Home alone.

My Dad is safely arrived in Westport, as well as his grandson-in-law. He is 86 today and still going strong. I am sure they are having a good time and he will be back safely on Tuesday.

The weather here is very nice. We had rain all day yesterday and it is a little overcast today too. But it is pleasantly cool. I have windows open and really love the temperature. I am planning to pick beans tomorrow...and my Meyer lemon is nearly ripe. It is on a plant that M and A gave me a year and a half ago. I have kept it alive, moving it in during the winter and out again this spring. One of the blossoms only developed into a large, healthy-looking fruit, which has slowly ripened.

I applied for a couple more jobs today, but some of the online jobs seem more like scams. I still have 10 or 12 applications pending at the university, but do not hold out much hope.

The thing that interests me most is figuring out what I am going to cook for which meals. Yesterday, I made one of our old favorites: eggplant-tomato casserole and we took it to UUFA for potluck. There was one small serving left for my lunch today. I also finished the green beans in vinaigrette from a few days ago.

Our produce box from vikingproduce.com comes on Thursdays. It is like Christmas, even though I know most of what will be in it the week before. Today: 8 apples, 8 pears, 8 oranges, 4 ears of corn on the cob, 2 heads of cauliflower, 4 big tomatoes, 4 onions, 8 sweet potatoes, and 2 pounds of grapes. All organic, delivered to my door. I get a big kick out of it and I think $62 is reasonable for that amount of food. I plan my meals around using it as soon as possible, plus whatever protein I have on hand or can buy reasonably.

Tonight we will have shrimp from the shrimp man, Trevor. He drives to the coast every month or so and buys lots of shrimp, which he puts in styrofoam coolers. We ask him to take the heads off ours. We buy 10 pounds several times a year and freeze them in small batches of 1/2 - 1 pound. They are very tasty, although not really cheap, about $10/pound. But I know where they come from and what has been done to them.

Cool today, even with the windows closed. Cloudy out, with some light rain. Good for the plants and good for baking.

Ray and I got in an early walk with the dogs before he headed out.

Yesterday, I spent some time on the tax preparation homework and went to a Gerontology gathering. I made oatmeal-raisin cookies. My Dad stopped by to pick up his laundry and gave me a ride in. Otherwise, I would have taken the truck so I didn't have to go in early with Ray and spend all day at the library. I did get a couple new library books.

Cooked a small ribeye I took out of the freezer. Green beans with scallions and herbs and oil and vinegar. Potatoes boiled for a while and then cooked in the pan with the steak. All good. The usual TV shows, then a little reading and slept well.

Ray is headed to the coast with students. Unfortunately, it is supposed to be rainy and cool. He is a little stressed, gathering the ingredients for pancakes and other breakfast items and packing them in the cooler. He needs things for the lesson as well: a folding shovel, flags, a compass...things he has had and can't find. Maybe they are at his office, he can't locate them in the garage. Of course, he needs personal things too: a towel, insect repellent. Finally he tears off in the truck, hopefully with everything he needs. Because there is a home football game tomorrow, he can't park the truck at his office over the weekend. I would happily drive him in, but he will probably get back very late Sunday (11 pm?) and doesn't want me to have to come get him then. He will leave the truck at my Dad's and either take a bus or have someone drop him off there and then drive home.

I take my walk with the dogs. I walk a mile every morning. It is not very hard, especially as the weather is cooling down. I often don't feel like doing it, mostly because I am thinking of other things I need or want to do. But then I think of my Mom, who did this same walk many days, even though it was much harder for her. She thought is was very important for her health. I do it in her memory and so that I may be even healthier at 83 than she was.

Some mornings I do some gardening after the walk, but today is pretty hot and I have somewhere to go, so I don't stay outside. I feed the dogs their breakfast and go in. I have laundry to hang out, that I washed yesterday. Ray usually does it, but it can't wait until Monday! There is a big spider on the clothesline. I keep moving the line and she keeps scurrying out, trying to keep from being crushed by the pulley. I don't want to crush her either, but I don't want her to fall on me or jump in my direction! She's really big! A big insect flies past me. It is a praying mantis and it lands on the side of the house, lime green. They are good, in that they eat lots of insects. This one is injured; I think it is missing a front leg. I'm pretty sure it's the same one I accidentally caught in a window when I was closing it. I heard a crunch and opened it again and it fell to the ground. I'm glad (she?) is still alive and hopefully eating bugs, and maybe laying eggs. It takes a little longer than usual to hang out the clothes, since I am trying not to crush the spider, but I get them all out. It is a warm and sunny day, so they will dry easily.

Then I go upstairs to bathe. Yes, I really take a bath almost every morning. It is an extravagance and I feel a little guilty about using so much water. It is my meditation or therapy...and the water is heated by the sun, so at least I'm not using electricity for that. I don't usually stay in very long, but it is relaxing even for a few minutes, and I think it is good for me.

I dress carefully, choosing khaki pants and and orange shirt--something for Fall. I grab a brown jacket to look professional, but not too formal. I close up the windows and curtains before I leave the house, keeping the cool air in and the sun out. I grab an apple, not really enough for lunch, but better than nothing. I don't have anything to make a sandwich with and don't think I'll have a good way to heat up leftovers for lunch. Besides, I may be able to meet Becky or someone else for lunch.

I close the dogs in and get in the car with my briefcase/pocketbook....

Finally, better weather...sunny and dry, but much cooler. I went to find the comforter early this morning to cover my chilly feet. Good gardening weather...the beans and squash are flowering. It is a race, will they produce before the days are too short and too cool? No flowers on the cucumbers yet, but they are starting to need a support to climb on. I water every other day, and we may have rain this weekend!

Moon cake for Chinese holiday

As far as jobs, if it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all. I read that the Cooperative Extension was going to be responsible for the Health Insurance Navigators, people to explain the new health insurance system to consumers starting October 1. I thought that sounded like a good job for me--one I am qualified for and would enjoy doing. I looked at the listings at the university and applied for lots of jobs, but that one never showed up. I have 10 applications in, through UGA's online system...and no responses to any of them. About 2 weeks ago, I looked online again...and it seemed like the Health Navigator was listed! I was excited and applied right away...but I hear that they hired someone...I didn't see it the first day it was posted and they were apparently in a big hurry and interviewed and hired before I ever applied. I even knew several people who were willing to put in a good word for me, but I missed the window. Dag-nab it! I get my hopes up and then I get shot down again.

I've gotten pretty good at cooking, being home so much. Today I made lasagne...including tomato sauce...there was a time when I thought that was hard.

Late summer

These days are very hot--we have hit 90 many times--and the garden needs watering every other day. There is no rain in the forecast. But, it is cooler at night and has been less humid than sometimes, so it is almost pleasant morning and evening. When I go out in the morning with the dogs, I have to wave sticks ahead of me to knock down the spiderwebs.

Ray says, "There seem to be more spiders than usual, I wonder what that means." I say, "There are more bugs, because it was so wet earlier in the year. This is the time of year for spiders."

Ray brought a spider in with him last night, after putting the chickens away. When he came in, he was wiping the webs away, and then he came across a good-sized spider. He put her out the front door. When I opened the door this morning, she had built a web right about face level. I called for help and crouched into a ball. He came running and knocked the web down (after he checked me) and tried to chase her away, to do her good work somewhere else.

It is one of the signs that fall is coming. The webs are worst in late summer (or best, because they do eat those bugs).

He got up early this morning, about 5, I think. I woke, but managed to sleep, or at least doze, for another hour or so. This is a skill I am cultivating. About 6:30 seems a very reasonable time to get up.

I spent about an hour on the computer before it was light enough to make breakfast. We made it together, although we don't eat exactly the same thing. I have toast with peanut butter, he has banana with peanut butter. I have vanilla yogurt, he has plain. I have tried putting a little honey and vanilla in the plain, but it isn't as good. We cut up fruit to put in our yogurt. Today it was pear and nectarine and he cut up both and split them between the two bowls. Half a cup of yogurt and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Healthy and delicious. The bread is homemade and is usually quite awesome.

Last Sunday, which has recently been bread-making day, I had this cold and didn't feel good. I made the bread, put it in the loaf pans, and fell asleep before baking it. Boy, was I mad the next morning, when I remembered I had no bread for breakfast, and wasted effort and ingredients. I baked it anyway, and I have 3 loaves that are about 1" high. They still taste good and have, I assume, the same amount of nutrients (and calories) as a full-sized slice of bread.

***

My Dad arrived in the red car about an hour ago. He has a bad cold, which he doesn't realize he probably got from me, since he didn't notice or remember that I had it, too. He didn't have the energy to get here early, while it was cool enough to work in the garden. We chatted a bit, I gave him some eggs and some lettuce and a cucumber (from the produce bin that arrived while he was here), and cold medicine and kleenex. He admired the squash and beans that seem to be doing well and went home to lie down.

The produce box today had: 2 big heads of lettuce, 2 giant bunches of chard, kiwis, nectarines, Granny Smith apples, 2 packages baby Bella mushrooms, lemons and limes, scallions, and 2 acorn squash, but not much of what you would call vegetables--no green beans or squash or broccoli...I'm very proud, though, that I have used up most of the older things, and have room for these in my fridge.

Tonight's potluck dish uses potatoes, spinach, and mushrooms (from earlier). I have sliced the onions and mushrooms and will finish up right before. I like to do a little cooking right after breakfast. Ray is usually still around and I have my best energy. After he leaves, I spend most of the day on the computer. I don't feel so alone and there is nothing to distract me. Sometimes I listen to music--right now it's Pandora.

Not my favorite day

So far...although some things about it are good. My cold is better...still some occasional coughing, but it is always good to be sick, because it is so wonderful to be well and we don't usually appreciate it. Note to self: must start gratitude journal...

Tuesday is the day Ray has to be in early. He often goes early other days for meetings or preparation, but on Tuesday he has a 9:30 seminar. He's a little more distracted and stressed on those days...and leaves early. I go with him some days when I have things to do "in town." Today, though, I am home...and happy to be here. Time to think about what I'm making for dinner. I have made good progress in "getting rid of" my veggies that were piling up. Plan for tonight: chicken and chorizo...potatoes...green beans...a menu that would particularly appeal to my Mexican son-in-law, I'm guessing. Too bad I can't invite them over for dinner.

After Ray left, I thought my Dad would be arriving before long. On days that he has no appointments, he has been trying to come here early, while it is cool, to work in the garden. I planned to work outside, too, while it was cool. I did some computer work before he came, to take advantage of the quiet. Very boring stuff, clearing up old papers, entering recipes...I have been using Spark People to keep track of my recipes for several years, but their popup ads have become very annoying, particularly when I am using my iPad. I am trying a new program, Big Oven, and we'll see how it is. Entering is easy, but will it be easy to access my recipes when I want them?

About 10, I called my Dad and he called me back a minute or so later. He is often perplexed as to how he missed my call... He is meeting with a friend this morning, David, to talk about bridge. I am glad he is busy. He was apologetic and I felt bad, making assumptions about his life...Yesterday he had mentoring and tomorrow he is participating in a study about music at UGA...so I thought he would be here today.

So I went out before it got much hotter. Sunny, but only in the 70s so far. I let the chickens out to forage and wandered around in the garden, watering some lettuce seed that has not come up, maybe because it has been dry the last few weeks. I picked a couple jalapenos and 3 beans, left from the last batch. I felt something on my foot, an ant biting me, and I looked down to find them swarming all over my shoe! I screamed, a really good one, and kicked off my shoe and ran. So much for gardening today! I am lucky, I think I only have the one bite. I'm not sure about my shoe, though. Perhaps it is now part of their nest...I am happy to relinquish it. The ant poison will go out later today, when I have recovered and it is cool again this evening. Time to close the windows and the shades and retreat into the house. Maybe I will not mind too much when I leave the country life. We are thinking when Ray retires, we will sell the house and move somewhere that doesn't require owning a car.