Feeling philosophical

I'm reading this book, Women Talking, which I started a few times and put down. It seemed dry and depressing, but it is also, in a way, funny and intriguing. I won't go into the details, but it engenders thoughts about good and bad and what would make for a perfect society. I have read lots of utopian science fiction over the years and been interested in real-life communities. In fact, we used to live in an "intentional community." In spite of sharing similar opinions on most big issues, the people there disagreed on many of the details. I spent many hours on discussions like those. This book

She checked the weather on her phone and determined it was going to be warm today, but cloudy. The amount of sunshine usually made a big difference in how comfortable she was. Even a cold day with lots of sun shining in would be lovely and warm inside. She had nowhere to go today, so did not need to worry about what to wear. Since it would be warm, she would wear a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved shirt, with one of her collection of hand-knit swetaers, and a medium pair of socks, not the heaviest ones. Yesterday had been pleasant. The new church was really impressive. They had a staff of about 10 and 700 members. She and her husband had taken a tour for visitors, and they were about a dozen, including two families with children. It was fun to start getting to know new people, people with similar values, who were also new to the area. The church (actually a fellowship) was still very careful about COVID and everyone wore masks, except the minister and soloists. The music was familiar and joyous. Amelia was at our house when we got home. We ate leftovers together and sat around, each on our own devices, in companionable silence. At 2:30, we headed to the shop to join Craft Club. There ended up being 8 of us, working on knitting and sewing projects. I finished the first sleeve of my current sweater project. On the way home, we talked about ordering food, but in the end, it was still early enough for me to put together a recipe I had found the day before for black bean and zucchini and corn, cooked and put in tortillas. It didn't take long and tasted good. We spent more time trying to decide on a movie to watch. "Just choose what you want to watch. I'll just be here," Amelia said. But when we wanted to watch Everything Everywhere All at Once, it wasn't available on any of the services we pay for. Neither was Turning Red or any other Oscar-nominated movie. We found one we like called, The Book Club, featuring some actors we like, including Jane Fonda and Mary Steenbergen. Amelia objected though, she didn't want to watch a rom-com about old people. In the end, we watched The Lost City, which she had seen and enjoyed, with Sandra Bullock, and surprise! Brad Pitt. It's like Jewel of the Nile, and adventure-romance that is not at all believable, featuring an author and her cover model (Tatum Channing) who get caught up in a plot from one of her books. Daniel Radcliffe is the bad guy, and I did have some trouble thinking of him as anyone other than Daniel Radcliffe. For that matter, Sandra Bullock was pretty much still Sandra Bullock--although not the clumsy one from some of her movies.

Mistakes

Yesterday I made two stupid mistakes. Thursday night Kevin's sister and brother-in-law came for a visit. There is a BrewFest or some kind of beer event that they like to attend every year. Friday we had a lovely brunch with them at Guglhupf, a German restaurant/biergarten that has a great setup for outdoor seating, including heaters. You order at the outside window and someone brings the food to your table. You grab your own silverware and water (if you're not drinking beer). The food was very good. I ordered schnitzel, like you do when you're at a German restaurant. My side was cucumber salad. I should have taken a picture. The pork covered the plate. It's a very thin, breaded cutlet. It was good, but might have benefited (in my benighted opinion) from some kind of sauce. Probably mustard, which I don't like. We sat and talked in the sunshine for hours. It was very nice. Amelia and I went to a nearby thrift store, Pennies for Change. More upscale than the others I have visited. And they had a set of ceramic canisters. They were individually priced, so I could have gotten just the big one, but I felt it was wrong to break up the set. We also got a mirror with hooks to hang by the front door. Not sure when that will happen...Then I spent some more time at the shop, working on my plaid flannel bathrobe. I'm beginning to think I might finish it. And wear it and like it! We had Amelia's leftover chickpea and cauliflower curry for supper, with a few condiments like cucumbers in yogurt and coconut and peanuts. She is staying with us for a few days, while the group is carousing. Obviously, can't really mask when you're drinking beer and there are lots of people, so she will be cautious until a few days after they leave. She goes by to take care of the chickens morning and night, but keeps her distance from her husband and family. We're glad to have her here, and it's nice she has that options. Even without COVID, it's not super fun to be the sober one going to bed while a group of loud drunk people hang out. On Saturday, the event was to take place. Amelia works all day every Saturday and it was busy at the store. Ray and I were to go to the Farmers' Market and then go by Amelia's house to let out her dog, Maggie, and Kasey & Rhett's dog, Ipa. At 9:45, Ray noticed that he was supposed to be at work at the H&R Block office at 10. Since we have only one car here, I could drive him to work if I wanted a car. "No," I said, I wasn't going anywhere. I didn't feel like going to the farmers' market alone and I wouldn't be going to Amelia's shop when it was busy. She had two classes scheduled, so I couldn't use the classroom, where I usually set up the sewing machine. That was my first mistake, because I remembered, an hour or so later, that I needed to go to Amelia's and let out the dogs, somewhere in the middle of the day, while people were at the BeerFest. Ray offered to run back and give me the car. "No," I said, "I'll walk. I'll take Cameron and we'll rest there a while before we walk back." Second mistake. It took 37 minutes for us to walk there. I kept yanking on Cameron, so he wouldn't stop and smell everything. The first part of the route was familiar, we walked toward the park where Ray usually takes him. Then we turned on Indian Trail, a nice quiet road. None of the streets had any sidewalk, or even shoulder. Then we turned on Hillandale, which was pretty busy. We walked along the edge of the golf course, which was very busy. It was a beautiful sunny day. I didn't need my hat, but kept my fleece zipped up. I was okay, but the last few minutes I was pretty tired. C. was panting, wandering into the middle of the street if I didn't keep him close (in the neighborhood, not on the busy road). We got to the house and I let him into the back yard. I went around and let the dogs out into the yard and the next thing I knew there was barking and snarling and Ipa was on top of Cameron. I was yelling, "No," and "Stop," but I didn't dare try to get between them, since I don't really know Ipa and she clearly did not know Cameron. OK, I get it in hindsight. There was a strange dog in the yard and she was protecting Maggie, maybe even me. I got her back in the house. Maggie was just confused. There was blood on Cameron's muzzle and he waited by the gate. He wanted to go. I wanted to rest and I wanted him to rest. I brought him water, but I don't think he drank any. He didn't seem to have trouble walking and he stopped bleeding. Ipa appeared unhurt and unfazed. I had a couple glasses of water and sat for a bit, but C. wasn't interested in resting there. On the way back, we took our time. I let him smell as much as he wanted. We took a different route without busy roads. It was colder now, though, and I wanted to be done with the whole thing. There is a small cut on his face, but Cameron seems fine and anxious to go for another walk. I'm fine too, but not planning to walk that far again soon.

Tips and hints

If you live in a small kitchen--and this one is great, it is not a tiny house by any means. Full size refrigerator, oven, double sink. The dishwasher is small but we haven't used it in a month, for 2-4 of us. (Yes, it's been a whole month already. No wonder I'm a little restless.) If you live in a small kitchen, it is not that hard to make it work. Obviously, you can't stock up, unless you have storage somewhere else. We have the big bag of dog food in the laundry room, and empty it into a bin in the kitchen 3 or 4 times before we get a new one. K likes to buy snacks in bulk for guests. They are in the guest room closet for now. When we leave, they'll go back to his house. If you like to buy giant packages of toilet paper, can you store them in the attic? We do have an attic, with pull-down stairs, but I don't need to save money on toilet paper bad enough to go up there once a week or so. Maybe you think it's worth it. Maybe you don't use an oven and can store things there. I like to bake. I make bread and even pies sometimes, but not every day. My rolling pin and a few other things are in a drawer in the guest room closet. Do I use my grater every day? My citrus squeezer, my cookie scoop? Things in the drawers are easier to keep track of if they are only the daily necessities. Even that could possibly be outsourced--is there a drawer under your TV with junk in it? How many forks and spoons do you use? If you wash the dishes after every meal, most things don't need to be taking up prime real estate. The challenge, I have found, is to remember where you put it. The scraper I used to make bread the first week was missing for most of the month--until I went to get the rolling pin from the auxiliary drawer in the closet! Oh, right, I remember putting it there. I don't have canisters on the counter, the space is too valuable. I don't have a huge assortment of spices. The quiche that's in the oven called for a sprinkling of paprika. Will the quiche taste terrible without it? I doubt it. I will have to keep track. OK, today I'm using a can of black beans; need to put another can on the list. Don't buy 2 cans. I don't have a variety of grains right now--no quinoa, farro, couscous. Two kinds of pasta: long and short. I do have 3 kinds of flour, but you probably don't need them. I might whittle it down to 2. On the Massachusetts front, the P&S Agreement is signed, so it looks like the sale will go through. Our furniture will go into storage the end of March, the day before the closing. Then we will either stay in NC, travel, or find a short-term rental. In any case, the longer it takes to find the perfect North Shore house, the more money we will save. (Storing furniture is not very expensive; the bigger cost is moving it twice, but still less than a month's mortgage, utilities, etc.). One of the details to work out is planning a trip north, less than a week, to pack up and get rid of everything we left there. And say hello to Dad and D. I would love to know when the weather will be good. When will the airfares be best? When will we have no obligations here?

House-selling woes

OK, I'm having a little slump. It's 30 out now in Durham, although the sun is shining in the windows and I think it will warm up soon. On Wednesday, my day to work for CSN, there wasn't much for me to do. I thought about looking for another part-time job, but did the puzzle instead. I baked the cookies I had made and frozen in little sugary balls a couple weeks ago. The last couple days have seen some activity about selling our house, but not a lot of exciting options for buying one. Ray and I are toying with the idea of traveling for a month or so after the sale, since we won't have anywhere to live (except Durham, which will get pretty hot). This pandemic is one thing interfering with that plan. Also, not sure I would be happy with the uncertainty of it--without a place to come home to...not knowing what we might be missing... There were some permits that had been pulled for work done to the house previously that had never been closed. Shame on those contractors. I will say they acted quickly to solve the problem. Inspections were signed and everything was fine. The other problem was the front door. This is kind of a lesson for anyone in a similar situation. We had our house painted, and clapboards replaced as necessary. They did a great job and everyone loved it (well, some people thought it was a little bright). The trim around the front door needed some work and I had the idea to add a small roof over the door. I had talked to the president of the historical society, who said it could be done, they would most likely approve it. I lined up a contractor. Bob went to the building inspector (I think) and found that we would need an architect to draw up the plans and have to get approval for two variances, as well as the historical society. The whole process would probably take a year and cost lots more than we wanted to spend. So much for having a covered entrance (especially needed in this time of so many home deliveries). We asked Bob if he would just repair the trim where it needed it and paint it. He said sure, could he do it in September? We asked how long it would take and he said less than a week. OK, we said. Well, September came and went and we didn't hear from him. Eventually, he came by and apologetically said he would not be able to do the work. He gave us the molding samples he had gotten and said he would happily consult with someone who would do the work. Turns out, he had several heart attacks and really couldn't do the physical labor any more. We tried some other names, but had the same luck we had dealt with in the years of living there--people said yes, but didn't every follow through, or just didn't return calls. So, now, we had agreed with the realtor to give a credit to the buyer for the cost of the trim painting. This particular buyer wanted $4000. We said $1000, and there is sat for a few days. Eventually, we gave in and agreed to $2000. Moral of the story being, go ahead and get the painting done, even if you plan to redo the work soon. I also had someone come and give an estimate of moving all our furniture to storage. Turns out, storage doesn't cost much. We will just add the cost of moving everything a second time. The total is about what we would pay for housing during a month, so it's kind of a break-even situation. And the storage itself is about $200, so the longer they keep it, the more money we "save." That's the money we might spend on a trip.

Is that all there is?

She said to herself, "Is that all there is to life?" Of course, no one promised anything. There was no reason to expect happiness, fulfillment...I guess people are just wired that way: there must be a reason we're here, an explanation for our existence. But science says otherwise, it's just chance, evolution. The dog doesn't wonder about his purpose in life. We've just developed expectations, along with our ability to think. 

I think of the song, well, now I don't even remember the song..."is that all there is?" Is it Que Sera Sera? I don't like to say I'm at the end of my life, but I'm definitely not at the beginning. You could accurately say I'm in the latter half of my life, even if I live to be 110. I'm very fortunate, never hungry for long, never without a place to sleep. And I'm not really unhappy now, just kind of wondering. 

I've worked hard, tried to be a good person, raised children, been a caring wife. Even this morning, I've already cooked oatmeal (well, it did run over into the burner and smell) and washed a few dishes. 

It's cold here today, 28 out and the heat has been running almost nonstop since I woke up hours ago.  But the sun is coming. 

Yesterday I made a delicious recipe from New York Times Cooking. It was very simple, too. Mac and cheese with broccoli, all cooked in one pot on the stove. Ray prepped the broccoli, so all I did was throw everything in the pot. Amelia came and ate some with us. I also baked meringues, with nuts. They turned out very well. 

We did have a stressful day. The realtor called to say the buyer wants some permits closed. What? I had no idea. Two contractors who did work on our house (and were paid) did not have the final inspections done. One of them was for insulation in the walls. We had to call and make arrangements for the city to come approve the work on Wednesday morning, which means letting our tenant know. We have no idea how they can inspect work that is inside the walls, that have since been re-covered and freshly painted. We'll see. I haven't reached the other contractor yet, the one who did some work on the roof when I first arrived. I wasn't very happy with him and do not know what will happen if he doesn't respond. Then there are two other permits from 2010, long before we owned the house. The realtor is going to talk to the city and see what can be done. 

Other than that, not much happened. The day seemed to go by quickly. I talked to my sister on the phone, worked on the puzzle and did some bookkeeping for Amelia's business. We didn't take the car out at all. 

Busy

Yesterday, Ray and I attended a church service, in person, and sang in the choir. The choir at ERUUF sings with masks. There was a soloist who unmasked when he sang. The minister really liked our singing. I did too. Amelia's Durham friend Becky, the social worker, came and hugged me afterwards. I have learned several people's names so far. We had to be there at 8:45 am, which is a little early for us these days. After an hour, we stopped and the ministers and service leaders prepared in the space. We had an hour to sit quietly (or go away and come back). The building is lovely, with views from windows of trees. We sang hymns from the teal hymnal, the newer one that we rarely use in Beverly. I thought the service was excellent, although it did run over. They are getting ready to do a strategic 5-year plan, which is a little weird for us to be involved in. Clint was one of the greeters and he was talking to people about putting in electric chargers. They have a grant for most of the cost, but want the congregation to be in agreement about spending the rest of the money from the budget. I'm in favor, but should my voice be equally valuable with long-time year-round members? I have a blue nametag as a visitor/new member. 

It rained all day. After a quick lunch of leftovers, Ray dropped me off at the protest site for Bigger than Roe, a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. There were about 8 of us and we didn't last long. It was a little rainy, but mostly quite cold for most people. I wore my big puffy coat and boots and mittens, so I was fine. They were showing "Come from Away" at the Performing Arts Center (Ray and I saw it on Broadway and really liked it). The officials from DPAC did not want the protesters on "their" sidewalk engaging with people coming to see it. Most people were supportive. 

I spent the afternoon at Amelia's shop. I was planning to take the bus--they're free! But the organizer, Miriam, gave me a ride. She knew Amelia slightly and had been there. The store was busy, which is always gratifying. I knit on a sweater project that I have been working on off and on. The more time I spend there, the more I want to buy. I bought some fancy buttons for a sweater I finished a while ago that doesn't have buttons. I want to make some more underwear, but I left the pattern in Beverly. I really want to make a Handmaid's cape and there is some great red fabric, but I don't have a pattern. It will take a lot of fabric and probably needs to be lined. 

Luck

If you were lucky enough to choose a husband who stuck it out with you when you were less than perfect (and smart enough to stay with him when he was), who was lucky enough to work 30 years at a job he mostly enjoyed and that provided him with a good pension, then you and he can retire and start over. You can decide what you want your life to be like. You can keep the good parts and leave the cracked plates behind. 

Glasses and dishes in our kitchen cupboard

In our case, we did not move all our baggage with us, because we will be going back to it. It's more like an extended vacation. We have a new house with new furnishings and plates. In fairness, I have to say, it helps to have a child who has good taste and enjoys finding deals. We will rent this house to other people when it gets too hot for us to stay here, so it needs to be fully furnished. We get to decide what we need and what we can do without. At the moment, no waffle iron, blender, or electric mixer. (One of these days, I will see how it works to use an egg beater to make meringues.)

Did you know how much you can buy at a thrift store? I don't mean clothes, I don't need any more clothes before I die (probably). Glasses of all kinds for 99 cents or less. Plates and bowls that match. Cloth napkins. And furniture. These are all at one store. I have been looking for canisters without much success. I found a smallish one at a different store. Of course, I don't want plastic ones. 

Routines

The dog has a routine. He sleeps--in the study if we forget to close the door--where there is a rug. More often in the living room, where we bought a runner and he can fit himself on it the long way. When I get up, he doesn't usually stir--although he may eventually move to the study if I open the door to sit at the computer. He doesn't really get active until after it's light out and one or both of us humans are moving around. He might suggest politely that he would like to be let out, into the fenced yard to water the Nandina (which is fine, because they are non-native and I don't like them much, although they do remind me of the house on Milledge Heights in Athens). There were three of them there, near the street, maybe to decorate the telephone pole. Then he waits for us. Sometimes he thinks we are getting ready to walk him, or maybe we are eating and there might be something for him, although it is usually oatmeal or yogurt and toast, not much to appeal to him. He will obligingly lick the floor if we spill a drop or two. 

When we are finished with breakfast and start moving around in a way that suggests we might be going out, adding jackets or shoes, he gets very excited and happy. He doesn't object to any length of walk, rarely tiring, even at 14. When we get back, he lies down, but he is not sleeping. He is eagerly watching until one of us (usually Ray) gets out the kibble and makes his breakfast. He eats with animation, sometimes slobbering on the floor (which he doesn't clean up). Then he rests for a minute before he remembers that he really wants to go out and lie on the porch. I think the smells are as interesting to him as, say, television is to us. Sometimes he sleeps, but other times he is alert. Of course, he is guarding us against squirrels and neighbors. We check and of course respond to any warning barks, but he doesn't usually leave the yard. If I notice he is gone and start to worry, I generally find him on the side, poking around before he returns to his spot. I thought he would like being here in Durham for lots of reasons, but I didn't anticipate that he would enjoy the front porch. Years ago, in Athens, we had a big deck and not a lot of traffic and we had a series of dogs that enjoyed lying there, mostly calmly. 

Yesterday I had a big cooking project--I made calzones, a first, I think. It took time, of course, because I had to make the dough and let it rise. It's like pizza dough, which is like bread dough. The hardest part was rinsing and chopping a bunch of fresh spinach. The house smelled great. They were quite satisfactory, although not as pretty as ones you buy. Tasty with pasta sauce. 

Can you imagine what this gadget is? I used it to prepare an ingredient.

Spring?

It's supposed to hit 70 here today and we are invited to go out for ice cream tonight.

I spent a couple hours working on CSN yesterday, but it seems a little remote now. I also worked on my sewing project at Amelia's shop, which was more immediate. 

This morning, our favorite neighbor, Libby, introduced us to a visitor from South America and her son, as we were walking the dog. The woman is here for medical treatment. I imagine it is pretty serious if she has come all this way. I am thinking of them. I was glad to be able to greet them in Spanish, maybe it will feel a little less strange. I wonder how many medical people here speak Spanish. 

I filled out online paperwork to volunteer at the Food Bank, but have heard nothing yet. Perhaps my note that I can't really lift a lot or stand a lot limits my usefulness to them. Or perhaps they don't need any more volunteers right now. Or perhaps they are short staff and don't look at volunteer inquiries every day. 

I did a 7:00 yoga class yesterday and an 8:00 class today. A friend from Athens was there as well. It was a very easy level 1 class, but I felt really good about it.

I decided to eat less oatmeal. I've been having it every morning (except Sunday) for a while and I'm wondering if it is contributing to my minor weight gain. I think Christmas always adds a bit and perhaps travel as well. I think the main thing is my small house. I take only a few steps going back and forth, with no trips upstairs. We're walking a good bit in the neighborhood every day, but maybe I should do more. 

A little sad

Yesterday, it snowed in Massachusetts. All the people who had the day off for MLK were able to play in the snow, including Declan and Molli. Tamara did not feel safe driving to work. It was sunny and warm here. Went for a walk, worked on the puzzle, baked ginger cookies. Made Tamale Pie, a recipe with beans and cornmeal, for Amelia. 

We had a call from our agent, Patricia, that a house we were interested in had an offer. The seller had called to see if we wanted to put in an offer as well. We got very excited, thinking the offer she had gotten must have been low. Talked with both girls, studied photos, but in the end the seller accepted the other offer. 

Ray and Amelia went to a bonfire, a friend burning their Christmas tree. I chose not to go--cold and smoky sitting around outside. I was in bed reading when they came home. Didn't sleep well, weird dreams about a food coop. 

Crazy morning

Amelia is here again. It was an unusual morning for us, with Ray getting up at 6 am and me not until 7:30. He wanted to go to HRB to meet virtually with a client, so set his alarm. No explanation of why I didn't wake up when his alarm went off, or before, as is my usual habit. I don't feel like I was really tired. A minor mystery. So, three people eating breakfast in a slightly chaotic fashion. The house is great, but I can't imagine trying to live here with 5 people, including 3 young children. Or 4 college students, who were here last summer. One shower/tub. Although, I lived with 4 other people from the time I was

Cameron didn't get his walk but went out in the yard 2 or 3 times, and wanted his breakfast, so I gave it to him. He says, "I'm so confused. My family is behaving strangely. They smell like everything's fine, but they are not following the procedures. I like being outside, sniffing, but I worry about them, so I have to go back in. And no treats today, hmm?" 

I baked some ginger cookies I had mixed up yesterday. They are nice and soft, but not quite right. Maybe I left out salt? I will add a little to the rest of the batter before I bake it. 

Apple Pancake Breakfast

 It's 28 degrees out! I've been cheated! Didn't I come here to be warm? Although in my house it is not uncomfortable. In my bed under the covers, it was more comfortable, but I'll be good for a little while until it wears off. Then I'll make Amelia's breakfast. She is staying with us because K flew to NJ yesterday for a work-related event that was rescheduled from before the holidays because one-quarter of the employees had COVID. 

Her favorite breakfast is a special pancake that is cooked in the oven. Our version has apples in it and comes from Vegetarian Epicure, a cookbook I got many years ago. I am not a vegetarian any more, but she is. Although I don't think there is a non-vegetarian version of this recipe, sometimes called Dutch Baby and made by the Pennsylvania Dutch. Maybe they would serve it with sausage. 

It's still early to put my contact lenses in, because I'm not very awake. I woke up a little after 4. The heat was running. Now it s a little after 6 and the heat is still or again running. I'm yawning and typing without looking at whaat I've written. I'll have to go back and fix the mistakes, after I put in my lenses. And make some tea. 

That's better. Tea made and some consumed. I had a brief visit to the puzzle table, where I opened the shades. Our neighbors on that side are just a stone's throw away, enough room between us for their cars and our strip of lawn wide enough for a blueberry bush (at this point in its life). Mug warms my hands, but I am not cold yet. If I sit here for an hour without moving, I will be cold. Then I can either take a nice warm bath or shower or put on my clothes from yesterday and work some on the pancake. Moving makes me warm and turning on the oven will make the house warm. 

I like to cook in a very relaxed frame of mind. One thing is I have made this lots of times, so that's less stress. I usually get the ingredients out first. Sometimes I do this when I am not really in the mood to cook. I trick myself. I'll get out these things, I can always put them away if I decide not to go through with it. Also, it warms the ingredients (in this case, eggs and milk) to room temperature--usually they do better then. Also, if I don't have something I need, I can do something about it, decide to ignore it, or change my plan to a different recipe--before I'm irrevocably committed. 

LIttle Things

 Hello,

I have a bruise on the side of my finger. No idea how I got it. Banged it on the bedside table while I was asleep? Also, it's getting harder and harder to take out my contacts. I think my eyes are getting squintier. The right one is not a problem, but I have trouble getting the left one open enough to take out the lens every night. I've worn them for many years, since I was 18? Eye doctors used to tell me I would have to stop wearing them at some point to give my eyes a rest, but nowadays they don't. I've known people who said, "I have to take my lenses out now," and switch to their glasses. I can't see properly with my glasses. I only have them because my current doctor insisted that I get an updated pair. I wear them between taking out my lenses and getting in bed and vice versa. When I read in bed (on my little cell phone these days), I hold the phone close to my face and don't need them. My father used to tell me it was bad for me to read in bad light, or read so much. I thought it was a myth that it would weaken my eyesight. Maybe it made me squint too much and now my old muscles can't hold my eyelids up. I'm sure there is surgery for that. The idea is amusing and terrifying. 

Yesterday, I engaged a lawyer to help with the closing on our house. His name is Sherf. Do you think that's a real last name? We met him when he helped Molli add Michael to the deed for her house. She is a lawyer, so I trust her judgement. I hope he is not sketchy. I guess there are sketchy lawyers out there. The inspection is scheduled for Sunday. I told Tamara on the phone last night. She seemed genuinely happy for us and appreciative that she has 2 months to save and plan to get her own place. 

Polly Face-Timed me. She was with Declan and he wanted to talk to me and say happy Patturday. He may call this morning to figure out how to play a game online, although by now I would have been at his house for an hour. I talked to Polly and Dad and Molli. Dad was pretty exhausted from his 3 days with Polly. Molli had made roast chicken, but she said the weather was too warm for roasting a chicken--she opened a window. It was a few degrees warmer there than here. I was wearing a hat and they teased me about it. I got that habit from Amelia. She is always bundled up, with hats and cowls. It's not really that I was cold, it's just nice to feel cozy. 

Circles, a modern still life

I spent an hour or so yesterday working on my bathrobe. I realize the fabric is almost exactly the same as the shirt I made a few years ago--plaid cotton flannel. I am not as careful with my sewing projects as Amelia is. She is a little obsessive, like her father, which serves her well. They say you should wash your fabric before cutting it--such a pain in the neck. Hopefully, it won't be a problem and it's kind of a loose garment, so it won't matter if it shrinks. My favorite part is the choosing, so I already have several more sweaters I want to knit and things I want to sew. First I need to finish this one. LOL. 

After our brief Face Time, I was really sad the rest of the evening. I miss them all, even my Dad. Of course, if I were there, I would not spend any more time with them than I do now with Amelia. I love her dearly, but she and Kevin are pretty quiet compared to the raucousness of the Lynn crowd. Not that Michael is really rowdy either. I guess it's just the difference between Molli and Amelia's personalities. Lots of up and down drama with Molli. Come to think of it, Amelia is pretty stressed too. Maybe we all need to take up meditation. (I misstyped at first and put medication). 

Exciting news from yesterday? I found a salad spinner in a second hand store (New and Nearly New) for $1.50. There was one I liked better for $2 more--it was exactly the same except it had a green top. After he used it for the first time, he discovered it has holes in the bottom. It's meant to be used over a sink or something. Never saw one like that before. No biggie, just had to clean up a small puddle of water on the counter and floor. I also bought a medium-size glass canister. Not exactly what I was looking for, but might hold most of the oats. I didn't want the plastic ones they had. I'm sure I'll find some one of these days. 

making connections

Ray was very hesitant and reluctantly drove us to Eno River UU Fellowship for choir rehearsal. It was certainly great to sing, to learn new music, to meet a lot of people. It's such a big congregation; they have more than one choir. I picked Thursday night because Tuesday I like to take a yoga class. While we have been in Beverly, choir has been a little different--and we haven't even been in a few years. Robert didn't do warmups; we didn't do a lot last night, but it was good. A song with words by Langston Hughes was great. We will see. Shall we go in person this Sunday? Shall we sing in church the next week? We sing masked and the congregation is masked, although speakers are not. 

Being retired means holidays have no meaning--no work Monday? I haven't worked on Monday for a month or so.

I spent an hour or so at Amelia's shop, looking around, studying the pattern I chose to make a bathrobe and getting to know the variations and making some choices. Step One: cut the fabric. Amelia (and other people) say to wash it first. Naah. That would be an extra step. There was a "rep" there from a fabric company, showing the new fabric for Amelia to decide what to order. Halloween glow-in-the-dark fabric was one option. She said nice things about Amelia, naturally. 

Pouring down rain when we were driving home from the choir rehearsal. Dark and rainy, glad I wasn't driving. I'm guessing the things I planted will have liked the rain, though. Nice to have a carport to pull into when we got home. 

***

One thing at this house that is not at our house in Beverly is a yard. In the front, there are two large oak trees near the street. They have been pruned or damaged so their shape is not really natural, and now all the leaves are gone, so they look especially odd. They are home to squirrel nests and drop leaves and branches every day. If we wanted to put solar panels on our house, they would reduce the amount of gain. They also keep other things we might want to grow in our front yard from getting enough light. Still, I wouldn't want to have them cut down. They also must provide wanted shade on summer days. 

Every day, sometimes twice a day, Ray walks a mile and a half. He goes to the end of our street, turns left and walks to the end of that street, 2 blocks, where there is a funny small park with a track for bicycle riding, ugly artificial hills that provide fun and exercise for lots of children. Turning left there, he walks a few blocks downhill to get to the Ellerbe Creek Trail. He turns left on that trail and walks along the banks of the creek, in a protected natural area in the middle of the city. At the end of that section, he turns left again, walking up the street, turning left, and arriving at our street again. I find it boring and tiring, so I usually go with him for only 15 minutes or so. Today it is cool and breezy, with sunshine, so a great day to stay inside! 

Scattered thoughts

Well, my mind is in a very different place now. We have an offer to buy our house in Beverly, which is great, but definitely burst my bubble of calm contentment. I am all over the place. They will inspect the property Sunday. They also need to sell their house. Closing is scheduled for end-March. Do we arrange to have all our things moved to storage for now? Or try to find a house we want to buy by then? Then we will need to visit Massachusetts for at least a few days to look at houses and pack more stuff to store, move or get rid of. Even here in Durham, I already have more clothes than I need. Or the wrong clothes. We would have to arrange to have someone take care of the dog while we are gone. I hate to leave him alone after bringing him here, but he will mostly sleep all day whether we are here or not. 

Today is much warmer, but very overcast, so not warming up in the house the same way as when it's sunny. I made blueberry muffins this morning, so that heated it up plenty, no need for the heat to run. I went out with the dog wearing tights and a long shirt and short coat, a hat and no mittens, but my legs were cold. 

Still cold, but...

 We got an offer on our house in Beverly. It is bursting my bubble here, the calm contentment I have been enjoying. An offer is a great thing. It is the first serious offer (we had two that were very low) and from someone who loves the house. We have made a counteroffer, which may or may not be accepted. If it is accepted, it will be contingent on them finding a buyer for their house. It happened late in the day yesterday and I did manage to sleep pretty well, but now I am all kerfluffled (or whatever that word is I'm looking for). 

If the counteroffer is accepted, we will have a month or two to empty our house. Then the question is, move everything into storage or buy another house. If we want to buy, we will need to visit to see the house "in person." So, arrange for a trip, make a decision about buying a house (offer, financing, etc.), arrange for movers. With the possibility that everything could fall apart or have issues along the way. And T, having made the move to live on her own, will need to figure out where to move. It's possible that we will buy a house with a place for her to stay, but not necessarily part of the decision-making process. 

At the moment, though, it is a waiting game. And we will do what we always do: take it one step at a time. Look for flights, look for movers, look for houses. 

It's cold in Durham

Yesterday was my Mom's birthday. She died 11 years ago, but we usually celebrate her birthday as we would have when she was alive, by going out to a nice restaurant. I think we missed one year of the pandemic, but this year I really wanted to go. Amelia had a 7:00 appointment, so we needed an early reservation. We didn't want to eat inside, either. The restaurant had to be open on Mondays, which a lot aren't, especially now with staff shortages still an issue. We settled on Bleu Olive, a Mediterranean restaurant in a shopping center. The outdoor tables were on the sidewalk next to the parking lot, so not a super elegant setting, but they were under a roof in case of rain. I think the sidewalk retained some warmth from the sun earlier in the day. 

The sun sets a little later in Durham, but it was still mostly dark by the time we sat down. The host looked at me a little strangely when I said we wanted to eat outside. I think it was in the 40s and I was wearing my big winter coat with the fake fur-trimmed hood, and fingerless mitts. Even Ray had put on an extra layer. I was worried that we would not be able to enjoy the food and the occasion because it was so cold, but that wasn't the case. 

The men scanned the code on the table and pulled up the menu on their phones. We ordered cocktails--I had an old fashioned that was delicious. I had asked for a hot toddy or a hot buttered rum, but they weren't available. Then I suggested a hot chocolate with a little something added, but they didn't have that either--the waiter said they had varieties of Irish coffee, but that is not my thing. Kevin ordered Bordeaux, but they were out, so he settled for Shiraz, which was tasty. Ray had a pomegranate mule, which he enjoyed. I tried it, but thought it was yucky.  

Ray suggested a variety of spreads and breads--pita, of course, and a dried bread like a giant crouton, as well as a soft warm bread. Baba ganoush (eggplant), humus, tzatziki, and something else, maybe red pepper--they were all delicious. Ray also had a giant Greek salad and shared some with us. It had beets in it, oddly enough. I don't think they're Greek, but I like them a lot, and no one else does. 

I had local flounder with veggies--spinach, red pepper and others--on orzo. It was excellent. I saved a little for today, since I was getting full. Amelia had polenta, which she liked. Kevin had moussaka--there's a success story if there ever was one. He and Amelia became a couple in high school, and he did not eat much. No veggies or fruit, only the plainest simplest "American" food, like hamburgers or fried chicken. Now he is ordering something like moussaka, without even knowing if he'll like it! I've forgotten what Ray had, but I think it was on orzo, similar to mine, probably chicken? Anyway, Kevin got a box for some of his, but Amelia and Ray cleaned their plates. 

The highlight of the meal was meant to be dessert--Mom's favorite, although she enjoyed seafood too. We had an excellent creme brulee, and we are creme brulee connaisseurs (I can't seem to spell that right, a rare problem for me). I didn't really like the orange chocolate cake. It seemed dry, but maybe on purpose. The cheesecake was very good, too, almost like a mousse, with pistachio crust. Kevin had some grand marnier and Ray a decaf coffee, but we did not linger and were ready to leave by 6:30. A very successful Mom's Day feast. I am repeatedly surprised by how many great restaurants there are here. We will have to try more of them, if the weather gets warmer. 

It is below freezing here this morning and the heat is running steadily, but not uncomfortable inside--I do wish I had grabbed some socks before I snuck out of the bedroom about 5:15. I was in bed early and slept well. Ray has "extravagantly" purchased some streaming services, including Paramount, so now we can go back to watching all the Star Treks. We were working on that until they went off Netflix and we would have had to pay for them. 

Monday morning, but not going to work

Sunny but cold here; heat is running and keeping it pretty comfortable. I need to go put some clothes on so I'm not chilly. I couldn't find my warm bathrobe in Beverly before I left and thought maybe it was here, but it's not. Maybe it's in a box in the storage unit. I have a summer bathrobe and not my warmest nightgown, so it's about time to get dressed. 

I picked out some nice cotton plaid flannel at Amelia's store yesterday and bought 5 yards to make myself a new bathrobe. I am not excited about the pattern, though. I might need to look somewhere else. I managed to buy 3 books of knitting ideas, too. I guess I could knit a bathrobe? This was during craft club, which I attended in person. There were 7 of us, all masked, of course. Some of the women I have known through Zoom craft club sessions and met on previous visits. It was fun to see them in person again, and hear them talk about the same things (their kids, their cats, their jobs). The shop is a great joy to visit. I know the women who work there and feel a real connections--I helped build this empire! (OK, not really an empire, but honestly, it is so much more than when it started). I'm apparently not that interested in the gray sweater I am knitting. It seems to be going very slowly and I don't know how much I will like it when I'm done. Amelia is working on her 8th? hat. They are all very lovely, but not sure how many she needs. I know I have more than I need, and I like them all. 

Other fun activities yesterday: I spent some time on line with the Eno River UU Fellowship, attending a class after the service for newbies, which is only sort of appropriate, but does give a chance to get to know others. I need to decide if I want to join one of the choirs--they do wear masks to sing. I don't really want to drive at night, so would convince Ray to come with me. There are many many volunteer activities--immigrants, homeless...

Sunday night we have established as Game Night. I made an asparagus quiche, which we all loved, and Ray made salad. Of course there were ice cream and cookies, but it needed something more. What does one serve with Quiche? potatoes? We played Splendor, which is my new favorite game, after playing a few times with Molli and Michael and Declan. Amelia was a little whiny about it. At first she didn't understand, then she didn't like how Kevin kept taking the cards she wanted, since he played right before her. He was close to winning, pretty unlikely for someone just learning the game, but clearly his strength. Amelia said, "Mom, I don't know why you didn't take that card," and I realized she was right. They managed to block Kevin from winning long enough for me to get the card and win the game. After that, we played Hanubi, a funny card game where the goal is to put together a fireworks display, working together, when everyone else can see your cards and give you hints. It was pretty fun and surprisingly intense, but not too long. We played twice, and it was after 10 when they left and I got to bed. A fun night!

Sunday morning waking up

All is well. It is cold out (35), but warm in, with the heat set at 68. I was awake at 3:30 or so and trying to turn the heat up, so it would be warm by morning. We turned it down when we went to bed. I like it cold when I'm sleeping. Somehow I kept fumbling with the wrong button; it's asking me to change all kinds of settings, but I just want to turn the temperature up. This morning, it was easy, when I could see.

It is weird to not have a routine, although I haven't really had one most days for the last few years--just the days I was going to Newburyport, usually twice a week. It's good not to have that drive ahead of me, although it was quite lovely. It was somewhat stressful, due mainly to the other drivers. 

The routine, as it is, involves finding my bathrobe and my socks from yesterday, making a cup of tea in the same white cup. I know that it will most likely be about 2 hours before Ray gets up. I don't really miss him, although I do get hungry. Sometimes I have a sweet treat or a piece of toast. I am planning to make pancakes today (Sunday has been pancake day since I can remember), so it's a little odd to have toast. 

Yesterday I planted a few herbs in the back, since it's forecast to rain again. The blueberries we planted out front will appreciate it too. The herbs I am already using--last night's dinner had parsley and thyme. It was a simple version of a cassoulet with some chicken sausage we had ordered from Imperfect and lots of veggies, more of a soup than a cassoulet. We had gotten a baguette at the coop and ate a lot of that with butter as well. Saturday night is movie night in the usual order of things. We watched Leap Year, which Ray had already. He still laughed like anything when she rolled down the hill in the mud and missed the train. 

I bought a basil plant too, which will live inside, at least for a while. The blueberries won't produce fruit for a year or two, and then it will be in the summer, when we're back up north. Maybe Amelia will pick some and freeze them for me. I just like knowing they're there and I will enjoy looking at them as they get bigger. I still haven't decided where to put the bay tree--front or back? This morning I was looking at a corner of the yard between the carport and the fence that might be good--convenient to pick and keep an eye on. 

I get out the bacon to cook. It says, "Peel Apart Here" and it sounds easy, but it requires a certain amount of strength and finger dexterity. I wonder about older, frailer people than me. I can't peel a banana without cutting it first, either. One way for me to eat something on pancake day is to cook the bacon early and eat my share, or part of it, if I can resist. I have been known to make the pancakes and eat them before he gets up. Now I'm having a few bites of banana. 

Most days include at least one walk in the neighborhood. It's flat, as you can see. This nearby street is not paved and the speed limit of 10 MPH made me laugh. The highway is very near and we can hear the traffic from our front porch, but inside I do not notice it. 

I usually work on the puzzle some, too. This one is a New Yorker cover, lots of bright colors and lines, so maybe not too hard. Who cares how much time it takes? 

Cameron apparently thinks we bought this rug at the Thrift Store for him. 

Week 2

A week ago, we were just waking up to our first full day in Durham. No big change this week. Everything is put away. We went to TROSA (a thrift store) again yesterday and bought a few things: a rug for near the door to protect our wood floors, a small container for leftovers, a dish for the dog, a shot glass. I was looking for some canisters, but didn't find any. We picked up some library books that I had requested (3 more gardening books), and Ray figured out how to charge the car at the library. Yay, Durham! Of course, everything we bring into the house, whether a shot glass or groceries, has to have a place. It's a brilliant design, with a lot packed into a small space, but still. There are two big lower cabinets, for pots and bowls, a couple drawers, two big upper cabinets with opaque glass doors, and 2 open shelves. There's also a tall narrow "spice cabinet" set into the wall next to the kitchen. Lots of things are small enough to fit there--canned goods, crackers--besides spices. As time goes on, though, we are in danger of accumulating things. Already there are 3 kinds of Creole seasoning
left by a previous tenant. Not sure I will ever use that and when I need the space, it's going. Anyway, have to curb my natural tendency to stock up and only buy what I will use in the near future. 

Ray ordered a fancy Fitbit scale that syncs with his Fitbit watch, like the one he has in Beverly. We did laundry. For some reason, I have way more clothes than I need or than I can fit in my allotted 2 drawers. Never fear, that is why they invented those clear plastic bins. All three bedrooms have big closets and room for my overflow of sweaters and clothes I don't wear often.

It is cooler this morning and the heat is running, but yesterday was sunny and in the 60s. When I talked to people from Massachusetts, they said it was rainy and in the 40s. My skin is not itchy and dry anymore. 

The best new acquisition yesterday was a folding table we borrowed from Amelia. We set it up in a corner of the tiny living room, and opened a puzzle! One of the exciting things is it has several heights, so I am going to try keeping it at counter height for now, so I can work standing up. Will that be better for my back? Stay tuned. 

Another activity was planting the rest of the blueberry bushes--there are 5 now--of course, they are kind of small and spindly, but if we can keep them alive, they will be lovely in a few years. Meanwhile, I have some herbs to plant and need to figure out the best place for them. Might plant some lettuce seed too. 

Early Morning

The early hours belong to me. Even if I did not sleep well, I am up before dawn most days, about 5. I have no obligations, I roam the house, looking for the most pleasant place to sit or lie, the activity that engages my attention. I make some tea, admiring the color of it in the vintage glass carafe. I enjoy the feel of the white china cup in my hands and the warm beverage in my mouth. I like the play of light falling from the open doorway into the hall. I enjoy the company of the dog, snoring on the rug at my feet. I contemplate slicing a piece of bread to toast, or sneak a cookie I made yesterday. The world is my oyster; anything is possible today, no matter what the reality might be. 

Last night, Amelia stayed late at her store, trying to finish up the annual inventory before they open this morning for the new year. Ray and I had broiled shrimp and rice with a nice salad. That's when I baked the cookies I had mixed up earlier: warm chocolate chip cookies with vanilla ice cream, one of life's pleasures. 

Ray had worked almost 6 hours at the H&R Block office here, spending some of that time chatting with his new colleagues, one of whom is named Patty. I also worked, from home, for CSN, preparing the reports for the month of December that my boss will need for the meeting next Monday. I "met" my replacement Pam, and she seems competent and agreeable, so I look forward to working with her. I have possibilities of a couple other remote jobs, in Massachusetts, very part time. If I were to find some in-person work here, it would allow me to meet new people. My conflict is my desire to avoid getting sick (and infecting Ray). 

Cameron

Ray decided Cameron needed a bath, so he made an appointment at Petsmart. I wasn't sure that was a good idea, but he seemed set on it. First, he got the day wrong and went yesterday. There was a long line and he vowed to get there early today. It's very gray here (although not cold) and he slept late. I woke him and he rushed around, but we were still a little late--this time there wasn't much of a line, though. Three different people tried to make friends with him and reassure him, but they decided he was too anxious. He was drooling and trying to get away from them. So he didn't get a bath today. 

Ray is on the bus to his new HRB office. He went yesterday to check it out and the bus is pretty great. It runs every half hour and it's free. It has wifi too. Needless to say, he wears a mask on the bus and in the office. He likes the office manager, Lavita, and he's starting to meet the other tax preparers. 

I worked some yesterday for CSN, balancing the checkbook for last month and dealing with a few emails. I have a call with my boss at 11 today. I'm also considering a couple other part-time remote jobs. I haven't actually applied yet. If I just work about 10 hours a week, that will be great, keep my brain in shape, have a little purpose and structure to my days. Mostly I cook and think about cooking and read. 

We have had Amelia here most nights. Kevin is sick, he tested negative for COVID and flu, but has a sore throat and doesn't feel great. So she gets here about 6:30 or 7, after the store closes, and we feed her some vegetarian dinner and sit around. She knits and works a little and we watch Jeopardy and Kim's Convenience. In the morning, we have breakfast and she showers and dresses and heads to her house to take care of the chickens before she goes to work. They are on their third day of inventory and are not sure they will get it all counted. 

Monday we went to Stone Brothers & Byrd and bought some blueberry bushes. There was one old Southern guy working there--a delightful man. He said, I'm the only one here today, so just go on back to the plant section and you'll find them on the left. We now have 3 Premium and 2 Rebel blueberry plants, as well as a bay tree (only a few inches high at the moment), a rosemary plant, a thyme plant, and a lavender plant. We bought some hand tools and some gloves and a bucket and a watering can. It was a fun place and I though how much my Dad would like it. 

It's raining a bit now and more is forecast. We got three of the bushes planted yesterday in the front yard. They're kind of under a big old oak tree, so I'll be interested to see how they do. I've been looking at a lot of gardening/landscaping books and thinking about where to put the herbs and what else to get. I'm considering a fig tree, but decided not to put it where I was planning to, near the house. I'll start some seeds here pretty soon. Of course, most things won't be ready to harvest before we head back north, but Amelia or someone else will probably enjoy,

Day 2 in Durham

Our little house is on a short residential dead-end street, with about 12 others. There is a creek past the end. If you walk up to the beginning, where you turn in, you can hear the highway traffic, very loud most of the time, but at our house it's not noticeable. From there, you can turn right and go to a very busy street (4 lanes), with small shops and restaurants. If you turn left, though, you come to a sort of park, where young children ride their bikes up and down and around on dirt hills, under the watchful eyes of their parents. Since the weather has been warm and sunny, and it's vacation time for many, it's been busy whenever I walked by. 

We turn left again and pass more small houses with interesting things in the yard--signs or junk or gardens. There is another park in a couple blocks, with an exercise loop, and it connects to the Ellerbe Creek Trail. Ray has walked it several times already, with and without Cameron. If you cross the trail and walk about half a mile through the golf course, you would come to Amelia and Kevin's house. Ray has done it other times, but not yet on this visit. 

There is some controversy in our neighborhood. It used to be young families and retired couples, like us. Now, though, a lot of the houses have been turned into rentals on airbnb, which includes ours most of the time. The neighbors complain and I feel bad. Nearer the entrance, they have built a second, tall, narrow house on the lot with an existing house. It's not ready yet, but looks pretty peculiar. There are big windows facing the street, so the front room will have lots of light. The side of the house close to the next house has almost no windows. It looks like there will be a balcony or roof deck. I hope I get to see inside one day. We have heard that the empty lot across the street will have 4 houses on it (after they tore down one). It seems like it would feel pretty crowded. Is this a solution for the housing crisis? I doubt they will be "affordable." 

The weather has been very warm, but I guess it's warm in Massachusetts too. My skin is not dry and itchy any more. Yay!

I made beans and rice for our New Year's Day midday meal. Amelia made cornbread and roasted squash (that she grew). Of course I left out the ham. Almost ready to sit down and Amelia asked about the greens. I had bought kale for the purpose. Damn! I said. I had picked out a recipe for creamed greens that I thought would be good, but there wasn't time. Amelia and Ray tore up some kale and put it in their hoppin' john. But I made the creamed kale after dinner and will eat it today. I had a little glass of champagne that made me pretty sleepy. Amelia spent a couple hours on Zoom for craft club. There was only one other person, but she made some progress on her next project, a gingham sweater that looks pretty cute. I am struggling with a sweater I started a few weeks ago, from the neck down. I think it will get easier, but the short rows and the pattern chart made it pretty complicated--too much to do when I'm watching TV in the evening, which is mostly when I knit. 

Our big adventure New Year's Eve was to go to the Durham Library and get library cards. It is a beautiful new building with the latest technology, but there weren't many people. I suppose there are lots of ways to read nowadays and the library is less crucial. I read library books on my phone mostly. Ray found a mystery author that intrigued him, Elizabeth Peters, so of course he checked out 5 of her books. Meanwhile, I picked some gardening and landscaping books and one cookbook. 

Happy New Year!!

I slept a little later this morning--after 7, although I was awake about 5 and staggered into this room, lay down on the futon and dozed off again. I was awake until about 11, unusual for me, but didn't quite make it to midnight. 

So far today, I have put in my contacts, put water in the kettle and boiled it on the stove to pour into the glass coffee carafe from the 50s or 60s that Amelia found somewhere. I put in some of my special Assam Chai blend that Molli and Michael (I think?) gave me for Christmas. Then I figured out how to froth some half & half using our fancy new Espresso machine that they also gave us and had delivered here to our North Carolina home so we didn't have to transport it. It's pretty great, but I'll get even better at using it, probably. The teacup has Dr. Who's Tardis on it; it warms my hands and then the warm tea feels good going down my throat. 

My shoulder still hurts a little but it's getting better. I woke up with a stiff neck or pinched nerve on my left side about five days ago and it's been there every morning since. I blame the bitter cold weather we were having, but possibly sitting hunched on the couch playing games on the coffee table was a factor. Then we drove 750 miles over two days and slept in a hotel (motel?), which probably didn't make it better. I didn't actually drive very much--Ray did the most and Amelia did some. 

It was an interesting challenge--how hard would it be to drive an electric car from Massachusetts to North Carolina? This iteration of the Nissan Leaf has a stated range of over 200 miles. Ray's plan was to charge once in Connecticut and once in Maryland, where we stayed for the night and then once in Richmond, Virginia. One of the things he didn't take into account is the effect of extreme cold. The electric motor is less efficient when it's below freezing, so we couldn't get as far on a charge. 

It was fine, though. We (mostly Ray and Amelia) studied the map for where the charging stations were. The ones we used were all part of the EVGo network, although we identified lots of others. The first place we stopped, in Connecticut, was the most difficult. It turns out that EVGo had an old credit card on file for us that did not work. Of course, he didn't know why it wasn't working, at first, and what would we do if we couldn't charge the car??? Ray called them up and got someone who helped him solve the problem. We walked the dog, bought some food from the Dunkin' Donuts nearby, and sat at their outside tables. 

When we started up again (with me driving), there was a yellow exclamation point on the dashboard and a message that said "Charging System problem." We looked up the nearest Nissan dealership, about 15 minutes away (in the wrong direction), and headed there. Meanwhile, Ray got someone there on the phone. They wanted him to make an appointment for the next morning. He was naturally not happy about that. "just tell me if the car's going to blow up--can you just look it up in the computer?" Amusingly, we were parked next to a charger, so Amelia plugged it again, not to waste any time that we could be charging. We decided to go on down the road and see if we could get an appointment at another dealership on our route. The one Leaf-certified mechanic at this one was on vacation (it was the week between Christmas and New Year's, not a surprising time to be on vacation). Ray said he was going to write to Nissan and tell them they needed to certify more people. The dealership nearest to our home in Beverly doesn't even sell or service electric cars. Miraculously, the light was gone when we unplugged the car and started up again. I think it's like using a non-Apple accessory--it didn't like the EVGo charger, but liked the one at the dealership? It was also a slower charger, not the fast ones we needed on this trip. The next time the yellow light appeared, we ignored it, and didn't seem to have any problem. It went away after we charged again. A mystery. 

GW Bridge 6 pm

The next place we stopped was at a motel on the edge of Philadelphia. There were charging stations for 8 cars and one other user. The motel was under construction or renovation and we went in and used the bathroom and refilled our water bottles. Our food consisted of holiday leftovers--Spinach Quiche Squares, cookies, spiced nuts. The dog got another walk and we got another stretch. The question was could we make it all the way to Maryland without stopping to charge again. We stopped at a mall with a Walmart that was closing for the night. The movie theater was open, and the Walmart (where I bought dog food, first visit to Walmart in at least 20 years). I was not impressed. The place was in chaos, I guess from the Christmas frenzy. I even saw a carton of eggs broken upside down on the floor. We had forgotten to pack the dog food and had ordered some from the Target near our hotel (Amelia was planning ahead), but it was going to be closed by the time we got there. 

The slow traffic most of the day meant we could go more miles, but we didn't arrive until 11:30 at night, after leaving Beverly about 10 am. The Homewood Suites was very nice, with a mini-fridge and 2 rooms, but the closest charger gave Amelia problems that night and Ray trouble in the morning. We only got half-charged before leaving for Chevy Chase.

We had a lovely time with friends there, who had made a breakfast spread for us. Well, they had some leftovers too--a wonderful coffeecake someone had given them, scrambled eggs, cut up fruit. And they drove Ray to a nearby charging station and left the car there. It was in a parking garage, so we had to pay that fee as well. The charging stations ended up costing us a little more than gas would have, but the point is that now we have our electric car in North Carolina. It charges in the carport very slowly, but is completely charged after 2 days and nights, and adds very little to our electric bill. We're not planning any long trips soon. 

The last charging station was at a Wawa. "Everyone loves the food at Wawa,' Amelia said. There was an app where you could order food and they would bring it to your car. A salad and 2 paninis sounded good. The car was all charged and we still didn't have our food. Amelia went in (with a mask, of course) and they had it. "I looked out and didn't see anyone," the attendant said. The place was jumping, for sure, and the food was very good. The charger was even faster than the others (100 kw?), and we were home in Durham by 7:00. Yay!

Cameron seems to be settling in.