Friday

A nice man told me a vaguely funny joke while we were both pumping gas this morning.  He was a stranger who thought it was a good thing to have it be Friday.  It's a beautiful morning--who could argue with him.  I won't repeat the joke, it wasn't that funny, but it was a nice exchange on my way to work.

I stayed in the boat house last night, at Linda's urging.  It wasn't as warm as I like to have it but neither was it cold, temp in the 50's.  I walked down with the dogs in an attempt to give all of us a little exercise.  I finished reading Jewelweed, by David Rhodes and I liked the ending very much (it's a happy ending, which my friend Barb always likes).  The lake was quiet EXCEPT for one jet-ski that kept going round and round the lake.  Well, the view doesn't change from one pass to the next, but this person was having a grand time annoying everyone on the lake.  He finally had some engine trouble and went home.  Then the loons started...they were really loud, very close to the boat house right when I was trying to go to sleep.  Not really a bad sound to doze off to.

I had a nice week, good visits with people.  I saw the Kokosing boys on Monday after they arrived (as opposed to what--BEFORE they arrived?) and again on Tuesday when I delivered a UPS package for them.  They took me out to dinner and we had a nice time.  They were tired from a hard day's working on the dock but we were all cheery.

Weds. I went with Linda to talk about the Conservationists, our lake organization, with the woman who's treasurer and has been involved for a long time.  We were wondering what to do about the lack of participation and apparent interest on the part of our members.  She was encouraging and gave us good ideas for a newsletter, a pamphlet, and mostly just gave us a good pep talk.  She's a very nice woman--she & her husband live on the lake year-round and I see them from time to time.

Work was quiet this week, not much going on.  We did have a union meeting the other day, to get negotiations started.  Although I'm serving on the team (all full-time unit members are, since there are only 6 of us) I don't know if I'll be here by the time the new contract is settled.  Our current contract is a good one to retire under, but this week I feel more like sticking around.  People tell me that, if I can't make up my mind about retiring, it isn't the right time.  Well, some days it sure feels like the right time, but this week not so much.  I don't know.  I do enjoy what I do but I am tired of working and especially of driving to Pbg every day.  Is that a good enough reason to leave?

Dogs are fine.  They sure thought something interesting was in the woods this morning and ran off a couple of times on the way home from camp.  I was smart (finally) and didn't feed them before we walked home so they were very interested in sticking close to me.

Tonight I'll stop at P&J's after doing some shopping.  I have to take a salad to a meeting on Monday in Keene Valley so will get supplies for that.  I think I'll make a quinoa salad, which may or may not be a good thing.  It'll be different at least.

No big plans for the weekend but that doesn't mean much.  I'll try to get the final bags of insulation to the dump and hope to do some cleaning at the boat house.  There's pine pollen all over and is garbage that needs attending to.  It's supposed to be a beautiful, warm and sunny weekend so that may slow me down.  The dock calls...

Favorites

It's one of my favorite times of year in the North Country, clear sunny June weather.  The black flies have been bad in Hawkeye but seem to be dying off (slowly).  I spent some time yesterday sitting on my deck reading (a perennial favorite activity) and the bugs only got bad later in the afternoon.

I had a good, productive weekend.  I went to the dump with a big load, mowed my lawn (again, not as well as Ravi used to) and swept up a bunch of dog hair on Saturday.  Went to Linda's for a nice visit and docktails in the evening.  The lake was peaceful at 5:30 and the sun was out.  It was lovely.

Sunday I met Lin & Ralph to go to the movies (Jersey Boys) but it turned out the matinee we thought was showing wasn't showing in the morning (as advertised) so we went out for a nice breakfast and visit instead.  I had a grand tour of Ralph's impressive garden.  Boy it would be nice to be that motivated!  He has everything neatly growing with wide spaces between rows so he can till.  We had a great garden when we lived on Green Street and Jamie would till it every year.  Tilling makes all the difference.  I quit growing vegetables except for feeble attempts at tomatoes & cukes in containers.  It was Jamie who did the vegetables, I've always done flowers, herbs and perennials.  Except not so much perennials now.  I'm killing off the spot where I had my annual garden because it's been taken over by grass and is worthless.  I'll add dirt next year and try to start all over.

I spent time reading in a quiet living room yesterday afternoon, which was very nice.  I'm reading Jewelweed, a lesser-known book, which is about people in rural Wisconsin.  I'm sure I picked it because I thought "Wisconsin?  That's near Illinois, I bet I'll be able to relate to these people."  Well, not so much, one is an ex-convict, another is his father, and there are 2 very strange boys in the story.  I'm halfway through and am waiting for the point.  All too often I wonder why the author wrote the book.  Oh I'm a harsh critic.

I didn't get to camp during the last week.  It's been chilly at night (too cold to sleep in the boat house) and have been busy after work.  I went shopping Friday after work, made a big mistake and went to Walmart (had to pick up some prints and needed dirt so I figured I'd get groceries there, too).  Today, I guess, is a Canadian holiday, and half of Quebec came to Plattsburgh to celebrate.  Wow it was a mess in that store.  Wow I really can't stand that store.

The Blue Heron boys arrive today.  JK called me last night, Duncan has been emailing, got an email from David over the weekend--geez, they're not TOO excited!  It will be great fun to have them here and they're staying longer than usual, which is a real treat.

Laurel trip

I spent the weekend in Rhode Island, with a side trip to Lexington Mass for my uncle's memorial service.  I went down on a rainy Friday, trip not great, but had left early so I got there mid-afternoon.  The trip to Lexington was fine but boy is there a lot of traffic in northern RI and southern Mass!  Wow I was impressed, especially for a Saturday morning.

The service was fine.  I did fine until they started talking about Dead Ted, my cousin who died in his 30's, and how my uncle helped him through that.  I used to cry a LOT at funerals and memorial services but thought I'd got past that.  As Jenica said, though, these things always make us think of other dead people.  So there was Henry, there was Ted, there was Ken, on and on.  Liza spent most of the time with her sister, which was what she wanted to do.  My aunt has Alzheimers so needs someone with her always and my mother is wonderful at dealing with her.  The sisters get along well and Louise is always very cheerful.

When we got home from Mass. we sat on the back deck at my mother's house and reviewed the day, a nice visit and good time.  Sunday we went plant shopping, which is a favorite activity for Mark, Liza and me.  We had a good time and I couldn't stop myself from buying a few plants that they don't have in the North Country.  Annuals, not perennials--I learned long ago not to buy perennials in places like RI.  They never ever survive in the North Country.  Anyway, it was nice to have that outing together.  In the afternoon Liza & I went to get lobsters and look at the ocean.  We weren't the only ones who had that idea.  The parking lots for the Block Island ferry were FULL and the traffic was obnoxious.  Wow, what a mess for June, but it was the first really summer-like weekend day there so everyone was out & about.  I cooked the lobsters for dinner and they were delicious.  yum.

My trip home on Monday was fine.  I left early, there was no traffic, weather was good, so it was an easy trip.  I got home early enough to have time at my house, which was just as messy as it was when I left.  Rats.  I went to camp for the evening & spent the night.  The lake was really peaceful--no boats, just loons.  A nice quiet night.  I read on the porch till dark then went to bed.  Good night's sleep though it was a bit cold.

Back to work yesterday.  I must admit I enjoy coming to work less and less as the idea of retirement keeps creeping into my feeble mind.  I still like my job a lot and believe in what I do (which is really important to me) but I would like to be at home.

Last night I saw the Nadals, having nice visit at their camp.  They were here for a few days to open their camp and will return later in July.  In time for book group, so Judy can join us at the boat house.

Tonight I'll stop at Linda's to catch up on anything I missed while I was away.  I think I've pretty much got it all already--the dead porcupine in the water by Nadals, what Ann served for dinner Monday night, what's up with Pat & Jim, how the Nadals dog behaves at Silver Lake.  I'm sure I've missed something, though.

Treasure, of course, doing what she does at Liza's.  She likes that couch a lot.

Deciding where to put the new plants--must find EXACTLY the right place.  This is my mother & Mark at their best.

Three generations of Rogers women.  That is a cute baby!

My mother's house from the back--laurel in bloom, green grass, nice gardens.  It's really a nice, nice place.

Mid-week missive

Had a good weekend, the weather was grand.  I got some dock time in, finished the book group book, mowed the lawn, went to the dump and saw friends.  I'm entertaining myself with the lawn mowing--I haven't done it in years, paying someone to do it--I watch the grass carefully, hoping it doesn't need attention.   Spring/early summer grass is easier to mow, tender shoots, I guess.

The Belmont party was fine but of course I was right--there was no Triple Crown winner.  I didn't think Chrome could do it, that's just asking a lot of a horse.  We all had a good time watching the race and drinking the Belmont Breeze cocktail, then we had a nice dinner together.

I was at camp both days for some dock time and that was grand.  I did go in the water and it was cold but it's not unbearable, which is sort of unusual for this time of year.  I slept there Sun. and Monday nights and it was a bit chilly in the morning.  Last night I went to the boat house, sat on the porch a bit and decided it was too windy and cold and I did not want to be cold, so I went home.  Very satisfactory.  The dogs are flexible and don't seem to question my decisions about sleeping quarters.

Sunday Linda hosted a wonderful Adirondack Brunch, to kick off our Sunday dining season.  We ate on her porch and boy did we eat.  It was all delicious, and local fare.

Sunday at 5 I had cocktails with friends + Linda & Erd., tasting different gins.  These friends went to Spain, where apparently having a gin & tonic is quite the experience.  You have to establish what type of gin you like, then it's determined which type of tonic goes best with that gin.  Linda & I tasted about 5 or 6 gins, then Stephanie made us delicious drinks.  Wow what a production.

I just took my car to be inspected and got a call from the mechanic that of course it won't pass.  One of the tires is too beat to pass, so I'm having them put 4 new tires on the car.  Those are my winter tires and they're pretty shot, so it's a good thing to get done.  I guess this means I'm keeping the car a while longer, which I think I'd already decided to do anyway.

I'm going to RI on Friday (with my new tires) and on Saturday I'll go with my mother and Mark to my uncle's memorial service in Lexington.  We'll meet up with Jenica there and my mother will have a chance to visit with her sister.  We'll get home in the evening, and Sunday we'll relax.  I come home on Monday.  What am I going to miss at home?  That's always the summer question.  Not much, just the usual activities.

Friday, and I even get paid

The weather is good now, after some rain and cloudy, cool days.  It's supposed to be 80 and sunny this weekend, which is certainly perfect for reading on the dock.  I have chores to do and hopefully will get up early enough to finish in the morning.  Mostly it's 3 things: mow the lawn, go to the dump and plant a bunch of flowers in pots on my deck.  Mowing and planting need to be done in the early morning because the black flies are out in full now and it's not pleasant.  I did spend some nice time on Linda's dock, where there was a bit of an evening breeze that kept the bugs at bay (mostly).  That was nice.

Fairly busy weekend, neighborhood events.  Tomorrow is the Belmont and we're all hoping for a Triple Crown winner.  There's lots of doubt about Calif. Chrome, though, and whether he'll be able to go the distance.  I have come to hate horse racing for the cruelty and horrible treatment of the horses, but the animals are truly beautiful so I watch these 3 races.  There's a Belmont party at J&M's, which will be fun. 

Sunday is the start of our Sunday dining season and we'll be at Linda's for a locavore brunch.  I have to pick up some NY State wine on my way home tonight to complete the meal.

I may stay in the boat house, but it's still sort of cool at night so it's not as pleasant.  Still great, just a tad cool.

Spectacular evening at the boat house after a storm.  I slept there because it was too hot at home, but a front came through during the night and I was wicked cold when I woke up at 5.  The dogs are happy to be at camp--as long as there's food there for them.

And what a week it was

Boy did I have a grand time last week!  I was on vacation and got to spend the entire time at home doing whatever I felt like doing.  I can't remember every doing that before, I always have traveled or entertained family during vacations.  This was really wonderful.  I got a lot of projects done, including painting the kitchen cupboards (black--Linda said "Didn't you just paint them?"  and yes, I did, I painted them white and they looked awful), clearing out stuff from the library, moving the dog cage, planting lots of flowers, opening the boat house, filling the car for the dump 3 times, and more.  It was grand.

Jenica, Justin, Gwyn and Malcolm came Memorial Day Sunday and we had a good time on the boat house porch.  The baby is very cute and smiles a lot.  She looks like Jenica, who looks like my brother, so it's very sweet to see her.

I spent quite a bit of time with Linda and that was nice.  We ran the roads a couple of times, and went to a favorite small greenhouse for a few things.  I went to the big nursery and bought not too many flower plants for my deck.  I've planted almost half of them but had to buy a new container.  Now I should be able to finish the planting.  I planted morning glory seeds and they're up.  I bought bigger geraniums for the cemetery this year and what a difference that made!  The graves usually look as if someone remembered to plant something but didn't really feel committed to the project.  This year they look as if someone actually cares.  It's very sad for me to see my brother's grave, it always makes me say "Oh Henry, why did you die?"  I dreamed about him last night, he was in a wheelchair.  He sure wouldn't have liked that.  He's always cheerful in my dreams (I dream of him often) and sometimes I know he's going to die, other times he's just fine.  I like having good dreams about him.

Now I'm back at work (and writing my personal blog on company time?  Oh the shame).  It was hard to start up at my desk yesterday after being so free from the workplace for so many days, but today it's a normal thing.  The usual tasks and requests and chores.  I'll place a big book order tomorrow, which will be entertaining and challenging.  A favorite part of every librarian's job.

I'll go to RI in 2 weeks for a memorial service for my uncle.  The service is in Lexington, Mass.--this was my mother's brother-in-law, my last surviving uncle.  My aunt has Alzheimer's and my mother is always saying "I miss my sister."  I refrain from saying "At least she's not dead."

My poor mother had water issues over the weekend and ended up having plumbers install a new pump yesterday.  There was a wiring issue in her pump and apparently the plumbers felt the best thing to do was replace the whole pump.  That was a surprise but my mother could pay for it and now feels secure in her ability to provide water when company comes.

The dogs are great although Tess is really showing her age.  She's 12 and now moves more slowly and sometimes needs a boost getting in the car or onto the bed.  I try to imagine life without her, and think I won't get another dog when she dies.  WHAT?  Only have one dog?  Yes, that would be simpler.  And cheaper.

Spring mountain, with baby oak leaves in the foreground.  My father planted the oak tree next to the boat house, and he died in 1981 so it's an old tree.  At one point my mother cut it down because it was blocking the nice spot on the big rock.  It wouldn't quit, though, and grew big stump shoots so now we still have an oak tree next to the boat house.  Some things just don't go away.

Ladies slipper in bud.  Should be blooming very soon.  Trillium has gone by, twin flower is blooming, bunchberry coming along, sheep laurel in the bog is blooming, with Labrador tea not far behind.  It's still spring green but that won't last much longer, it's getting darker, like summer green.

Graceful ferns in the bog.  There are several (well, at least a few) different types of ferns there and they're all growing at different rates.  I think this is a cinnamon fern but I'm sure no expert.

I found an ovenbird's nest on the way to camp.  I doubt the eggs are still there now, even my dogs would eat them.  Usually ovenbirds build nests that are better hidden than this (in a nest shaped like an oven, oddly enough)

The camp road last week.  Oh, the green!