Coloring the woods

We're getting more and more color, some oranges and reds though a bit faded maybe, and yellows around my house.  I love this time of year, the woods glow and it's so much lighter outside.  We had rain this morning but now we have some clouds and some sun.  Temp is 65, a nice day after all.

Didn't walk this morning, just had coffee and a visit with my friend because it was raining.  We've made plans to walk tomorrow unless it's pouring.  I promised Bear.

Work yesterday was fine, we scanned images from 1911-1913 and that was fun.  We're loving the time we spend on black & white images of mountains and scenery that look boring.  I question the validity of scanning ALL of the images but then I realize that the physical images won't last forever and who knows who will want which images in the future.  And my assignment is to scan the 6,000-7,000 images so scan I do.

I visited with friends who are leaving on Monday, our farewell cocktails together for this year.  Neighborhood is emptying fast.  It's feeling funny to have so much time to myself but I'd better get used to it.  This morning I went to Peru, to the laundromat to wash a big BIG load of bedding, clothes, seat covers, etc.  I love the giant machine there but opted to dry everything at home so that's what I'm spending my afternoon doing.

I watched some of the Kavanaugh hearing yesterday but was so very very disgusted that I couldn't spend much time on it.  That man is NOT Supreme Court material, no matter how he behaved earlier in his life.  I do believe his accusers but regardless of that a whining, weepy, screaming judge is not a good candidate.  Now we'll wait to see the outcome.

My weekend looks pretty quiet.  I'll spend time at the thrift store tomorrow morning.  Book group meets Sunday and I'm only about halfway through the book so should be reading instead of watching Death in Paradise.  or even the Senate vote.

Rain is good

It's a rainy day, the second one this week.  That's good news, my well may appreciate it.  Poor Bear went out this morning and got caught in a downpour--he decided he could wait to do his pottying until the rain let up a bit.  Must be nice, Bear, to pick and choose like that.

It's been a busy few days but I've seen my friends a bunch of times and that's been nice.  They leave today for home (Minnesota) and I won't see them again for a long time.  This is a couple I really enjoy visiting with, lots of laughter.

I cooked lobsters for friends the other night.  One of the easiest meals I know how to cook.  This was a thank-you dinner for people who feed me when they visit the North Country.  The lobs were good but I have to say not as tasty as the ones I have in RI.  Can that really be true?  They were very lively when I put them in the pot but the ones in RI are so much fresher.  Oh well, they were tasty and everyone had a good time.

I've been doing my usual stuff (minus dock time), worked yesterday, ran errands in Plattsburgh on Monday (got lobsters and groceries).  Sunday was nice, went to breakfast with friends then spent some time tidying up the living room.  I'm getting ready for the solitude of winter, preparing myself for the absence of my good summer friends.  Some are leaving today, some leaving Monday.  We'll have one Last Hurrah Columbus Day weekend and the following week but then it will be a return to my off-season normalcy.

The spray foam insulation seems to be working well.  I've had a fire a few times and the house heats up well but the main difference is that it STAYS WARM!!   Imagine that!  It was 70 in the living room last night and is 69 this morning, unheard of even though it's 63 outside.  It's a rainy day and that usually feels chillier.

Have not been walking in the mornings and really really need to get back into that as well as modifying my diet.  We did walk yesterday so that was a good start.  Not walking today.  I'm going to get back into a Weight Watchers diet, oh yes I am.  I only gained a few pounds this summer but that was bad, very very bad.

Blown away

It's incredibly windy tonight/this morning.  I really like the sound of the wind, which doesn't make much sense--trees come down, I lose power, trouble trouble trouble in high winds but maybe it's just the variety of sound that I find entertaining.  Anyway it was windy all day with some heavy rain.  Again, I like that now because I'm so worried about the water level in my well.  ANY rain is welcome.

I had 2 crises this week, both expensive.  My refrigerator was making a nasty noise so I went to town on Wednesday and bought a new one ($600, but delivered, taxed and including removal of the old one for that, not bad I thought).  It was delivered the next day because the young salesman (Joseph) was wonderful and very very helpful.  That was Weds. and Thursday.  I did go to the Archives after the fridge was delivered but only for an hour because it was after hours--I went because there was a patron there (I still call them patrons, left from my library days) who wanted my help and with whom I've been working for a few weeks on her exhibit.  It was a long way to drive for a short time spent there but it was the right thing for an archivist to do.  Yay me.

My next crisis was a toothy one.  Rats, I hate dental crises.  We had a horrible dentist who believed in novacaine-free dentistry when we were kids.  We didn't see a dentist until we were fairly old, I think I was in 4th grade, maybe 3rd so of course we had cavities and problems.  We didn't trust the dentists in Turkey and weren't in one place long enough after that.  Anyway, I have had a near-phobic fear of dentistry as an adult but this time I was totally relaxed and calm.  I had a cleaning in the morning (I know, who gets nervous about a cleaning?  I DO!) and they were able to fix my broken filling later in the day so that was a bonus.  I wasn't thrilled with the dentist (he was the son of one of the partners, visiting to do surgery on his regular schedule) but he did a good enough job I guess.  It was practically painless and quick so what more could a girl ask for?  Lots of novacaine, or whatever they use now and when it wore off there was no pain.  This tooth may need a dreaded root canal in the near or distant future.  RATS!   Now there's something I'm really really really afraid of.  I had one done when I lived in RI and it hurt a lot.  A whole lot.  I know that was 30 years ago.  No, 35 years ago but I still live in fear of having another one.

I've had dinners with friends most nights this week--there have been many (many) September visitors here in Hawkeye.  One night I ate alone at home and it was lovely.  I know it will be a long solitary winter but right now I'm almost ready for that.  Most people will be gone by the first of October but then we have a busy weekend for Columbus Day.  After that the leaves and people disappear.

The wind is blowing a lot of leaves down before we get the full colorful effect.  We always have windy times and lose leaves but usually not until they're prettier than they are right now.  Let's hope the maples at least hold on to their leaves a while longer.  It's getting brighter in the forest with leaves turning yellow now and there are red hues in the mountains starting to show up.  It's pretty.

LOVE September!

This is one of the absolutely best-ever times to be in Hawkeye, the weather couldn't be better.  I've been having wonderful dock days with Linda and the swimming is cold but grand.  The lake has been pretty calm and almost deserted, what a fantastic gift this time of year is!

It's a busy time in Hawkeye, the 'hood is full of friends and more friends.  Some are arriving, some are leaving, there's a lot going on.  Tomorrow is the neighborhood breakfast, lots of people and lots of food on a porch.  Dinner last night with friends I totally enjoy being with, they make me laugh and laugh.

This morning I walked with my friend in a new spot, a logging road that goes up and up and up (wheeze, huff and puff) but there are tons of deer tracks and even a bonus few moose tracks and a spectacular mountain view, wow was it ever pretty.  We're returning tomorrow morning and I'll take pictures of the view because why not?

Busy week coming up.  Monday is changeover day in the thrift store and I said I would help.  I don't know what that entails--we're switching from summer to winter stuff.  It will be a lot of work, that much I know.

A few dinners this week, people are getting ready to leave during the next few weeks so there's a mad rush to spend final times together.  What will it be like after Columbus Day?  QUIET, very quiet.  I'll no doubt be ready for that by then, I love these people, they are my closest friends but I have to move on toward winter's solitude.

Moving along

We didn't have an honest frost but it was frosty at 33 here.  The bog was beautiful with a hazy sun shining through icy covered fir trees.  That was a nice walk.

It's been a busy week.  I had a bad scare with my dog Bear and still haven't figured out what was wrong with him--Monday morning he was lethargic and not at all himself (well who was he then?).  I got very upset but had to take friends to the airport so getting him to the vet in a hurry wasn't going to be an option.  When my walking partner showed up Bear rallied and was almost normal so I felt better leaving him for an hour & a half.  When I got home from the airport he was better and now he seems pretty much back to normal.  Very scary and I sill don't know what that was about, maybe he got into some poisonous, maybe he has some illness, who knows.  It's very worrisome and I think I'll have to take him in one day soon to have him checked out.  OH BOY!   Blood tests!   Urine sample!  Lots of money spent!  But I was devastated when he was ailing so I know I want to get this taken care of.

I went back to Plattsburgh later in the morning on Monday and had lunch with a good friend (I have no bad friends so that sounds redundant).  Yesterday I worked in the Archives, that was good, then my friend (a good one) came for dinner and to finish cleaning my mud room.  We started the project on Sunday and generated 5 contractors' bags of garbage/trash.  Oh my how did I ever accumulate so much stuff???  We've now finished the downstairs, having purged in the library, pantry and mud room.  On to the upstairs: the master bedroom/storage unit and 2 closets.  That's a massive job that I've been putting off (and compounding) for years.

Later this afternoon I'll take the garbage to the dump (after a trip to the bank to get cash to pay for this) then am visiting with summer friends.  They have a dog from the same breeder, he's a lovely male black Lab with way too much energy because he never gets to run.  He's much like Bear in appearance and bounciness.  The husband of this couple has dementia so it will doubtless be a sad-ish visit.  He has his good days and his bad days, naturally.

I'm not planning to work in the thrift store today--feels like a day off from school, hooray.  It's Bag Sale time, just before we change over from summer to winter stuff.  Fill a bag for $5, come on everyone!  I assume it will be a zoo and I just don't have the energy to be there for it.  Saturday I'll only be there a short time, my friend is bringing his work crew to stack my firewood.  I only bought 6 cords this year, I still have 2 cords of last year's wood in the wood shed.  And with my new and improved insulation I'll probably only need to burn 1 cord.  KIDDING!  I expect to use 6 cords at least but I also expect to be much much warmer than ever before.

The trees are starting to turn, it's very subtle still but there are some oranges and yellows, a modest showing so far.  Much debate, as always about what kind of year it will be for foliage.  It's been a dry summer--will this mean muted colors?  We always think that will be the case but somehow it ends up being spectacular and a wonderful showing.

Autumnal day

No frost yet but warnings for tonight.  I brought in my house plant, don't much care about the rest of the deck plants.  The tomatoes had plenty of fruit on them until Bear discovered the ones on the deck and Treasure discovered the ones in the ground.  Thanks, kids.

The insulation was a huge success.  They came back on Friday and finished up.  This morning the outside temp was 47 and inside was 62.  Earlier this week outside temp was 48 and inside temp was 58.  Can this really be true?  I don't know but it sure was fun comparing.  And I am so, so happy not to see fiberglass insulation falling down under the house.  What a huge deal.

I skipped the bloody Mary party this morning, good for me!   I went to the thrift store after walking the bog with my friend and the dogs.  The thrift store was very slow until just around the time I left then we had many shoppers, not too many droppers.  There was a fall festival in Wilmington so I expected a lot of passers by and that's how it went.

Went to the dump this afternoon then I mowed the lawn.  Yes, it's true, I finally mowed the lawn.  The lawn is in terrible shape, such a dry summer.  At least it looks slightly better now.

Dinner with friends tonight, just 3 of us.  I'm allergic to big groups these days so am looking forward to a quiet night.  Last night I picked up other friends at the airport.  Their plane was 2 hours late getting in so it was a long dull evening but that was all right.

Weather is beautiful, temp now is 60 with some late afternoon sun and very still air.  The trees are starting, just barely starting to show some change in color.  I love this time of year.

INSULATE!

The process has begun.  A very nice man is here now pulling down the fiberglass insulation under the house.  YAY!   This is exciting and wonderful.  This man (Joe) likes dogs and has a goldendoodle so he must be a nice guy.

It's been hot, ungodly hot.  Last night I did NOT go to the boat house, which would have been one option.  Nooooo, instead I slept in a hot bedroom and didn't use the fan my friend lent me.  It's rare here that you sweat just lying in bed but that was what last night was like.  Whew.  I slept pretty well anyway, got up before 6 because Joe was coming at 7 and I had some things to get done before he got here.

I've had wonderful times on my friend's dock, we sit on the dock until we get too hot or bored then we swim and swim and noodle out into the cool water.  Boy am I lucky and boy is it nice to do this.  Like good friends, we never run out of conversation and we each have binoculars to keep track of activities on the lake.  Since Monday (Labor Day) there are far fewer activities on the water so it's even nicer, quiet and peaceful.  Of course we have less to look at, mostly now it's just the loons we watch, plus the great blue heron. 

There is still a lot of social life this month with more people coming.  4 couples will be here, that's 8 people as well as the usual suspects.  People have realized that September is one of the best times to be there.  Maybe the best, though May is also lovely.  I love summer and it's certainly a great time to be here but I'm ready for the change of seasons--the reason we live here, 4 seasons.  I'm almost always ready for fall, I like the change in the air, the weather, the people.  Lovely, just lovely.  Oh, and the changing of the leaves, let's not forget fall foliage.

Craw, yes it's a word

Hah!  Makes good sense to have something stuck in your craw--the crop of a bird or the stomach of an animal.  I feel vindicated.  small victory.

Still sick

My ears!  My ears are so plugged!   I hate that.  I still have my cold but it's no worse, just dragging on I guess.  This morning I had breakfast at our new favorite breakfast place then I went to the thrift store.  I felt lousy but they were extremely short-handed so I stayed a while and priced stuff and put it out for the zillion shoppers who showed up.  There weren't too many people dropping off at least, and we had good men running interference between Receiving and the Droppers.  I came home and lay on the couch, watching Oceans Eleven because boy are those men good looking.  Now I'm home from the dump and watching Oceans Twelve because boy those men are still good looking.

I had a good week, work was fine and not too taxing, but then it never is.  I do enjoy my Archives job.  Tuesday we're celebrating the end of summer with a luncheon.  That will be nice.  Also what will be nice will be the end of summer.  I'm hoping the thrift store settles down too.

So it's Labor Day weekend and there sure is a lot going on.  Dinner with friends tomorrow night.  Helping a friend clean up after her pig roast (because I feel guilty for not going to her pig roast) on Monday morning.  Lunch with friends Monday afternoon.  Dinner (maybe) with other friends Monday night but that may just push me over the edge.

Good friends arrive this week for long visits at their camps.  September is a busy time mostly with people who come for long visits, people I enjoy being with.  At the end of the week I'm having my house spray foam insulated.  That's exciting.

It's warm but not too humid.  Some people thought the end of my driveway must be a parking lot, there are 2 trucks and a motorcycle there.  I pretend not to care but it sticks in my craw (what's a craw?  must Wikipedia that).  Happens often.