Sick, I'm so sick

Or else I just have a mild cold.  Very mild.  I always get nervous when I (rarely) catch a cold because sometimes it will turn into bronchitis or exacerbate my asthma.  This cold, however, is turning out to be little or nothing.  It's only been a couple of days but it's not getting worse.  So that's enough about my cold.

I've had a good week, walking with my friend in the warm mornings.  I worked in the Archives yesterday and actually had patrons to help.  I knew they were coming and was prepared for them.  I entered more metadata--geez I love metadata, what a dork I am. 

I spent some time on the boat house porch this afternoon in the wind.  It's a hot day, 84 right now but the breeze is great.  Humid but not unbearable.  I was going to sleep in the boat house last night but decided I didn't feel well and would rather be at home.   Tonight?  Probably not.  I'm having dinner with friends and will probably just want to sleep at home.

I'm excited about having spray foam insulation installed under my house next week.  I can't believe I'm actually doing this, I never get around to doing things that benefit me when it comes to my house.  It's exciting.  They're going to take away the fiberglass insulation that's under there now, which I had installed maybe 5 years ago but is falling down and never seemed to make much difference.  It's not so much that I think my house will be toasty warmer this winter but it's more that this is a permanent and good solution to insulating under the house.  Next up is to hire someone to put skirting around the house.  Will I get that done this year?   Anybody's guess.  Next year I'm hoping will be the year of the WELL.  My water smells terrible right now but is potable, just unappetizing.  It's been a very dry summer and I have no doubt that the water level is low, very low.  Scary.

Labor Day is this weekend, which really means little to me.  People will be in camp so I won't be there.  Good friends are coming next week for the month of September and I'm looking forward to that.

Sunny Sunday? Not quite

It was sunny until about 10 minutes ago.  I was up at 6:30 and it was bright and lovely.  I walked the bog with my friend (and the dogs) then we had coffee and scones in my living room while visiting.  Her husband has cancer and is often the topic of our discussions.  Yesterday I had coffee with them on their deck with an incredible view of the bluffs near the lake.  We talked then about someone in their lives who is mentally ill, the details of which don't really matter.  I shared a lot--A LOT about my experiences with my own illness(es) and how it is from the perspectives of living it and living past it.  It was emotional for me but I was surprised at how well I managed reliving the dark dark days of my past.  "Is this all right with me?" I asked myself while I was talking to them, "Am I going to cry?"  But no I didn't and it WAS all right with me.  I hope I offered some insights and support to them.  Mostly what I meant to say was that there's not a lot you can do when dealing with someone who's in the throes of an episode, don't try to reason, just be patient.  Like me, this person they deal with is a rapid cycler--BANG! it all comes suddenly but disappears just as quickly.  And life goes on.




OK, enough about that.  What else is going on?  I worked at the thrift store yesterday, spent more time socializing with friends I think than actually being productive.  I did help with the books, threw out a lot of donations.  It's tricky, deciding what to keep that might sell, or might not sell, and what to discard right off the top.  Yesterday it was someone's extensive collection of exercise and diet books, mostly good and relatively new titles.  No, those don't sell.

What does this week look like?  A dinner with friends, time at the gym tomorrow morning, a dump run tomorrow.  I think it's supposed to rain today so maybe I'll get stuff together by cleaning out the fridge, haven't done that in a long time and man oh man is that needed.

Cool morning

I can't call it COLD, it's 47 and that will be lovely in just a few weeks but it is chilly.  I like cool, brisk mornings (especially when they're followed by lovely sunny warm days).

I haven't been doing much lately, the usual stuff.  It's funny to be at home with nothing pressing to do--the hard work my friend and I did on cleaning and purging in my house has left me without the guilt of "I'm sitting here and I should be cleaning."  We're planning on hitting the mud room next, and eventually I think we'll move upstairs.  The master bedroom has become a storage unit for me and is in dire need of organizing and purging.  There are 2 closets upstairs as well, both full of stuff and old clothes.  There was a time when my co-worker friends and I bought a lot of clothes from Eddie Bauer and Lands End, buying variations on the same dresses and sweaters.  We sure were cute, this was 30 years ago.  Anyway a lot of those clothes are in the closets and should be purged.  Not to the thrift store but to the dump.   That was when I wore a size 6.  Many sizes ago.

It's an Archives day, what will we work on?  We could scan photographs, I could enter metadata for already scanned images while my assistant works on the vertical file.  There are a couple of reference questions that the other assistant is working on, hopefully she finished them up on Tuesday but knowing her I doubt it.  Oh well.  She is a school librarian in Vermont and will be back there.

My good friend returns today--she's been away for a week.  I've been feeding and visiting with her cat Cedar.  Cedar is blind and mostly deaf but is now used to having me show up to feed her.  We call her Feedar.  My friend and I are walking partners and winter gym partners and she wants to be sure we walk tomorrow.  I had planned to walk this morning with my poor neglected un-walked dogs but no, I don't think so.  They'll survive.

It's a beautiful sunny morning, now that the sun is up.  I wake up around 5:30 and it's still pretty dark then.  What I see when I open my eyes are 2 hulking dark forms sitting on my bed staring at me.  BURNING me with their "it's time to get up NOW" looks.  I spoil my dogs terribly but they're good company and treat me well.

Oh no not again

I tend to sleep well for a few hours then am wide awake--if I took a nap in the afternoon, or some time during the day would I sleep through the night?  I doubt it, I think people my age often wake up during the night.  Many of my friends, as well as my sister have this happen to them too.

I've been having very nice dock times with my friend, the weather has been cooperating nicely (is that redundant? can you cooperate rudely?  I suppose so).  The lake water is getting cooler, earlier this summer it was warm and not refreshing in 90-degree heat, now it's a tad chilly after 20 minutes or so of noodling.  I'm sure if we actually swam it wouldn't be but we just sort of bob and float.

My book group met tonight.  We get together once a month ostensibly to talk about a book we assign ourselves to read.  We talk a bit about the book but then stray in our conversations.  Gardening, grandchildren, boyfriend, dogs, families, but seldom politics in detail, always general discussion and agreement about the state of things.  Next month we'll meet at the boat house and it will be September.  Holy crap, September.

I have to call the foam insulation people back, both people I called returned my call and left messages.  I was going to call tonight (Sunday) but didn't get home from book group until a little later than I thought it polite to call (but mostly the reason was that I didn't feel like calling).  I absolutely HAVE TO call this week.  No, that's too easy, I have to call MONDAY night.  Let's get this ball rolling.

I have an appointment at long last to have my windshield replaced--it was struck by a rock coming home from RI in July with my sister and has a respectable crack running up nearly the whole length of the glass.  They couldn't get a replacement part for some reason but have finally got one in their shop--I was hoping to have them come to the house but of course the only day I can do it this week it's supposed to rain so I've changed the appointment to take place in their shop.  I love the Internet, there's a picture of their small shop in Platts. and it looks pretty crummy, no big TV in a comfortable waiting room with free coffee and wifi.  I may try to meet a friend for the hour and a half it's supposed to take.

This week looks busy but just about busy enough.  I'm hosting lunch for good friends (I don't have any bad friends) in the boat house while the Ex Husband and his wife will be in camp.  Does it bother me to have them down the hill from my house for a week?  A bit but not much, I just try to stay away from camp while they're there but this is my last chance to visit with these friends, who are leaving next weekend.  I could host them at my house but the boat house is a lovely spot.

Dogs are fine.  Bear is outside now, barking at something that's not me.  He's on a leash nearly all the time he's outside but since it's 1:30 a.m. I figure he'll be OK and not roam right now.  I walk him sans leash in the early morning and he likes that, doesn't stray and comes when I tell him he's too far ahead of me.  Good boy, Bear.  Treasure so far seems to stay close to home when she's outside.  Or so I like to think.  She's never out long enough to be far away.  They are quite a nice pair.

Early morning (too early)

I was awake before 5 this morning but managed to fool the dogs until 6, a more respectable time to get out of bed.  They can tell when I wake, it's a combination of my movements and the change in my breathing (and maybe the groaning I do).  Now we're up and both dogs have had their morning meal and walk though we didn't do a decent bog walk, I just am not in the mood.  My walking partner is in North Carolina and it's sure not as much fun to walk with just dogs who don't carry on a stimulating conversation.

I'm off to Platts. this morning, fasting blood test so I'm drinking my coffee black, ugh.  I really do like milk in my coffee but am such a creature of habit that I insist on having hot coffee when I get up.  Anyway I have errands to run in stores and places that don't open until 9 so I have to wait before heading out.

It's been a good couple of days--much time spent on my friend's dock and in the water.  We use noodles to swim out fairly far (by my standards) then hang out and visit in the cool water.  Very very nice, I am a lucky duck. 

The heat has taken a bit of a break, it's 58 this morning but there's no sign of the sun.  Supposed to rain, big storms this afternoon.  That's OK, my plants need watering.

I've called 2 people about getting spray foam insulation for my house--the house is on posts and the insulation is falling down and coming loose so it's been suggested I have the work done.  I put off calling and that's typical of me: don't do what you don't want to do.  Now I have to return the call of one of the men and set up a time for him to come look it all over.  Oh sometimes I just hate being an adult!  At least I did make an appointment to have my cracked windshield replaced.  Yet another adult task.

Public service!

I worked at the library for 4 1/2 hours today: how did I ever work full-time???  I was exhausted, staffing the circulation desk and helping people.  No, it wasn't as crowded as other libraries I worked in but it was pretty much non-stop helping and answering questions.  Yikes.  Just let me be in the Archives, minding my own business and messing with metadata.  Well the Director needed desk coverage today while she set up the benefit and I offered (that will teach me).

It's muggy here and still warm at 6:30, temp is 74.  I should be in the boat house but I'm happy to be at home (and there are people in camp but not in the boat house).  Tomorrow morning I'll volunteer at the thrift store for a couple of hours and then what?   Errands in AuSable, some stuff to take to the post office, some banking to do.  That will give me most of the day to be productive: MOW THE LAWN!!!  The house is in great shape thanks to my wonderful friend who helped me prepare for company last week.  This just makes me complacent and lazy (lazier).  My friend weed whacked the heavy growth around the house so I could actually mow it now.  Do it, girl, do it!

I have to go to Platts. one day soon for blood testing, have a visit with my primary care doctor next Friday.  The worst part of the whole thing is being weighed at the doctor's office.  No, I haven't been losing weight.  Let's just hope I haven't gained anything lately. 

I watered my deck plants today--they were so thirsty!   I have quite a few blooming flowers now, they've got their second wind.  I have a lot of tiny cucumbers, which I need to protect from Bear.  He munches on the cukes, crunch crunch.  My tomatoes are coming along but aren't close to being ripe.

Still walking Bear on a leash although in early morning I walk him sans  leashing and he does very well.  If there's no one in the bog or around he listens to me and comes when I call him.  Wonder of wonders.

August, and well into it

I took a break from blogging for a month or so, also taking a break from work and from the thrift store.  My sister was here in America for almost 3 weeks and I wanted to spend time with her and be unfettered.  That happened and was wonderful.  We had a lovely time together.  The beginning of her visit was spent with many relatives in camp because it was the weekend of the family meeting.  Too many people for me but we stayed in the boat house and kept mostly to ourselves.  We're good at that.

We went to RI for a week with my mother that included some beach days, good seafood and lots of down time spent reading and relaxing.  When we first got there it was too hot to go to the beach and it was very humid and unpleasant but then it cooled a bit and we had great beach weather.  Her town has 2 town beaches, one with lifeguards, radios and children and the other part of a federal natural area which very few people visit.

This is taken standing with the ocean at my back, looking toward the road and parking area.  There's a pond there and a lovely long mostly deserted beach.

The dogs got to go to RI and my sister was wonderful about walking them on leashes.  Bear has had some "unfortunate" incidents involving the neighbors here so he's leashbound nearly all the time.  He visited a friend's camp and helped himself to the dog food in their kitchen.  Well I can't help it if they don't latch their screen door!  That was extremely embarrassing and was followed by a visit to another friend's camp, tromping through the very-important-to-my-friend-nasturiums.  Oh Bear, why, oh why?

So we spent a week at my mother's house, wallowing in the prettiness that is southern RI before coming back to the North Country.  We had camp to ourselves (unheard of! what a treat!) and had a lovely time reading and visiting.  My sister swam but I didn't, we don't have a dock at the boat house this year and I didn't relish walking through the mucky bottom or climbing over the rocks to get in the water.  I've been swimming at my friend's since my sister left--we have dock time together and swim and float with swimming noodles when we're not looking at neighbors and loons with binoculars.

I'm back into my usual routines now, I worked in the Archives and volunteered at the thrift store for the last 2 weeks.  I had a wonderful lunch with a friend in Saranac Lake, someone I enjoy visiting with, from my past in Library Land.  I've been walking with my morning friends, we mostly do the bog so Bear can stretch his legs off-leash in the early morning, followed by coffee on the boat house porch.  Nice, very nice.

This morning I met up with a friend, her daughter and grandchildren at the bog and had a very nice time seeing them.  That was followed by a lovely dock sit and swim, then a trip to the laundromat to catch up on laundry.

I have a wonderful WONDERFUL friend who saw that I was overwhelmed by the sad condition of my house when I was having company come for a few days--she helped me purge and clean nearly the entire downstairs.  Wow has that been fantastic.  She vacuumed, washed floors, helped me sort through decades worth of stuff and then took a load to the dump with me.  The Big Dump, not just the transfer station we usually hit.  I have the best organized pantry in the North Country now.  How long it will stay that way is yet to be determined but it's been a week and so far the spices are still in alphabetical order.

My visitor was a friend from childhood times in Rockford, a family friend who has been in my life for more than 50 years.  She currently lives in DC and was traveling this way.  She's been here before and we talk and talk about my family and our lives in Rockford as well as what our lives are now like.  Her visit was a big success.  It's very nice to talk with someone who remembers my distant past and the people I grew up with.  She remembers my father well, one of the few people I have to talk about him with.  Oh he was a colorful character all right.

This is a tubby 65-year-old woman with her dog.  Man oh man do I need to lose weight!  I'm seeing my doctor next week and he'll gently remind me that I should "find a diet and stick to it."  Wt Watchers is effective for me but the sticking to it part seems to be nearly impossible.

My sister took this sunrise shot from the boat house.  It's Silver Lake Mtn., heavily photographed over the years.

A pensive Bear sporting his new purple collar.  It was a major (MAJOR) change to get them both new collars.  Little did I realize how dependent friends and I were on the "Bear has the blue collar, Treasure's is green" of my life.

New collars.  Not different enough.