j2207

A View From the Field

July 2022

July 31

Well, there. I made it through another year, amazingly enough. Still here, still perking along, although I'm having some trouble walking again. Hard to believe.

I was very late getting to bed last night, and I only slept well for about 7 hours, although I dozed for another couple before I got up, I actually accomplished some things, amazingly enough. I filled all the pill dispensers, which is a chore, and I washed my hair, which is another chore.

Then i twas off to dinner at Harbor Haus, with Johanna, and that was very nice. It wasn't nearly as busy tonight as it was the last time I was there, which was nice and the food is always excellent. I have to say that their prices have really gone up, but so have everybody else's and at least it's worth it.

I am having trouble walking again, although I've been popping Tylenol all day and my hip isn't quite as sore as it was. My knees just don't want to work right. I was so hopeful after I got over the kidney thing, but with the weather the way it's been - and still is - I hurt again.

The humidity was down for a while today and I actually felt some better, but it's up again and it's probably going to rain tonight. It was a hot day for Copper Harbor. The high temperature was 85º and there was little to no wind. By the time it got that hot, the dew point was rising, so the humidity was in the 70s. No wonder I hurt. It was cloudy for most of the day, although there hasn't been any rain yet. There is a big blob headed our way and it doesn't look like it's going to slide by us without raining on us. That will mean I'll have to close some windows, unfortunately, because it's coming in from the southwest to west. Maybe the bedroom will cool down before I have to close up.

Grayson almost got left out in the breezeway last night, but I remembered before I got to bed and let him in. when I left tonight, I discovered that he had made a pile right in the middle of the floor out there, which I thought was rather snotty of him. I didn't have time to clean it up, but I'll do that tomorrow. Today he wss in a rather complainy mood, although he liked his canned food. And he was rather talkative when I got home. He still thinks he can have everything his way, I guess.

Anyway, it was a rather nice day, all things considered. I'm still rather astonished to still be here. And even though my body is falling apart, I still have my mind about me, and I guess I'd rather have it that way. Now I can set out on another new year and see what it brings.

it's a warm, cloudy night in the field.

July 30

One last day of 80 and I totally wasted it.

The weather was nice. There were only a couple of little clouds for an hour or so in the afternoon. The high temperature was 81º, briefly, and there was a little bit of wind that couldn't make up its mind where to blow from. Lovely.

Grayson was not happy with me, because I sort of sat around and he wanted canned food. I wa about to get up and do something when he asked to sit on me, so that took care of that. He has been sleeping in the doorway to the office.

I didn't feel very good and my hip is still so sore I have a hard time walking. I hope tomorrow will be better.

Now it's a clear, warmish night in the field and sometime I have to go to bed.

July 29

Wow, what a day! I wasn't too late last night and I slept OK. I got up around 10 AM, but I fiddled for an hour before I got dressed and had breakfast. I had some coffee, which I made in the French press, with a different ratio of coffee to water and it was better, although it was still sort of bitter. I thought better of Starbucks.

Anyway, on my way to the powder room I noticed that Ron had left the mail, and wonder of wonders, my new debit card was in it! So i immediately activated it. So I was a little later getting away than I hoped, because I had some outgoing mail I had to leave off, but eventually.

I finally made it to the hospital and got my blood draw. The results are sort of weird, but something weird is happening to my body anyway. At least the kidney stuff is back to what it was a couple of months ago - but I knew that when the pain went away. My potassium was quite low, though, and I got a call from my provider that I didn't pick up until it was too late to return it. I suppose it was about all that.

So then I was off to Pat's. When I woke up this morning, my right hip was sore and my knee wasn't feeling so good either. I managed to be very moderate at Pat's - under the circumstances. Unfortunately, by the time I left, I could hardly walk, and a nice couple helped me out of the store and the man unloaded my cart for me. So many nice people around here!

Driving home did not help my hip and by the time I got here, I still couldn't walk. As a result, most of my groceries are still in the breezeway and will be until tomorrow, when I hope I'll feel better and can get them in.

While I was struggling with that, I got a call from Debbie. She had gotten a call from somebody at Aspirus saying they couldn't contact me, which of course worried her. She is in the midst of moving out of her rental, which is a case study on not renting from "friends." So we had a fairly long conversation. When I finally got to the office, there was the call from my primary care provider but no call from anyone else at Aspirus, so I have no clue what that was all about. It was too late to call back, so I'll do that on Monday.

A bunch of weirdness is swirling around both Debbie and me.

I think one reason for my sore joints is the weather. It was cool and cloudy until after sunset. The high temperature was only 68º and until around 5 PM there was a brisk wind from the north with gusts up to 24 mph. It was humid - over 75% - and that does not do my joints any good at all. What the deal with the hip is, I don't know. Hopefully, it will calm down or I'll be using the walker.

Grayson came and sat on me after breakfast, but then he went away and I didn't see him again before I left. He can read my mind, of course, and he knew I was going away. When I finally had to come into the house - I had to pee bad - he was sitting in the hallway staring at me and then he laid down halfway down the hall by the stairway. So when I opened the door to bring in the meat and turn off the light, he ran out. I ignored him, and started to get my dinner, and when I looked out, he was sitting on the platform with his back to the door. So I opened the door and he came in. I don't know what he thought I brought in, but apparently nothing interested him. The breezeway isn't nearly as interesting as it used to be before it got cleaned up. He wanted my dinner, because I had tuna salad, but I don't think ranch dressing is good for cats. He actually came back later and tried to push the dish off the cart, but I caught him at it. Naughty1

So that was my day. I would like to know what Aspirus wanted, but now I'll just have to wait until Monday. In the meantime, I can look forward to Harbor Haus and Johanna on Sunday...and being officially a year older. It still astonishes me.

Now it's a clearing, cool night in the field and I am exhausted.

July 28

When I got up to the north end last night, I felt so sticky and icky that there was no way I was going to bed like that, so at midnight I was in the shower. That helped a lot, and I slept fairly well, I guess. For some reason, I had had a hot flash earlier in the evening, and yuck! i was still in bed by 12:30, which is pretty good for me.

I got ten hours' sleep, too, but I'd never know it from the way I felt all day, so I didn't do anything. The original plan was to go to town today. My excuse was that I was having trouble seeing, but I didn't feel like driving, either. So it has to be tomorrow. We'll see how that goes.

The weather was coolish. The high temperature was 70º, briefly. For most of the day it was in the middle 60s and there was a strong north to northwest wind with gusts up to 31 mph. It was cloudy until around 11;30, then it cleared up until 4:30 PM or so, when the clouds moved back in. They don't report wind chill when the tempearuter is over about 55º, but it felt much cooler than middle 60s.

Grayson actually got on my lap by himself and we had a nice love-in. I guess he wanted to come back later, but I was doing something then. He wnated my dinner, too, but he can't have that kind. Otherwise, he slept.

So that's all there is and now it's a coolish, cloudy night in the field.

July 27

Oh, another lost day. I got ehough sleep, I think, even though I was later getting to bed than I wanted. I started the shawl, so I did accomplish something. I had trouble getting the center cast on and at one point I forgot which row I was on, but there were only about 24 stitches so unknitting it wasn't too bad. The yarn I'm using is a little bit thicker than the purple stuff and the pattern will look much better.

Oh, and I marked my primary ballot - geez, what a waste! Nobody is running for any local offices and the people I vote for in the state don't have anybody running against them. And yes, I think we should fund the local schools and police. I will turn it in tomorrow. I'm wondering what Grant Township is going to do without a Supervisor or Clerk, but those aren't jobs I'd want, so I'll just have to wait and see.

I also paid a couple of bills.

Mostly, I didn't - and don't - feel very good. My head hurts and I am very tired. My back and legs are holding up fine, though, with only a few twinges in my knees when it was so humid. I need to go to bed early.

The weather started out extremely foggy, but it lifted around 10:30 and in an hour or so the clouds drifted off to the east and the sun came out. It began to cloud up again around 5:30 PM, and I don't know what that means. The high temperature was 74º and it was very humid until around 8 PM, It's better now.

Grayson slept, of course, and today he kept picking spots where he would be in my way. I would love to know why he doesn't move until after I have to step over him He finally got his lap sit - not too long - not very long ago.

So that was my nothing-much day and now it's a warmish, cloudy night in the field.

July 26

Maybe it was the coffee, but maybe it was just that I can't string two productive days in a row together. I didn't sleep well. I was twitchy enough that I had to sit for over half an hour in the middle of the night. I didn't get into that really deep sleep that I need. So I didn't do anything.

I had planned to start the round shawl, but my eyes were bad enough today that I couldn't read the instructions, so i gave up on that, too. In part it has to do with getting enough sleep, just like the other things.

I did manage to get a bulletin put together and I found a better webmail app, because I couldn't figure ou thow to create a new message on the old one. I still want to install a new local app, but that will take time, and before I do, I need to purge a whole lot of messages that have gotten backed up in the old app. I do keep an archive, and I'll do that, but I don't need most of what's out there right now. It's on my to-do list.

Tomorrow it's a bath, and I really need to do something about the piles of winter clothes that are all over the closet and the laundry room. Oh, it never ends.

I will be happy if I can knit a bit tomorrow and get clean. The shampoo is helping me not lose so much hair, but it is far too greasy for summer, so if I have to be presentable, I will have to wash my hair more often. tomorrow I have money again and Thursday I need to go to town for blood work and food. I would really like to pull the lid on over me and never go out at all, but that isn't possible.

The weather was meh. The early morning was clear, but the clouds began to move in around 11 AM and the afternoon was cloudy and dull. Between 9 and 11 PM we had 0.18" of rain and there may be more behind it. The high temperature was 77º and there was almost no wind, but when the temperature was highest, the humidity was quite low. Now it's 100%, which I suppose means it's foggy out there - it's hard to tell at night.

Grayson did his usual things. He got a nice lap sit and a tummy rub, which he enjoyed. Every so often, he comes up under the chair and mews and gets petted. He tries to act cool, but he needs a lot of love.

So that was my day and now it's a dark, humid night in the field and it's time to go to bed.

July 25

Maybe it was the coffee.

I was in bed for around 10 hours, but I didn't sleep well for all of them and when I got up, I was tired and headachy. However, except to check the weather and see that the camera was updating, i did not get sucked into the surfing hole. Grayson was confused. I got dressed right away and gave him his breakfast before I got mine. I had decided I was finally going to have poached eggs and I decided to finally have my coffee.

The coffee didn't turn out so good. I have a percolator, and there was something about the combination of finely ground coffee and the instructions Starbucks put on the bag that just did not work. It was extremely strong and sort of bitter, and lots of sugar and milk didn't help much. Tomorrow I must try the French press and a different ratio of grounds to water. I just can't justify a burr grinder - or any other grinder - right now. The eggs were great.

Anyway, i had some plans for the day and I actually did everything I planned. I wonder how long that will last.

First, I cleaned up the kitchen. I had a mess on the counter again and I got rid of all that and took out a bag of garbage, so things are looking better. There's more to do, but there isn't any garbage. I must try to continue making it my habit to drop the garbage in the can on my way out of the kitchen - the basket is in the last cabinet before the great room. it works well, when I do it.

Then I moved enough stuff around the office so that I could clear enough room on the desk for my yarn swift and I spent the rest of the afternoon winding eight balls of lace yarn. I think I'm ready for another shawl. I found the purple one so traumatic that I wanted a rest, but I haven't lost my love of lace. I have a choice - a grayish pink circle or a while stole. I think I will be starting the pink one. I tried starting it in the purple yarn three or more years ago and decided I don't like the center, but I can just do it. The edgings are beautiful, but I have to do a center first. It will be easier in the lighter yarn. I only think I know what I want to do with the white yarn, so I will wait on that.

I have an electric yarn winder, but it has its problems and I can't leave it alone, because it walks, and I have to be careful not to run it too fast, because if something gets tangled, it makes a mess. I had that trouble with the white yarn, but the pink yarn was all fine. It took about two hours.

Every time I wind yarn, I have to use the antique yarn swift, because the winder isn't strong enough for a regular swift, and I think about that yarn swift. I got it years ago when the Berry Patch was owned by George and Brenda and they also sold antiques. George didn't know what it was, but i knew at once. It was clearly handmade by a cabinet maker. The feet have a curve on the upper side and all the pieces are as smooth as glass. There are five holes in each arm where the pegs fit, and while I think the holes are a bit too small, the pegs do fit tightly enough that they mostly don't come out. I like to think it was made by a man who loved his wife dearly but just did not want to sit with yarn around his hands while she wound balls for the socks and sweaters she knitted for him and their children. She sewed a small bag for the pegs and pivot and a large one - doubled at the bottom - for the base and arms, all out of pale blue linen. I didn't pay very much for it, and George will never know what a treasure he sold me. It's a tangible thread connecting me to my forbearers.

The weather turned out nice. It might have been a bit cloudy at sunrise, but it began to clear up around 9 AM and the rest of the day was lovely. The high temperature was 74º and there was a brisk north wind with gusts up to 25 mph until around 8 PM. The humidity got down to reasonable levels again, too.

Grayson was confused. Usually when I get dressed right after I get up, it's because I'm going away, and he kept waiting for me to leave. We had breakfast rather than dinner - he liked that, except that then he wanted more - and I had two meals for a change. He did get a nice lap sit, though, and the rest of the time he slept. I have to keep reminding myself that he's at least 12 years old now, and he's a typical cat, not like Buster at all. So mostly he sleeps. He is unusual in that he prefers to sleep on the floor, rather than on something soft. He used to do that, but I think it was because Louie couldn't jump, so Grayson was safe if he was up high. Since Louie died, he's preferred the floor.

So that was a day when I accomplished something and now it's a clear, warmish night in the field. As soon as the Dvorak ends, I can go to bed.

July 24

So I got another good night's sleep, and this time I didn't get up after 9 hours like I did yesterday. I was awake then, but I went back to bed. I didn't really sleep, but I didn't get up for another two hours and I felt much better. After postponing it for far too long, I finally got my bath today and that made me feel much better, too. I've been sweating a lot lately. But showering and particularly, drying off is hard because I'm so stiff and I keep putting it off. Unfortunately, the shampoo that seems to be helping my hair not fall out is a bit too greasy for my scalp, which is still oily, and after about three or four days it looks like someone dumped a can of oil on my head. It doesn't matter when I'm home alone, but I don't go out looking like that - or I try not to.

The weather was sort of variable. During the morning, it was sunny and the temperature got up to 71º with a north wind that topped out at 21 mph with 36 mph gusts. That blew in the clouds and between 3 and 6 PM we had 0.2" of rain. That brought the temperature down to 57º, but the wind has finally died down, too. Of course, it's very humid. I'm learning the difference between sore knees from cool humidity and very sore knees from kidney disease.

Grayson slept. although he was complaining a bit before he got his dinner - his fave. He was a bit confused because I had to go both in the closet and the laundry room to get something to wear - I forgot last night. Then I went back to the bathroom to get dressed. When I finally set out for the kitchen, he wasn't quite sure where I was going. He likes things predictable and I'm just not predictable enough for him. Too bad.

So that's all there was and now it's a cool, mostly clear evening in the field.

July 23

Well, I got to bed at a reasonable hour and I thought I slept well and long enough, but I woke up headachy and felt lousy. So I didn't do anything.

The weather has turned humid again, unfortunately. The high temperature was 75º and there was a light southwest wind for most of the day. We had a short thundershower just after 9 PM that didn't do anything but make it more humid and cooled it down. Whether there will be some more rain before it clears up depends upon whose forecast you believe. They've all been wrong.

Grayson mostly slept, although i was late enough getting to the kitchen that he was beginning to complain a bit. Just before I got up, when I was coming to, je jumped up on the bed and settled down. This is something new and I don't know why he's started to do it. it's nice, though, as long as my fingers are covered up.

Now it's a cool, cloudy night in the field and I need to go back to bed.

July 22

I got a good night's - and morning's - sleep and I felt better, at least untll late in the day. I just need a lot of sleep lately.

Ron brought the mail, and my new license and tab were in it. I had to laugh a bit at the license. They renewed it for 4 years. If I'm still here, I'll be 85 on that birthday. Sometimes the automatics are a good thing. I may not be here or I may not be able to see or I may not have a working vehicle - or any number of other things that could happen. At least I can drive without violating the law.

Tonight I had a long conversation with, I think, Jonathan at PastyNet and it turns out that my email client is not compatible with their new server. Ugh. However, he pointed me to another client that I think will talk to the server, solve my picture problems and let me convert my email files. Only it's too late to work on that tonight. Tomorrow, maybe. I don't like the webmail client at all and it doesn't let me save the things I need to save. Actually, I've been going to talk to him about that for quite a while, because the picture problem has been getting worse. It's very frustrating to get emails where I can't see any of the pictures. since that's why I still let them come.

The weather was mostly clear and hot. The high temperature was 85º. Ugh. The only thing that saved it at all was, besides the ceiling fans, where they work, is that there was a brisk northwest breeze, with gusts up to 26 mph. Not that I didn't sweat a lot. Since I thought I might see Ron, I wore jeans, and not shorts, and I was sorry, because I didn't see him. I have never been a hot weather person, and while I understand that 85º isn't that hot for people where the highs have been 112º or more, it's hotter than I can accomodate. I've experienced 105º, but it was years ago when I was more tolerant of those things.

Having to install and configure a new email client has made me feel very old and tired. Hopefully, Jon will be around to help.

Grayson doesn't like it either, and he mostly slept laid out flat on his side. He still wants to be close to me, though, rather than sleep in the bathroom where the tile is cool.

I made rice tonight, so now I have that again. I had a couple of days of potatoes, but somehow they seem heavy for summer. Mostly I'd just as soon have salad, but i need to make sure I get enough protein. I also made hard boiled eggs. The soft boiled ones were a bit better, almost jammy eggs, but I'm still fiddling with that. It's too hard to catch the pot just as it boils and remove the eggs at just the right time. Next time, I'll have to try taking them out at 2 minutes, rather than 3. It takes enough time for me to get them out and across the kitchen to the sink that they're overcooked - well, not really. I like boiled eggs at any state.

So that was my day, and just now the wind seems to have backed northerly, which is blowing a nice, cold breeze over the lake. Blessed lake!

It's a clear (I think) warm night in the field.

July 21

Well, that was pretty awful. I went to be at a relatively reasonable hour - about 12:30 - but I just could not sleep. the bedclothes were damp and clammy and my feet were like two blocks of ice. It wasn't until around 5 AM that I finally passed out, and since I got up around noon, I didn't get nearly enough sleep. I've been tired and headachy all day. When I finally made it to the office I discovered the reason: I never took my evening pills. No wonder. I take the gabapentin for my sore toes, but it also quiets down all the rest of my body and I just can't do without it. Sigh.

The email problem persists, and I'm having trouble getting back in touch with PastyNet. I do not like their webmail server. It has a very steep learning curve anyway, and I simply don't like the way it operates. I want my Live Mail back!

It was still cool and damp when I went to bed, but over the night, the wind died down and the humidity went down. The temperature only got down to 67º overnight, but I still had a hard time getting my temperature right. The temperature got up to 81º this afternoon, but the humidity was down to 41% for a while, so it's much more comfortable. It was mostly clear, I think. I don't think I will have so much trouble sleeping tonight, but I was happy I decided to wear my "jhorts" today (that's New Yorkese for "jeans shorts"). They look charming with my compression kneehighs, but nobody sees me anyway. And I think my feet are a bit warmer.

Grayson gave up a very large hairball not long after I got up today, and I think he ought to feel better after that! I mentioned that he is just now shedding his winter coat, and he is quite a clean cat, so of course, he swallows most of that stuff. I don't remember that he got a lap sit today, though.

So it was a quiet day, and now it's a clear, sort of warmish night in the field. No more 100% humidity for a while, I hope!

July 20

I planned to be early, but I went into zombie mode and i didn't go up to the north end until late, and then I went into zombie mode again, so I was late. I was up several times, but eventually I got to sleep and around 7 A< or so, I began to come to, hearing raindrops falling all around. I do love that sound! And then, Grayson began shouting at me, even jumping on the bed and shouting. It took me a minute or two to realize what he was so upset about, but I ipened one eye and discovered that the rain was coming in from the northwest. Oops. The window nearest the head of the bed was closed, but the other one was open and the floor was all wet. I managed to get it shut without slipping on the floor, and then I had to shut the one in the bathroom, too. That satisfied both of us, so I went back to bed and I slept until after 1 PM. Sigh.

As a result it was late before I got our dinners and I didn't get to the computer until after 5 PM. When I sat down to read my emails, I discovered that I hadn't gotten any since around 1 AM. I tried a few things, but I seemed to have a permanent error. I ate my dinner, because it's rather difficult to type with the tray on top of the keyboard and then I texted them. Well, after spending the next two or so hours on the phone with Charlie, I still don't have any email. He did give me a link to webmail, and that was a good thing, because I had forgotten that I have a bulletin to put together this week. Oops.

Getting the bulletin together wasn't too difficult, except that as usual, I forgot to check everything to make sure I had all the messages, particularly about the prayer list. I didn't, of course, so I had to send it out twice - all while learning a completely new mail app. It was messy and slow, but I think I finally got it sent out correctly.

In the meantime, I had gotten a message from the bank questioning a charge on my debit card that I didn't recognize, so I told them it wasn't me, and now, of course, I have to wait for a new card. Fortunately, I don't have any money anyway, but it's a pain, especially since I just deduced what the charge was and it was legit. In the past week, I have gotten two charges from businesses who renewed subscriptions and never bothered to email me to say they were going to charge me. In my opinion, that is terrible customer service.

Now I need to go to bed.

THe weather was yucky again. The high temperature was 74º, but the humidity was around 90% or higher all day. Today, though, a north wind picked up after the rain, with gusts up to 29 mph. That helped some, but even the TP in the bathroom is damp. It was mostly cloudy in the morning, cleared up around 12:30 and clouded back up after 5 PM. Things should be a bit better tomorrow, or I hope so. This is ugly.

Grayson wasa happier after I shut out the rain, but he wanted some of my dinner and he ended up not getting any. I thought he would get the end of my yogurt, but he gpt impatient and went away and it had all dried up by the time he came back. He doesn't like this weather any more than I do, and he evidently really hates rain. Most of the time, he has a sweet voice that isn't extremely loud, but man, can he sound off! And then when I woke up the last time, he got up on the bed and kept reaching out to my fingers with his claws out. I guess he thought I'd been sleeping enough. And when I sat up, he was looking very pleased with himself. I guess he thinks he runs this show.

So now it's getting late again and I haven't even had time to read, but I need to go to bed. It's a coolish, windy, clammy night in the field.

July 19

I wasn't too late, but I didn't sleep very well. I think mostly it's because it was so humid. The temperature was around 70º, plus or minus a couple of degrees, there was no wind and the humidity was mostly over 90%. Eventually, I had to close the window closest to the head of the bed because a light wind sprung up, but I still wasn't comfortable. Maybe tonight will be better, because I'm really tired and I've had a sort of sinus headache all day.

I got the store to get an order for me, and I now have enough JD and lettuce to last for a while - probably not until next Wednesday, when I will have money, but enough. Debbie and Cheryl threw out all my Miracle Whip, too, and that's what I like with my hard boiled egg sandwiches. Now I have to hard boil some more eggs. I don't know how it is with you - maybe you cook - but I get so, so tired of eating the same things over and over. Lately, hard boiled eggs have tasted really good, but I ate the last ones yesterday, using ranch dressing in place of the Miracle Whip. Tomorrow I will boil some more and maybe figure out why it didn't work right the last time I did it. I wanted to take two out of the water when they were soft boiled, but somehow they all got hard. Very well cooked, but hard. My only problem was that the eggs were so fresh that the shells wouldn't come off. We'll see how it goes.

Today's weather wasn't any better than last night's. It did rain lightly for part of last night, but there haven't been more than a couple of sprinkles today. The humidity is still over 90% and since around 4 PM the wind has been steady from the southwest. From the look of the radar map, there is apparently a low pressure system centered over the Minnesota-Canada border and while most of the heavy rain is up in Canada, we may get a bit of it, too. I will have to shut the south window, just in case, and keep track of the open window in my bedroom. Mostly it feels cool and clammy, and I just hate that. At least my knees are holding up pretty well. It's apparently going to be about the same tomorrow. Ugh.

Grayson doesn't like it, either and he keeps complaining. I wish I could do something about it, buddy, but i can't. So I pet him when i can and I filled all his kibble bowls while I was waiting for my dinner to cook. He is eating well, which is a good sign, although I'm going to have to clean out his trays pretty soon. I don't know what's in that food that smells so awful coming out.

So that was my day, and now I have to wait until the Beethoven is over - Les Adieux.

It's a warmish, damp, cloudy night in the field.

July 18

I was really late last night. I wrote until my hands were too sore to move and then I fiddled around for a while before I finally gave in and went to bed. It had cooled off enough that i had to almost shut the front windows and there was a brisk wind blowing. I slept all right - not really well - got up late and fiddled around some more. The charging cable I had in the bathroom broke, so I had to fiddle with that, too. Then I had a dinner that sounded good but wasn't.

The weather was warm today. The high temperature was 78º, briefly late in the day, and the only thing that saved it was that there was a north wind in the 15 mph range. For the past half hour or so, I've been watching some thunderstorms slide by us on the west, before a northwest wind. There was some thunder and a little lightning, but I don't believe it rained. As a result, it's very humid - almost 80% - and the wind has gone calm. Ah, the joys of summer.

Grayson doesn't like it either, but he did get two lap sits and apparently he liked his dinner pretty well. Mostly, he laid out full length. When I was up at the north end, he spent most of his time on the tile in the bathroom. He did jump into bed with me this morning, and then I got hot and threw back the covers, apparently over him, and he kicked them onto my back, then he got upset - don't ask me why - and walked the length of the bed and went thump! on the floor. He was back later, though, around the time I got up. i hope he's just hot and not sick. He has just started shedding, though, so maybe he's just hot.

I didn't write tonight, even though I know where the story is going for a while. My hands hurt. That seems to be eral arthritis. I'm afraid the knee thing is kidneys, and since they aren't bothering me now, I suspect I had another glitch and things are OK again. I will get my monthly test next week and we'll see.

So that was a quiet, sort of truncated day and now I think I'm going to begin to pack it up to go to bed much earlier than last night. It's a warm, cloudy and possibly thundery night in the field.

July 17

Late again. This time, I was writing and besides, I just couldn't decide on anything to eat, even though I was getting hungry. I wrote 3300 words, and I would like to write more, but now I'm getting tired. I do have to finish my drink and wait until the gabapentin kicks in so I have a little more time, but maybe not enough to finish this episode. I have one more planned and then I will have to go back to the dreaming board.

I wasn't too late last night and I slept all right, although getting the temperature right was difficult. Mostly it was warm, because there was no wind, but every so often a cold breeze would come in the windows. I kept waking up hot, but that was the usual when I have to pee. I got up around noon and I didn't surf to much, but when i was dispensing my new pills, I dropped a bottle on the floor and 89 little orange pills went just everywhere. Ack! I got the transfer chair and some paper and a pair of tweezers to get them out from between the tiles and I think I got most of them, but it took a while. At least Grayson was very patient with me.

So I was late eating and I wasn't finished with my surfing when the weekly backup started. When the sun sets so late, I have a hard time feeling out what time it is. After that, I had to work up to starting to write and for a while I didn't think I would. Of course, once I started, I didn't want to stop, and like I said, I couldn't decide what to eat. Sp now I am et and pilled and tired and I guess I'll just quit when I get through with this. I just saved it, so hopefully I won't lose any of it.

The weather was about the same as yesterday. They were predicting dense fog, and I guess there was some out on the big lake, but it didn't roll in until around 3:30 and it was gone after 5:30. It never did get down to this end of the harbor. The high temperture was 76º. very briefly, and there wasn't any wind. The humidity was over 70% all day.

Grayson's patience with me was rewarded. He got his very favorite dinner, which I finally was able to buy, and to say he inhaled it is an understatement. Not only did he inhale it, he licked the dish. And he got a short lap sit, but I was doing something else, so he didn't stay. I'm afraid that when I rolled the transfer chair behind him, I pulled out a chunk of his fur, probably from his tail, but he just mewed a little bit. Of course, when I came back, it was on the floor and he made a point to go over to it and sniff it, just in case I didn't see it. Things are tight at that end of the kitchen and i'm not sure what to do about it. Some stuff has to go somewhere.

So that was my day and now it's a clear, coolish night in the field.

July 16

I don't think I was too late getting to bed last night, but it was one of those awful nights. It was hot in the bedroom. The fan didn't do anything because it was just blowing around the hot air (and it's noisy) and even after i opened both front windows wide, it didn't help, because there was no wind. I didn't actually get into a deep sleep until after it got light, and I had to get up around noon, before I wanted to, because then a cold, damp wind started blowing in and I got cold. I had to get dressed before I wanted to, too, because that same cold, damp wind was coming in the bathroom window.

I was still late, but with the days so long, it didn't really matter. Today, so far, I have avoided another accident, although it was close. For some reason I don't understand, my knees feel better than they have in months. I'll never understand how it works.

Anyway, I got all the cat food put away, so Grayson will eat well for the next six months or so. There are still two varieties I can't get, but I'm looking for them. I can't buy anything except a little food for the rest of the month anyway. The only trouble was, he thought he was going to get some more canned food today, and that isn't how it works. Tomorrow, though, he will get his most favorite combination for the first time in several weeks.

I wrote, too. about 1000 words. I think I'm ready for the next episode, but it's too late to get into that now.

The weather wasn't very nice. IT started out sunny, but around 11:30 the fog moved in. It moved out around 7:30 PM, although from the noises I hear, I guess it's still out over the lake. the Isle Royal Queen was only out on her sunset cruise for about 20 minutes, from which I gather that they couldn't see anything. The high temperature was 69º and there was just about no wind. The lowest the humidity got this afternoon was 84%. Even when it isn't affecting my joints, I don't like this kind of weather.

Grayson doesn't either, I think. He got two lap sits today. The first time he climbed down onto my lap himself and left himself. The second time, I had to pick him up, but he didn't want to leave, and I was getting hungry. He wanted my dinner really badly, too, but he can't have what I had.

So that was my day and now I think I will totter up to the north end and see how hot or cold it is in the bedroom. A little breeze seems to have sprung up, possibly from the southwest, which might mean I have to close one of the windows.

So now it's' a coolish, cloudy, damp night in the field and it's bedtime.

July 15

Well, I finished reading the story and then I had to write this and by that time, I couldn't make it to the powder room, so I had to clean up after that and relax, so I was very late getting to bed. Not an inversion, but very late. I got up around noonish, surfed a bit and took a bath, so I had not quite eating a small breakfast when Ron arrived with my mail and an incredible number of bags of pills.

Unfortunately, they had filled a couple of prescriptions before my doctor changed what I'm taking, so I have a whole bag full of pills I can't use. First I ran out of glucosamine, and then I somehow managed to order two bottles, but that's all right. I won't run out again any time soon. That, I find, is the difficulty with these subscription orders - either the stuff runs out early or I get too much of it. If it works right, it's wonderful, but I haven't gotten it to work right in the past five or six years. Anyway, i am set for pills for a while.

After he left and I cleaned up from my accident, I sat down with the story I have been working on and before I got some dinner, I wrote almost 2400 words. I'm at the next big part I've been thinking about, but it's 11:30 and I don't want to get into that now, or I'll never get to bed. Rao and Blue Gorge will just have to wait. I know pretty much what's going to happen, which should make it easier when I do begin again.

I just remembered to write myself a big, black note. Ron turned the lights on in the garage on when he took out one of the boxes and he forgot to turn them off. Sheesh. You'd think by this time he'd know. So I turned them off from the main panel in the hallway, but that turns everything off from the breezeway on out, so I have to fix it. On the other hand, the ladies turned off the main panel switch and then they couldn't understand why none of the lights in the garage worked. Hey, I didn't do that kludge.

The weather turned out nice. It was cloudy overnight and it only started to clear up after 9:30 AM. The afternoon was clear and it was pristine when it got dark. The high temperature was 77º (oh, no wonder it got hot in here!) but it peaked twice, between 11 and noon and again between 4 and 6 PM. In between, it got down to 65º. There was almost no wind after noon. Frankly, I could take a lot of this, although we could use some of the rain that other people are getting. I guess we're possibly in for some next week, although things change. When I see all the heat even down in southern Michigan, I'm so glad again that I'm here, especially this year.

I'm not sure Grayson feels very good. He gave up a big hairball the other day and he's shedding so much I'm sure he's eating a lot of fur. He finally ate all his canned food - it's not his fave - but it took him a while. He did get to sit on me for a while, which made him happy, but he didn't get any of my fish, which did not make him happy. I didn't think honey mustard bourbon marinade would do him any good, and besides, when the portion size is only 6 oz. there isn't enough for both of us.

So that was my day. The cat food is in the tub on the dolly and it needs to be stowed away, and the rice and incontinent pads are out in on the platform, so I have plenty to do. I say again, it is so nice to have that transfer chair so I can easily do things like stow the cat food away.

Now it's a clear, warmish night in the field and I'm really tired.

July 14

I'm happy to say the computer glitch wasn't as disastrous as I was afraid it was. It seems like Windows Live Mail was hung up trying to write to disk when I turned the computer off, so I had some corrupted files. I had to reboot, and it did a chkdsk automatically. Of course, since it's a huge disk - over a terabyte - it took a while, but it got put back together and there isn't anything physically wrong with it.

However, I was sort of late, and I'm going to be late tonight. I didn't get up until noon and around 8 PM, I could have gone back to bed. I feel better now, of course, now that I expect to go to bed soon. I was reading and I wanted to finish that story, at least as far as I've written it.

The only thing I can say I accomplished is that I washed the load of bottoms I've been soaking and I have to put it in the dryer on my way north. At least I will have clean bottoms - and a few tops, too.

The weather was nice again. It was clear until around 9:30, when the clouds moved in. The high temperature was 75º and there was almost no wind. Nice. My kind of weather.

Grayson was mostly sleepy. He was asleep on the rug in the bathroom when I got up and he pretty much stayed there until I went south. Then he got impatient, like he usually does when I'm opening his cans. He got a nice lap sit, too, and a good tummy rub. He stretches out full length across my lap, and since he's a little cat, he sort of fits. He lays his head on my right forearm and sometimes goes to sleep there until I twitch. I can only stand having him lying on my arm for a while before it goes to sleep.

So that was my quiet day and now it's a coolish, cloudy night in the field.

July 13

Oof! That was not a good way to end the evening. the computer hung, so that I actually had to turn it off to unhang it, and when I got it back up (it took at least 10 minutes) I discovered that my Windows Live Mail had gotten trashed. So I have to do a restore, which was not what I wanted to do. I wanted to write this and go to bed.

I was much earlier last night - around 1 AM, I think, and I slept well for at least 10 hours. I had to leave a front window open about 6" because it was so hot in the bedroom, and in the morning there was a cold breeze coming in that made me cold, so eventually I got up and then I zoned ou8t. Sheesh. Oh, I did fold the load of underwear that was in the dryer and put away the panties, so now I'm good for close to a month.

The Secretary of State sent me a message saying that my incomplete renewal had been deleted, so I have to do do the renewal before I do the restore, and besides, they're playing one of my Beethoven faves.

The weather was clear and cool. The high temperature was 62º and after about 3 PM it was calm. The Buck Moon should just have risen in the southeast. I expect it will look just about the way it did last night. In the summer, it rises late, hugs the horizon, and sets early, but that's because the sun rises early, is as far up in the sky as it ever gets, and sets late.

Grayson was asleep on the rug, and when he finally got up to get a drink, I pulled the washbasket over to where he had been lying. when he came back, he was not pleased. He went away for a while, but he came back and sat at the other end of the bathroom, straight up with his paws together and frowned at me. And as soon as I finished and moved the basket, he came back and went back to sleep. He is a funny little cat, just like all cats are funny in some way.

So that was my day and now it's a clear, cool, moonlit night in the field.

July 12

Well, I did it again. I'll try not to do it tonight. I need more than 7 hours' sleep.

The task of the day was to renew my licenses, and I got it half done. The trouble is, I did it backward. If you have to renew both driver's and car licenses, you are supposed to do the driver's license first, and there is a link to the car license, so you can [ay for both of them at once. Only there are no instructions about that. So I decided to do the one I knew would work first, and then right before I got to the payment, I decided to go back and do the driver's license. So my half-completed car license is still in the system and heaven knows when it may finally go away.

Anyway, while there are an imposing number of security features to get in and renew a driver's license, it worked fine, much to my surprise. They don't apparently care anymore how old you are or whether you can see or not. I'll take it. If I decide to try for a Real ID, I will have to visit an office, and I may do that sometime. After next May, there are some places I can't go without one, although I don't see any reason why I would want to go to those places. I think they renewed it for another 3 years. I could be dead by then.

I guess I'll just wait until tomorrow to do the car license. I seem to remember last year that I had trouble with that, mostly because they never bothered to send anything or remind me that it was time. Sheesh. Oh, and they charge 1% or 2% extra for using a credit card, which you have to if you want to renew online.

THe weather was blah. It was cool and humid and cloudy all day, at least until after sunset. The high temperature was 63º and there was no wind. After all the wind we had in the spring, it's surprising that it's been so calm lately.

Grayson mostly slept. He didn't get his lap sit until tonight, but then he laid on my lap while I scratched his tummy and I think he went to sleep. I think he's grateful that things are back to normal again, although he still hasn't figured out the hallways.

So that was my day and now it's a cool (cold?) clear night in the field, and the supermoon is somewhere up in the sky.

July 11

Sorry for the - ahem - journal last night, but I was so tired I could hardly see. And then, of course, I went back to reading and did something - I forget what - when I went up to the north end and nearly inverted. I got up a bit after noon, so I didn't get enough sleep, and while I can see a bit better tonight, I'm late again and I'm tired again. Sigh.

I don't remember doing anything yesterday and I didn't do anything but read today. I'm re-reading "Voyages" and I do like those stories, but still, that's no excuse. Thing is, it's so clean in the house, I have no feel that I should do anything.

I was gratified to find that the rice I made at least a week ago is still good, although I didn't eat all my channa masala. I don't have much of an appetite lately.

The weather yesterday was very warm for us. The high temperature was 83º and there was no wind. I had windows open and ceiling fans going at high speed and it was tolerable, but I was hot. Today was better. It was around 72º with a northwest wind up to 25 mph overnight, which was good for sleeping, and then it cooled down to 60º by noon. It did get up to 73º in the afternoon, and the wind came out of the north, but not very strong. It was a bit warm in the office, but I think it will probably be tolerable in the bedroom, since the latest reading was 55º with light north winds. I can tolerate some heat during the day, but I need it cool at night.

I don't think Grayson is still comfortable with the clear hallways. He got to sit on me for a while, but he keeps coming in and asking to be petted, and I found him laid out in the hallway beside the stairs. (I don't call that a hallway because it has no ceiling, but everybody else does). He also asked for more canned food tonight, but I won't do that. His next Chewy order came today, I think. There are still two varieties I haven't been able to get, but at least i got the special combo he has on Sundays, which I think is his all-time favorite. Food is the highlight of his day, which is too bad.

It's mine, too, or it was. Lately I haven't been hungry or when I was, I couldn't decide what to eat, so I didn't eat anything. I suppose it's my kidneys. Sigh.

So that's a couple of quiet days and now i must go to bed. It's a cloudy, humid night in the field.

July 10

It's too late and I didn't do anything anyway.

The weather was warm. I'll talk about it tomorrow

Grayson gave up a big hairball this morning. I hope it made him feel better.

When I came back to the office with my meal (such as it was), there was a big, golden moon setting behind the Mountain Lodge, so pretty!

It's a warm night in the field.

July 9

Oh, must go to bed!

I did not sleep very well last night, at least at first. It was so hot in the bedroom that i finally had to turn on the fan. It's fairly noisy, even on "low" in part because "low" is what I would have called high in most fans. But it does blow and I was so tired by that time that by lying on my good ear, I was able to sleep for quite a while.

Today I did nothing except open the house a bit. I haven't even eaten very much and I don't know if I will. I have not been hungry, and without that, I haven't been able to decide on anything to eat. I know. It's probably my kidneys.

The weather was lovely again, although there were a few clouds late in the day. The high temperature was 72º and until about 10 PM there was no wind. That was my problem last night, too. It was calm. I have the front windows in the bedroom open now as well as the window in the bathroom, and with the fan, I expect it's cooled down a lot. I checked the temperature in the bedroom right after I opened the windows, and it was 85º. I can't sleep when it's that warm anymore.

Grayson reacted to the heat by stretching out in the middle of some floor. He likes the bathroom floor when it's hot, because the tile is always cool. And he accidentally got the same canned food he had yesterday, but it didn't seem to bother him. It was out of a can and it was fresh.

So it was a lost day and now it's a partly cloudy, warmish night in the field.

July 8

I don't remember exactly when I got to bed, probably around 1 AM, and I didn't get up until around 1 PM. I think I could have gone back to bed, but I needed to make a couple of phone calls. I thought it was only one, to ask Ron to bring the mail, but there was a message from the doctor's office that I had to return. They are fiddling around with a bunch of my meds, and my kidney function was so bad they want me to talk to the nephrologist again.

I was up such a short time that I didn't have time to do much of anything, even read all the news emails I've been getting. I did finally get to listen to part of the talking for the first time in a week. It goes from 4 PM to 8 PM and with the ladies here, I was busy then. So things are getting back to normal, I guess. Although Ron is retiring from the post office, which I was sorry to hear. It will probably change what I have to do to get the mail.

I didn't get anything about my license and registration, so I checked with the Secretary of State's website, and evidently that is all being handled online now. Next year is the deadline for having an enhanced license to fly nd I will have to check and see if I can do that online, too. I don't expect to do any traveling, but you never know, and since I have to renew my license this year, I might as well see if I can get the enhanced one online. It would have been nice if they'd actually told us that they weren't going to be sending the renewal forms through the mail anymore. I even have to print the registration myself! Geez.

The weather was nice. The high temperature was 68º and there was no wind. I think it was clear all day. The harbor is like a mirror, and it's neat to see the reflection of the mountain.

Grayson is enjoying the quiet. He greeted Ron but he didn't stay. Sometime during the afternoon, he came up under my feet and mewed and when I picked him up, he stretched out on my lap on his back and after I petted him a while, he went to sleep, so happy.

So that was my day. I had the rest of my fish, Debbie's fish and Cheryl's fish for dinner tonight and it was still pretty good, although it was overcooked. They wee so busy on Wednesday that I'm not surprised that it wasn't the best, and evidently they ran out of bread. That's why the restaurant business is so hard: not only were they shorthanded, which was driving the hostess crazy, they couldn't be sure how many people would come.

Well, now the gibbous moon is shining right up in the top right-hand corner of the windows and it's time to go to bed. It's a clear, calm night in the field.

July 7

Oh, it was a nice quiet day and I needed that. Maybe even two. I got to bed around 12:30 AM and got up around 11:30 AM, so I had enough sleep, but I almost fell asleep at the computer in the middle of the afternoon. I need to rest up.

That was partly because PastyNet has been having terrible problems with their links to Copper Harbor and for most of the day I wasn't even getting modem speeds. Sometimes the upload wouldn't even work. As it's gotten later, it's gotten a little better and I think I'll be able to upload this, but it's been bad. At the north end,where I spent most of the afternoon, it's been even worse, but I expect that, because I always lose some speed through the extender. I was only glad I wasn't trying to use the laptop!

The weather was cool again. The NWS says it got to 66º briefly, but i don't believe that, since it was 60º or below for mots of the day. It was cloudy until around 1 PM, clear until around 4:30 PM and then it started to cloud up again. So much for the forecasts. There was a moderate north wind until arou8nd 6 PM when it went just about calm.

Grayson was happy, too. Nobody disturbed his rest and he slept a lot. He did want to sit on me but not bad enough to get on the counter. He did want my dinner - some more of my fish - but he didn't get any. I don't know what's in that marinade that might not be good for him.

i was so tired I didn''t move before I had an accident, and when i went back through the kitchen, I discovered it on the floor, so I had to stop and clean that up. My legs weren't bad, but my hands have been aching all day and I still have mosquitos in the house. I have one very itchy bite between my thumb and forefinger. But my fingers are so sore I can hardly type.

Pastor is evidently going on vacation, and he wanted to see next week's bulletin, so I put that together for him tonight. i don't think there should be any changes to it, so my work is done and i can have a vacation from my "job" too.

Now it's a cool, dark night in the field and I'm exhausted again.

July 6

Well, they'll be gone tomorrow. Grayson will be glad. He can catch up on his sleep.

So can I. I think I was in bed by midnight last night, and I got up at 10 AM, but I didn't want to. I took a shower, but I hadn't eaten when the ladies came. They got right at their tasks - the bathroom and the rest of the hallways. I decided to put my fan, which came yesterday, together first. That turned out to be fun, because the instructions were vague and there was no exploded picture of all the parts. I finally got it together and it works, even though it's rather quiet. The "low" speed isn't very low at all and the whole thing is plastic, but it wasn't very expensive. It will do.

the rest of my Chewy order came, and I put that away. I did some other things, I think, but I can't remember what.

We went to Harbor Haus for dinner, of course, and it was good, even though it was extremely busy. we had a good time, even though the ladies had to get on either side of me to help me into Debbie's car and out and to my seat and out of my seat and... Oh, how I hate it! I must start exercising.

Anyway, we closed down the place, as ususal, but we had a good time. I will miss them, and not so much for what they've done for me.

The weather was beautiful if cool. It was clear and blue and the high temperature was 64º, There wasn't any wind.

Grayson had enough of all this upset. I heard him scratching in his tray - which wasn't in its accustomed spot - bd when I got up, I discovered he had hung his behind over the edge of the tray and pooped on the floor. Bad Grayson! I let him know I was not pleased, although he got some of his more favorite canned food. When the ladies came, he started complaining, and he kept going back and forth between us. He hardly got any sleep during the day, so when they left, he was asleep almost as soon as they shut the door. When they came for me and when they brought me home, he started complaining again. He will be happy tomorrow, when things are nearly normal again. Now he's talking to me again.

And I'm exhausted. As soon as the Mozart stops, I'm for bed. IT's a clear, cool night in the field.

July 5

Oopsie - nearly forgot!

I guess i was right - they did not set off the fireworks last night. It was too rainy and foggy. It was foggy for most of the day today, too, but it cleared up not long after 6 PM, so they did it tonight. I didn't see much of it, because I had just made my dinner and I wanted to eat my steak before it was cold and I perished from hunger. I think it was a nice display, from what I did see, and it lasted about 20 minutes. I hope Debbie and Cheryl enjoyed it. I'll find that out tomorrow.

We were all exhausted, I think, but those ladies have more energy than I ever did anyway. We're making good progress. Believe it or not, there are finally NO boxes in the hallways, although part of that is because there are boxes in the dining area and the living area.

I couldn't help them much, because besides my knees, which were really bad, I had a stiff muscle in my back, which I suppose will come back tomorrow. So I sat mostly somewhere around the dining table and worked on the four or five boxes marked "bathroom." There were a lot of lipsticks and so forth that were definitely too old, as well as makeup that was separated and hard because of the passage of time. I was able to get those five boxes down to one banker's box full, (stuff that I was using before I moved that had gotten misplaced) and one large box about half full. There are a lot of odds and ends and I think there are a lot of interesting antique things like eye cups that I can offer to Johanna for her medicine cabinet.

In the meantime, Cheryl scrubbed floors - the hallways are pristine - and Debbie did a lovely job on the powder room. She was all ready for my antique hair receiver and cotton ball holder when I found them. THey should probably go in the glass cabinet with the larger ones, but I don't think there's any room.

We still have a lot to do. The bathroom isn't done yet, and that could be a problem. When I went up there to change my bottoms, I discovered that Debbie had put one of the trays in the shower = and closed the door, which Grayson did not like - and I have to take a bath tomorrow. There is a bunch of stuff to put away in the kitchen and on the dining room table. And we have to stop in time to get to Harbor Haus at 7 PM. Well, we'll do what we can and the rest will just have to wait.

The weather, as I mentioned, was lousy, but at least it didn't rain, it was just foggy. The high temperature was ony 60º and there was hardly any wind. Besides being foggy, it was cloudy and dull all day.

Grayson is tired of this. When the ladies showed up, he started complaining right away and not all the cuddling and petting could make him happy. He wants it quiet and everything is all roiled up. Then, of course, he had a problem finding a place to pee. I tried to make it up to him and he got all the juice plus a few little pieces of steak. That plate looks like it was washed in the dishwasher.

Anyway, there is only one more day of it and they will be gone. Even though there have been a few problems, I am so grateful to the ladies, especially because the hallways have been cleared out. It wasn't that I can't get through them, and in fact, it will be harder for me now because there isn't anything to hang on to, but that stuff has been there since I moved the last time, in 2007 or 2008 and it is so good to have it all consolidated or thrown out. I think I've mentioned that by the time of that final move, I simply could not make another decision, so I just brought everything. Now maybe I can get things a bit more under control.

Oh, and after looking at the floors now that they're really clean, even fewer of them need to be refinished downstairs. That may be a good thing or not depending.

So that was another busy day and now I am exhausted again. It's a cool, cloudy night in the field..

July 4 - Independence Day

This "independence" day is certainly bittersweet. Sigh. I don't like it here anymore.

I'm writing this before the fireworks, so you won't hear about that until tomorrow.

It didn't help that I had a terrible night last night. My lower body was so painful that I had to get up several times just to sit, and most of the other times I was hot. The window is open wider in the bedroom now, so hope it won't be so uncomfortable tonight. Anyway, I finally got up around noon and I had just finished washing my face when the ladies came.

I'm not totally sure what they did, because I made my breakfast and ate it. Then Debbie decided there was too much stuff in the bathroom, so they did the kitchen and - wonder of wonders - cleaned my fridge and threw out a good portion of everything in it. I never hoped to see my fridge so clean or having so little in it. I recommend it, if you're able.

And if that wasn't enough, scrubbed the kitchen floor and they moved a bunch of boxes that were in the hallway beside the staircase and made room for my hallway bench with hooks, which I have had for oh, maybe five years and never put together. Maybe we can do that tomorrow, but they also want to do the bathroom. I will have to help with that, because I have to triage the clothes that are in there. I've been getting dressed and undressed in the bathroom since before the flood, so there are a lot of clothes, some clean and some not.

I also seem to have figured out what my problem with the transfer chair is: the arms are too high. So I put three large towels on the seat and it is now much, much easier for me to get out of. They packed down, so I may have to put another one on the seat. In the meantime, I finally found another set of bathroom towels that I kne wI had but I didn't know where they were. I think they may not be completely clean, but that's all right.

So it was a busy day and I'm exhausted. I was too tired last night to cook my fish, so I did it tonight, and it was a mistake. Even though its sell-by date was yesterday, it did not smell or taste very good, so I didn't get very much of it.

The weather was miserable. The rain held off until after the parade, but they couldn't have the kids games and I guess they will be setting off the fireworks in the rain - I'll report on that tomorrow. It was also foggy at intervals, so the ladies got to see the fog coming and going, which is neat. The high temperature did get up to 65º briefly, but mostly it was in the low 60s. There was almost no wind. It rained lightly but steadily after about 1 PM.

Grayson was delighted, mostly. He meowed at Cheryl and got picked up and petted, then he meowed at Debbie and got picked up and petted. When I went into the office to relax a bit, he meowed at me and got to go to sleep on my lap while I gave him a tummy rub. In between, he slept a bit and supervised a bit, so he had a busy, interestedd day.

Well, it's after 11 PM and all I hear is a few pops, and I can't see anything, so I guess I'll have to wait until tomorrow to see what happened;

It's a cool, soggy night in the field.

July 3

Well, that's interesting. I just realized I never did a journal entry yesterday. It was probably because I was very tired and very late

the ladies finaly showed up around 4 PM and we sat and talked until 9 no great feat when Debbie and I get together. It took me a while to get my dinner and I don't know what I did afterward that made me so late, but I was again.

The weather yesterday was nice. It was nearly clear all day. The high temperature was 62º and there was a moderate wind from the north. The camera hung up the night before, so we didn't get a whole day's pictures, but the last one was a beauty, with the last of the sunset on the horizon and the crescent moon hanging over the end of Lighthouse Point.

I was late enough to bed that I was very late getting up, but the ladies were taking a boat to the lighthouse and the boat keeper has keys to the old lighthouse, so they got to see the inside of that, too. And they were very late.

And they worked. the counters are actually much cleaner than they have been, even though there are things drying all over them, all the garbage and the boxes are out in the garage and the kitchen is beginning to look lilke a livable room again. I wasn't able to do very much, but I did get some things put away that have been on the counters for a long time. Tomorrow the big project is the fridge, and I have to be involved in that, because I have to decide what to throw out. And I will have to be the one who puts away most of the stuff that was washed today. Fortunately, I can do most of that work sitting down, and the ladies can do the moving and cleaning. They didn't leave until 9 PM, though, so I ate dinner late.

The weather started out nice, so I could understand why they wanted to do tourist-things this morning. I could tell there was a change, though, even before i looked at the weather readings, because my knees told me it was humid. It was. The temperature got to 70º, and the dew point was in the middle 40s, so for a good portion of the day the humidity was close to 70%, and my knees kept buckling. By 6 PM it had clouded up and the forecast is for rain tomorrow. That will be interesting. I don't recall any other Independence Days when it rained, or what they did about the fireworks.

Grayson was happy yesterday because he got a lot of attention. Today not so much and he kept complaining about tit. And when Debbie brought in the cases of canned cat food, he was right there, even though he still had something in his dish. If he thought he was going to get more - or something else - he was wrong.

So I'm sorry about yesterday, although nothing much happened, but I honestly forgot about it until I looked at the journal tonight, and then I had to check the dates and what was on the website, but I really didn't write anything yesterday.

Now it's a cool, cloudy night in the field and I'm going to bed.

July 1

Ugh, ,it's late and I need to be in bed but it took me at least an hour to get my dinner. My legs are really bad and not only did I have to sit down for a while, I had to visit the powder room after everything was cooked, which meant my fish and my rice were both almost cold. I ate the fish - it was good - but I didn't eat the rice and veggies. I suppose I'll be sorry tomorrrow, but it wasn't good.

The whole day was like that and nothing got done that should have been done. I did find my belt, which had gotten dropped on the floor in the powder room. But still. Everything is a mess, but I just can't stand for any length of time. I don't feel very good, either. I don't know if that's my kidneys or the vaccinations.

The weather was nice, if cool.. The high temperature was 77º. but it apparently was just a blip. The wind was from the northwest, with gusts up to 32 mph. It was clear and sunny all day.

Grayson finally gave up on getting me to lift him onto my lap and he came around the upper rou8te and sat down on his own. So he got a nice tummy rub, although he didn't stay long. He wanted my chips and he wanted my fish. He got some chips, but he didn't get any fish. But he had to try.

So now I must go to bed. I think maybe Debbie is here, so it will be an exhausting several days.

Now it's a cool, breezy night in the field.

Last updated 08/01/22 11:59 PM