Monday early walk, Freecycle

Monday early I walked to the pond via streets, to avoid mud, and alarmed a lot of frogs. You'll see eyes above the water here and there. I missed the drake taking off. What a racket ducks make when they get into takeoff.

On the way home I saw ripening fruit. Birds and squirrels will get whatever the groundhogs don't.

This morning humidity was high, dewpoint 75. Translation: really uncomfortable. I was glad to shower once I got home. 

In fact I was so eager I jumped in with hearing aids in. I think I escaped again. I found out quickly and dried them. They're water resistant, not waterproof. I'm absentmindedly testing the limits, with being distracted.

Mid afternoon 

Home again and here's this morning's Freecycle items. There's another scheduled for this afternoon. 

Gary wanted me to keep the walker until I reminded him I have two more. 

The Crate Expectations saga continues. The receiver picked up the books, left the crate. The walker-wanter was interested in the crate, too, but ended up with neither, having decided the walker wasn't for her and the books had not yet been picked up. Missed connections. Then later she saw my message and came dashing back for the crate. It's finally gone 

I texted the man who originally gave me the walker because he does it a lot, and we'll see if he wants it. And a crate..but he didn't, they're overstocked-- it's the Elks -- but he did congratulate me on graduating from the walker. 

Back to homeowner issues, handsome Son made a call about the AC unit at the condo and, as I'd expected, they're busy and will schedule a visit when they can. He'll stay on it.  They're trying to fix a time when they can both be there.

It's always something. No news on the car yet, but Gary ran off to get his phone fixed, so for all I know, there's a call on there. He took over the car issue from me. 

Since I wrote, we called the auto insurer on my phone, insisted on a return call, which they did and it went to voicemail, no ring (!?)

And it's now moving to the next stage, adjusting online, then, if approved, paying the body shop direct to get on with the repair.

In other news I've signed off on the agreement with the house contractor, who confirms he arranges the work including subcontracting with regular people. So far so good. The estimate is not yet approved so we'll see. I'm in a brisk exchange of texts with Contractor Steve. He expects full approval. So I know more now than I did.

I also discovered Amazon has been charging me for a prime membership I hadn't signed up for. It's cancelled now, anyway. The stuff you need to be alert about. I just looked over my credit card charges then went back and, well wouldya look at that, sneaky petes.

Happy day everyone, bit by bit.

Because it's my flag, too. 

The adopted orchid, the exterminator and the foster plants

Early Sunday I cooked an unlikely hot weather dish. Baked shells in cheese sauce. I just felt like it. Small shells, cheese sauce with a lot of sharp cheddar and feta crumbles. It's enough for several days, and might also work cold, we'll see.

But meanwhile, back at the house. One of the findings of the insurance contractor was the source of the neverending ant supply in the kitchen. 

They're all over the neighborhood, constant issue. And since the neighbors on both sides have the same situation as well as termite damage, we all had the exterminator come out Sunday morning to see what's what.

The verdict, after Exterminator John's long client education on termites, their life and habits, likewise ants, is that I need exterminating to happen. 

My house needs termite treatment front and back, no activity right now, but it needs to be done. And I'll get the ants treated. I don't like resorting to this, but it's them or me. 

So now it's waiting for an estimate and I'll go from there. I knew there had been termites years ago, and part of the repair in the kitchen involves replacing wood anyway. We don't have the kind of termites that involve tenting. These can be treated by inserting stuff into the ground.

So one thing's under way. 

This writing was interrupted by Gary dashing in to ask me to hold a wire detector thing for him in his kitchen to trace a short that was turning his lights off. He went to the circuit box and we had the usual Off now? Now? Now?  dialog until he found the right breaker. 

Then yet another plant came over to stay with me while he's away. Here's the begonia, which I'd started for him long ago. 

I'd top prune if it were mine, to make it bushier, but he loves its height, so I'll refrain.

And there are other visitors on the deck. I get to water them. 

There's a coleus near the water bottle, which I started, gave to him rooted, he put in a pot and now it's back for a few days.

This is his plant insurance while he's away.

And the orchid his daughter gave up on has started budding, see in foreground 

It's all go. 

I was indoors, too hot out there. 

Stitching my basket, reading Mrs Pargeter and sleeping took the afternoon. 

I'd had a complete walk around the development early morning. I hope I don't take this for granted. There was a time when I really thought I was past it. Evidently not.

The only drawback of this early rising and walking is that I'm done for by about ten am.

Happy day everyone, stay calm, cool, at least that's what I'm trying for.

Today's bouquet, basket and afternoon visitor

The daylily fiber basket is growing gradually. Slow work. I like how the natural color changes work as the side is built up.

And today's bouquet 

The coreopsis you see, red and yellow flowers, appeared, probably seeded from what I strewed around last year. 

 And the morning glories, a bit bitten, are moving along undaunted 

Here's who stopped by, stayed for ages on this branch. I think he may have been sleeping for several minutes, unworried by my getting close.

Gary stopped by to talk exterminators and plant care. He's going to be away from Tuesday till late July, trying to do last minute things. He'll still take the calls about my car from the body shop and the family next door will retrieve my car, he thinks.

Happy day everyone. From here in the trenches, midst shot and shell.

Meanwhile there's trivia

The current state of play: the car's in the shop, no word yet on insurance approval of the estimate, the holiday holding everything up. 

The house is awaiting the estimate of the contractor sent by the insurance company, who visited a couple of days ago. Much more work than I'd thought.  

The way it works now, he submits his estimate to third party, who conveys it to the insurer for approval. Could be days or more. After the approval, wait for contractor, then the work itself is about five days. 

This looks like most of July, and I have questions about who does what still, so shocky that I didn't take it all in. Gary and the other neighbor were there for support.

The contractor  found the source of the ant problem we've been plagued with, a nest behind the stucco, and neighbors are getting an exterminator to address it for all three houses, all with the same problem.

Then there's the HOA situation, where after multiple attempts to get a ruling on whose responsibility the exterior wall is, finally the manager says he can't recommend a contractor, which we think means the HOA isn't involved.  That's one less complication.

Meanwhile there's nothing else to do but wait, something I'm not very good at.

Also in the condo, my rental, the ac is not working well, suddenly needs service. This was what finally knocked me down. 

It may be expensive, and I'm here with no car. Tenant HS says he will call and arrange service and we'll go from there.  But it just seems too much right now. On top of the current political situation, which is there for me like everyone else, a dragging worry. 

So, on to coping. Thank you all for lovely support and it helps a lot. I'm enjoying reading the series of Pargeter murders, saves me from running amok. Well maybe running is beyond me. Walking briskly amok.

We've had large storms, winds and rainfall. It must have been bad, because HS started out to a concert and turned back! 

Here's our main development road Friday 

I've been out walking, now doing the circuit of the development on sidewalks, too much mud for getting to the pond just now.

And I've been doing a yes2next video each evening, April and mom Aiko, different one each time. I'm happy with the stamina I'm building. I need it.

Yesterday I spent time with the teenager from next door, with her Gold Award girl scout project. It's about computer literacy for seniors and protection from scams. 

I'm not really her target audience. In fact she was amazed at my online activity, and said I'd been blogging since she was born! And was also amazed I'm a founding member of an online platform.  

I did point out gently that my generation has been working with computers at work since the early 60s. Then it was DOS and supplying information to mainframe operators. Now it's trying to keep up with rapid advances.

Then Gary visited later, saying he was running away from ironing, and we got caught up on his family doings. 

Good news there: when he moves out, a family member who's a friend of mine, is to become his tenant. This will be great, and I told him to let her know she'll be on my baking roster, the bonus for living next door.

I also had a great lunch, depressed or not, figuring I'm worth it.

Potato salad with oil and vinegar, fresh picked celery greens, scallions, chives and lemon balm, sardines and watermelon. Dessert was yogurt, strawberries and Freecycled brown sugar.

Lovely weather, 80s and sunny, afternoon on the deck reading, listening to a lot of birdsong, and several visits from Gary on plant-related issues. I ended up giving him the current coleus growing in water with well developed roots, to plant in a pot.

One of the bird songs I was listening to I thought might be a catbird. I've seen a pair around, lovely tune. So I checked on YouTube and played a catbird video, yes, same song. Whereupon the real bird went silent. Eventually he started up again, I suppose realizing there was no rival for his site. 

I think there are also young mourning doves locally, judging from the incessant flybys of parents past my fence, probably feeding them. Cardinals too.

Handsome Son picked up DVDs from the library for me, since I was waiting for the contractor and didn't like to be out. So I've got Pie in the Sky and Brokenwood for evening entertainment. 

And a funny Freecycle happening. A few weeks ago I offered a batch of paperback novels, no takers. The other day I offered various things including a crate. No takers for the crate.

Then yesterday I offered a crate of books 

Same crate, same books, but in five minutes I had a taker. Accidental marketing. Too funny. I'd had a quick taker for the folding wooden bookcase from the kitchen, now empty because I'd passed the contents out to various destinations.  

All in all, things could be worse. Everyone keeps reminding me that the people are fine.

Happy day everyone, keep on keepin on, sez

Ted and co.

Contractor assessing.

 I can't settle to write a blog post. The insurer's contractor came to measure, assess then submit recommendation and costing.  It now involves flooring, wall, framing, exterior parts, bigger job than I had imagined. And I still don't have responses from the HOA.

Back when I can.

Meanwhile I have the complete Mrs Pargeter on my Kindle to assist my calm. Murders, you know.

Step by step, Textiles and Tea

 Bit by bit we're getting there. My car is now in the shop. And I have more information about the wall repair. Evidently another similar situation was remedied by the homeowner without having to go through the HOA, simpler. So I'll pursue the contractor Wednesday.

Meanwhile I've been making cordage till my thumb got tired.

And the library closed early because of yet another incoming storm, so my decision not to try for the knitting group, which meets there, was upheld by mom Nature. Friends in high places. 

By next week the cordage will have dried ready to use, so I can work on that at the group. You create it with damp fibers, which are weaker than when they dry, hence the wait.

Textiles and Tea on Tuesday featured Laicee Blackwell, a cloth and fiber sculptor, print maker and weaver, who uses lesbian memes and references throughout her work -- Birkenstocks with socks!-- and other in references, like carabiners,  which are often opaque to straight people but familiar to lesbian viewers.  High time, is all I can say. 

Large photo weaving

Painted warp image

Working with a Macomber loom fitted with a flying shuttle, and on right  cloth sculpture, with a carabiner.

Modular piece of woven patches and thrifted fabric, which can be rearranged, it has zippers, to fit the gallery. It's huge.

Laicee is very interesting, teaching, jurying and continuing to exhibit. Based in Indiana, in Evansville, if Indiana is near you, look for their August solo show.

Happy day, everyone, there's always some fun to be found even on grim days. Someone tells me she's got a microwave which she wants to try before offering me it, to make sure it works. So there's that.

And my snake plant suddenly put up a flower 

And here's today's bouquet