Plain grouchy . . .

Geese in a fly over at Arlington National Cemetery
Photo by Donna L. Epstein-Cole who gave me permission to share this beautiful photo

Unsure why I've been grouchy all day but I have been. Starting out the day too early, without the Bellyache Bulletin to read and spending the first hour after I got up trying to contact the nimrods in Norwich and getting nowhere didn't help. Then I strolled into the kitchen after P&D's Pop had left for school and cars, trucks and men were piling up on the driveway. Yikes, I had to go and retrieve a bathrobe as I was certainly not ready for workers at the windows. The roofers came without notice only two weeks late but at least the job is halfway complete and they've been halfway paid. Have no idea if they will return tomorrow or not. They were out of here by 1pm. But it's looking pretty darned good. If it lasts as long as our old roof, 45 years and counting, the roof will outlive us! The underlying wood is in beautiful condition, just as it was 45 years ago so we can't complain about anything. It was time to break down and invest in a new one but it hurt me to write out the check. I hate spending that much money for something that didn't leak! But it was breaking up in some places so I know it had to be done.

Went with P&D's Pop to the flying field and tried to walk off my grouch. It helped a little. Didn't get too much accomplished today. We'll see what tomorrow brings. Still have so much reading to do but I keep taking pictures and working hard to improve them once I've taken them! I do find it relaxing to go upstairs, kneel on the floor at the window and try to get some good shots of the birds. I lose track of time when I'm taking photos and also when I'm playing with them. I think I should take a class to learn how to use my camera to full advantage. That's a maybe.

Younger sister called and was happy with her mini vacation with our younger brother and his wife. She sounded great and had a good time. Also spoke with older brother today about Massachusetts and Connecticut politics. What a mess. At least the people in Massachusetts now have a Republican governor. We couldn't even kick the incumbent Democrat bastards out. Oh what a state we're in - something is rotten in the state of Connecticut. Am I paraphrasing Shakespeare?  I hope the ending isn't as brutal.

Quote:  He fancies himself enlightened, because he see the deficiencies of others; he is ignorant, because he has never reflected on his own.   ___Bulwer

Hard work . . .

Beauty personified

Phew, I'm pooped. P&D's Pop and I went for a walk, after a great snack on fresh desserts provided courtesy of the Roadside, and on our return I decided to clean up the rest of the garden for Winter. I cut down the asparagus stalks and then hit the raspberry patch. It's hot, sweaty, healthy work; I worked slowly and wore gloves so I'm still in pretty good shape. Very few people at Mass today because the kids have a long weekend and I guess you don't need Christian instruction if you're on holiday even though somehow or other the overhead projection of the prayers for the kids' Mass still has " and my soul shell be healed." I swear I do not make this stuff up. So . . . point being (yes, I'm rambling) everyone involved with the kids' instruction should be teaching them the difference between shall and shell even though it is religious instruction! Ignorance is not bliss nor is it blessed. Good, I've got that out of my system again.

Friday I brought Kiddo and his saxophone to the music store because the instrument would not make proper sounds no matter what Kiddo or his teacher did. We came home with a loaner sax that sounds terrific. Luckily middle child had bought a two year warrantyand it's being cleaned. Should be ready in about a week. I should have known that it needs cleaning and spiffying up twice a year. Will have to do that from now on. Got some fantastic photos and a video of Bluebirds at the box near the garden yesterday morning and today. I was so excited because they are the best photos I've ever taken of our Bluebirds. The sun was out bright and low shining on the birds; perfect.

Went to see Alice in Wonderland last night with Oneco friend and her daughter. Her daughter often gets us tickets to the Plainfield High School productions. The kids do an excellent job. As a non sequitur, I'm still rambling,  I'm glad that Grampa has a chance to work with our high school students. It's a plus for everyone - even I get a chance to have a little old house time to myself when he's at school! Will be playing cards tomorrow with cousin S. Still enjoy our biweekly get togethers.

Quote:  There is certainly something of exquisite kindness and thoughtful benevolence in that rarest of gifts, - fine breeding.    ___Bulwer

Very good grey day . . .

Picked up my friend K. at 9:30 and we were off to Haley Farm in Groton for some photo taking. It rained all day but not hard enough to stop us from walking one of the trails closest to the little cove. We were amazed by how beautiful Haley Farm is and plan to go back in good weather to walk the trails and hope to see many different species of birds and flora. A lady who had come to walk the trails told us she had seen an owl yesterday. That would be so neat for us. We left as it started to rain hard and parked at Bluff Point to eat our peanut butter crackers, sandwiches, pretzels, almonds, cheese, cookies and drink lots of water; good snacking! Since it was really raining after lunch K. thought we should go to Slater Museum on the campus at NFA. It was a bonne idée. We saw the Connecticut Pastel Society's 21st Annual National Exhibition. It was very good and made even better because K. is quite an artist and could answer my questions with ease. We've made another Adventure Date! Cool.

Had a chance to visit with younger sister for a while yesterday before I dropped her off to stay with our younger brother and his wife. I'm sure they are all enjoying the visit. Good weather for staying inside and gabbing the day away. Grampa and I decided to go out for burgers at New York Pizza in Central Village. The $5 off coupon given to him by Rob, the PHS teacher he helps, is great. We can use it all year long! Nifty.

Probably wasn't too brilliant to take photos in the rain today but I'm going to download what I took and see if my poor camera minded the rain. I only took about 60 because I hated getting the camera wet. I've set it on the Bunn coffee maker to make sure it's all dried out!

Quote:  Nature is the most thrifty thing in the world; she never wastes anything; she undergoes change, but there's no annihilation - the essence remains.    ____T. Binney

Voted . . .

Started out this beautiful morning in New England, US of A at the polls in Moosup, Connecticut. We had some trouble finding a place to park! There was a line to check ID's and it continued as we received our ballots and had to wait for open carrels. This is spectacular, grand, super and every other good expletive you can fathom. Wow! We went to breakfast, bien sur, at The Roadside and it was very busy. After delicious poached eggs on cheese on toast we were treated to railroad men moving dunnage for the new rails they will be installing. I felt like we were back in the 1940's. Life is invigorating, at least for now. So I accept all that is good in this day without question and pray that tomorrow will see a change in the fortunes of our tattered republic.

Scrubbed this old house yesterday because it needed it. I've gotten lax in my dotage. I only clean when the cleaning spirit moves me and that is much less frequently as I grow up. I consider this progress. I'm still anal but I'd like to think that I'm a smidge more relaxed. We went out for supper with Oneco friends and it was very good. What a pleasure to be with longtime Onecoians; very comfortable.  Will try to go for a ride sometime today to find the eagles in Rhode Island. Not sure what we'll come up with but I'm looking forward to it. Still have some shopping to do at Big Y. Since they have enlarged and redone the store it takes me longer to find what I'm looking for and I meander through every aisle! Oh well, one day I'll get the hang of it and will know exactly where to go!

Quote:  I hate all bungling as I do sin, but particularly bungling in politics, which leads to the misery and ruin of many thousands and millions of people.  ___Goethe

Tumbling down the Bluebird trail . . .

Bluebird came visiting this morning.  It's a good thing Grampa sees things for me!

P&D's Pop invited me to walk the Bluebird Trail this afternoon. I've never been with him to check out the Bluebird boxes. It's a pretty impressive hike by my standards. I was surprised by how steep it is. Three of the eight boxes had mice in them so P&D's Pop cleaned them out. It's a good crisp day for a walk in the woods. We saw at least four of his Bluebirds in the trees as we passed. It's a good thing I didn't take my camera because I came slipping and sliding down a steep slope on the thick bed of fallen leaves. Scared myself but although I may have a black and blue right hip and a sore right shoulder tomorrow I seem to be in one piece. We'll just have to take a less steep walk home next time. I really do want to go back. It was good to be out in the woods and meadows.

Went to the children's Mass yesterday. I don't think you're supposed to laugh that hard in church. Oh my goodness. The children sing quite well but there is one songster that drowns out the rest along with the entire community and she sings off key. I had trouble keeping the laughter inside. It was awful. Not sure why you would let one child ruin  some of the songs. I really think she should be signaled to quiet down and let other voices be heard and perhaps it wouldn't be so gruesome.  After Mass I always drive by our old homestead on the chance that our great-nephew or niece might be outside and I'd stop to say hello. It has never happened yet but I still like the drive. Mr. Walker's house is for sale. I wonder if he has gone to live in an assisted living home? He must be in his late eighties.

Quote:  Kindness is the only charm permitted to the aged; it is the coquetry of white hair.   ___Feuillet  (Ha!)

Holy cow . . .

Rosie O'Grady

Just grabbed the iPad, walked by the kitchen windows and a monster slew of Common Grackles flew away. They had covered the feeders, the ground, the trees - yuck. They must recognize my movement in the house because they took off like bats out of hades. I usually chase them with a broom! They usually just go into the trees up on the hill and taunt me but I'm pretty tenacious too and run up and shoo them off so today they just moved out and kept flying. Finally some progress was made. 'would be nice if we could get rid of our greedy, nasty, grabby, noisome, pitiless, rotten, curmudgeonly politicians as easily. I fear there will be so many illegal votes cast Tuesday that the enemy will continue in office and our middle class selves will continue the slide into extinction. Not sure what the power brokers will do when we no longer exist to boost their egos and power. Scary thought!

Wow, hadn't planned on going into my disgust with the state of  Connecticut but there it is. Will be going to see younger sister Wednesday. I always look forward to our visits. We'll stop in at the Harvest in Simsbury and pick up our delectable large cupcake for dessert after we visit the cemetery in Newington to check up on her husband. We haven't been in quite some time. It is a beautiful resting place; well cared for.  Then we'll go to lunch at our favorite eatery near her home. It's always a pleasant visit and renews my faith. She reminds me that most people are kind, generous, sweet and undemanding.

Quote: What the heart has once owned and had, it shall never lose.   ___H.W. Beecher

Cajun CJ's Gumbo . .

Cajun CJ's Gumbo that's what's for supper tonight. Not sure what's gotten to me but I felt like baking too and made some Cape Cod Oatmeal Cookies. Smells good in this old kitchen. Maybe I feel like getting back to this journal because I'm coming to grips with the topsy turvy in my life. Wanting to move south but staying north was a concern for my feeble wits but it's beginning to feel a bit okay. We can play this game day by day and just let our lives unroll as perhaps they were meant to unfold. Have to try to push back the anxiety and know that no matter where we are we'll be okay. It seems pretty straight forward and simple but it's not easy on this ditsy mind of mine. I keep trying to plan things out and I can't. I must remember the year I was so messed up; and then Pa, Matante and Ma died and my kid brother accidentally rapelled off of a cliff, fell, survived and middle child gashed her leg badly in a long jump pit that hadn't been checked for rocks,  I finally gave up trying to figure things out and decided to roll with the punches that seemed to be never ending and here I am today twenty-six years later, feeling healthy if not wise even though I complain about aches and pains and I've got to learn the lesson all over again:  nothing stays the same; changes are inevitable; live each day ; enjoy  today; appreciate all the goodness in my life; know that I've fulfilled my dreams and whatever comes next is a bonus. I always wanted to marry, have children, a home and a good job. Yep. It's that simple and I've been fortunate to have  had it all. So it's time to "Laissez les bons temps rouler" whether it be north or south. I love my husband, my children, my home, my work. What more should I want?  Nothing.

Quote:  The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved, loved for ourselves, or rather loved in spite of ourselves.   ___Victor Hugo