long day!

 We went to a wedding today

    It was a family affair, , and it was great to see all the nieces and nephew and their kids..

    The setting was beautiful, a wedding garden in Woodstock.

    For food they had 2 food trucks. One with smash burgers and fries and the other with Chinese food.

    All in all it was a great day.  Family, food, fun....not too many days like hat in life.

    There was even a special guest.  Actually, 2 special guests.

    But I only got a picture of one.

    Anyway, that's it for me.

    Stay safe out there.

Peace and Love

        Especially Peace

BNLT for supper

I am being very careful about the latest malady 

    You know,  the one that causes explosive diarrhea.

    I wash my berries and all store bought fruit before I use it.

    But I keep hearing lettuce is a problem, so I just don't buy lettuce.

    And that explains my BNLT for supper:  bacon, no lettuce, tomato.

    The tomato part came from our garden.  It is one of 2 I have found ripe on the plants.  I honestly thought there would be more  by now.

    Stopped in Cypress House for a coffee today and one of my favorite former students was there.  I recognized Tallie right away.  As we were talking, the man waiting at the counter turned and it was former student Joe, another favorite, who  now teaches at Tilton.  

    And Tallie treated me to a coffee!!!  Triple win!!

    Tilton is undergoing a massive reconstruction project.  There are still a couple of classrooms in storage containers and work is still being done in the rooms.

    Joe said they can go into the classrooms Monday.  School starts Wednesday.  2 days to unpack and get a room ready.

    I told him I may stop in Monday afternoon to see if I could help.  I could put up some bulletin boards, something I truly sucked at while teaching.  Maybe there are other retirees who could show up and help.

    And I finally put Jackie's dinner table together.  

    The girls got it about a month ago, but I have procrastinated.  It only took about an hour and 2 start overs to get it together. 

    It might have gone faster if Beth had not decided to help by licking my face while I was on the floor.  

    In any case, that was a minor task I finally got done.  

    And that is my life.

Peace and Love

    Especially Peace

don't know why

 Up until a week ago, this posted on Facebook

    Now you have to click the link and go to the site.

    I know it is not that big a deal, but I wish I knew why.  Just seems to be an extra step.  Then again, maybe it isn't.

    I had a PT appointment.  I arrived 3 minutes early for my 2:15 appointment, only to be told my appointment was at 2.  They took me anyway

    I don't know why I have such a hard time with dates and times.  I wrote down 2:15 on our weekly schedule.  I checked the schedule they gave me and it sure does say 2.    Next week my times are both 2:15 so I guess I read the wrong line.

    Oh well.

    Beth is running low on dog food.  We get it from our vet and when I called Monday to tell them I was picking up some on our Tuesday trip to DeKalb, they said they were out.  They were ordering more and would put one bag  aside for me.

    Sure enough.  Wednesday morning they called.

    So after PT I went to DeKalb, stopped at the vet, stopped at Hy-Vee and stopped at Portillo's.

    I figured all the stops were in and out, but that is never. the case.  

    Vet's office was busy.  The thing I wanted at the store was in the back.  It took me a few minutes to find it and there was a wait at Portillo's.

    So I had to settle for listening to the Cubs game tying home run by Bregman while I was driving home.  Now, that was dramatic!  Down 2-0, runner on base, 2 outs and 2 strikes.....Bingo bongo, game tying home run!

    And the win in extra innings?  Just fantastic.   That I got to see.

    Here's hoping there are many more wins in the future.

Peace and Love

    Especially Peace

fright night

 I actually let out a tiny scream

followed by an "Oh my god you scarred me!"

    I decided today to work on the tree bases in the yard.  There are weeds, suckers, grasses and something very itchy that rubbed on my arms growing around the bases.

    I took a break for supper, then went out again.

    About 8:30 I was ready to come in when I spotted an area of crab grass that has given me fits all summer.

    So I l decided to dig  it out.  This patch was almost a foot in diameter and I was working with a shovel when I heard this screeching from behind me.

    I yelped  then turned around to see  a subdivision neighbor on her very squeaky bicycle.

    I had her daughters in school and she just stopped to say hello since she saw me in the yard.

    We had a nice chat, once my heart stopped racing.

    Jackie called me about 8:45.  I never answer when she calls.  I just go straight into the house as fast as I can.

    I got in and she was just wondering where I was because it was dark outside.

    In the not too recent past, if I don't answer her quickly she thinks I have died.  I know!  But I also know sometimes she needs me ASAP and answering the phone takes time.

    Anyway, I worked around 5 large trees and 2 of the smaller ones. And by small, I mean 1 foot or less.  These were free from the state last May and I planted 11 of them.

    Most of them have leaves.

    But there are 4 that don't have leaves.  They have buds.  I tried to snap a bit off, but they are very flexible, which to me means they are not dead.  But why no leaves?

    I am kind of itchy, but not really tired.

    It's too dark to work outside.  Maybe there is something in the house I can do before I  hit the hay.

    Or not.

Peace and Love

ahhh

 We had some luxury today

    I had a pedicure and Jackie got her toe nails trimmed.  We go to a place in Sycamore, have been going there for  a long time.

    While there, I stopped at the audiologist's for supplies, the eyeglass place for  an adjustment on Jackie's glasses, picked up dog food for Beth, returned some shorts. to Kohl's, bought hair spray at Ulta, and picked up some groceries at Hy Vee.

    It was a busy afternoon.

    But life does have its frustrations.

    We got our X Finity bill and I almost shipped my pants!

    Our bill has gone up almost $100 since June!

    After a very long time with a live chat, I was told our bill had been lower because we had promotions which have expired and there are no current promotions available.

     Neither Julia or Emily have cable service.  Maybe it is time for me to consider  going to another provider.

    But, they have to carry Marquee so we can watch the Cubs on their way to another World Series.

    As we were driving today I noticed some yards are full of old cars and trucks, machinery, garbage, and other stuff.

    It makes me wonder why a person would have 5 or 6 vehicles that don't run.  Or why they leave garbage all over their property.

    When we first married we struggled, financially.  but we kept the yard clean.

    True, walk into our kitchen now and maybe it would not be sparkling clean, and there may be dishes in the sink.  And on the counter.  And the recycling bin may be full.  And maybe the counter tops are cluttered

    But the outside looks nice.

    And that's the way it is.

Peace and Love

    Especially Peace

fini

 I mowed today

    I did not start until 4:30, then paused for supper, and finished about 8.

    That seems like a long time....but when you consider supper, bathroom breaks, water breaks and everything, it wasn't bad.

    Looking at the garden, the tomato plants. are huge...but there e are few tomatoes!  Kind of disappointing.

    And I am wondering if I should cut back some of the cucumber runners....they are really going everywhere.

    I had my second PT session today.  Working on stretches, next target will be building up muscles.  Today I did some stretches that really stretched me out!  I am skipping stretches tonight becuse I did them in the morning and in the afternoon. 

    I have read a couple of articles on Lollapalooza in Chicago over the weekend.

    I honestly did not know any of the names of those performing with 1 exception.  I knew Smashing Pumpkins.  But one of the kids at Lolla said they performed on the "grandpa stage." 

    Good grief.

    I saw a video of people leaving the show at the end of the night.  The description was something about how do 115,000 people leave Grant Park.

It showed all these people, holding their phones in flashlight mode,  walking  on Wacker next to the river.

    Now, I man not the most aware person, but if you are leaving Grant Park I don't think you would walk the half mile or so down to Wacker to go home.

    So I am guessing it was an AI generated image.  

    That's my opinion, unless someone can prove me wrong.

Peace and Love

        Especially Peace

almost

 Today was an almost day

    I made lemon cookies and they almost came out right.  They are crisp, and they are supposed to be soft.  I followed the directions.  It said to bake until the edges turn light brown, so I did.  But they are crisp, not soft.

    I almost made it through the day without major leg pains.  Afternoons seem to be better than mornings but I still have tines when I hurt.

    My eye almost looks normal.  I just have to remember not to rub it so hard next time.

    I almost contacted my nephew and his family in Switzerland, but before I knew it, it was almost 10 at night there.  Gotta do that early!

    I almost changed the batteries in my trail cam......but I can't get the old batteries out.  There has to be a trick.

    I almost went the entire day without using a swear word, but the trail can broke the spell.

    And I almost done with my chores.  Hopefully they will be finished by the time I go to bed.

    Have a great first week of August.

Peace and Love

    Especially Peace

rattlesnake master

Cup plant seems to be taking over the native plot

Royal catchfly....I love the red!