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.