES live next door, so they deliver her to me. I chained her up on Monday so she had to make do with my company. She does like to socialize with visitors to the neighborhood.
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