It makes me happy when I have to put on a bathrobe in the morning because it's cold. It's only 58 out right now and Ray has managed to get it down to 70 upstairs and 65 downstairs. I'll need a sweatshirt when I go down to make breakfast.

Yesterday morning, as we were walking after breakfast, Cameron flushed a baby fawn. I didn't even know what it was at first; it was about the size of a big rabbit. He wasn't chasing it or barking, just nosing it. It stood there, wobbling, and looked at us. OMG! It was the cutest thing, looking just like Bambi. Big eyes, funny ears, trying not to fall down. We called Cameron off and it took a few steps toward us, no fear. It was all I could do to stop myself from saying, "can we keep it?" I took Cameron on ahead and Ray stayed back to discourage it from following. It melted into some brush and he said the pattern of spots made it hard to see, even though he knew it was there. The interesting thing is, we hate the deer. They eat everything that grows in our yard, any bits of pumpkin or cucumber that poke through the fence, blueberries and blackberries and roses and other ornamentals. I somehow forgot to close the gate this week and they ate the sweet potatoes and a broccoli (but not the brussels sprouts) and sunflowers. But I still couldn't feel any animosity toward this baby, which will grow up, if it is lucky, to eat our plants. I can see how cuteness would be an advantage if you are trying to keep people from killing you, but I wonder if it works on bears and coyotes--I doubt it.

Then we got ready and hopped in the car to go to pilates. Except nothing happened when Ray pushed the power button. Fortunately, my Dad was there and we took his car. (Otherwise, we would have gone in the truck.) We were a few minutes late, but it was a good workout. We stopped by the Farmers' Market on our way home and talked to a bunch of people. We always see lots we know there. This time, we ran into Becky S. and Nita, as well as Doug A. We didn't actually buy anything--what could we need there? I did sample the tomato-watermelon gazpacho that Peter Dale (from the National) was serving up. It was good, but had a little more kick than I like, cayenne to counter the sweetness of the watermelon.

When we got home, Ray read the Prius manual and eventually jump-started the car, borrowing Basil's jumper cables...no idea where ours went to. If the garage were a little tidier, it might help. I wonder if the people we gave the Protege to have them, but I don't want to ask them, because I don't want to know if the car isn't working out for them.

After lunch (the last of the pasta-bean salad--so good!), I was feeling a little at loose ends and didn't want to do any of things I usually do (cooking, gardening, reading e-mai) or should do (cleaning). I thought my Dad had been a little down too, so I called him up and we arranged to go swimming at his house and take him out to dinner for Father's Day, one day early. He was delighted.

It wasn't so hot that swimming was absolutely necessary, but it felt great. We went to Heirloom, a restaurant neither Ray nor the Captain had been to before. They use local sustainable ingredients as much as possible. I had been there for lunch, but not dinner. It was very good. We ate outside and it was pleasant. We were wild and had four appetizers--cold soup, mackerel rillettes (my Dad ate most of that), bread and cheese (with blueberry jam) and beet and arugula salad with pecans. Ray had a burger and Captain and I split a bratwurst with peppers that was awfully good. In fact, we cleaned all the plates and ordered a couple desserts--pannacotta with blackberries for me. I had a glass of wine from northwest Spain and my father had beer (Terrapin), while Ray ordered a hard cider. It was a really lovely meal. Julene and Rhett stopped by and chatted with us during dessert. Rhett lives around the corner from there and they were out walking dogs.

Yesterday I took Ray in and then spent a little time at the library. I was sleepy and dozed a little. At 10:45, I was at First Baptist, loading up lunches and meeting Karen to deliver them. All went well. Then I met Janna for a very pleasant lunch. I picked Ray up before 2 and we came home for several hours. For supper, we took the rest of Thursday's pasta bean salad to Ashford Manor, where we met some friends like Ange and Herb and Myrna. We drank wine as it got cooler out and watched A Comedy of Errors, a very silly Shakespeare play involving two sets of identical twins and mistaken identity, of course. We knew several people involved. It was fun, but I wasn't sure it was worth $16 each! It was 11 or so when we got home and went to bed.

hot in the middle of the day, but cool enough at night to sleep with the windows open and the fans going.

Made pasta bean salad, with green beans I picked. Lost our winter squash to insects, as is common around here. Drove Ray to work because he was too late to park and walk or take a bus. Spent some time gardening with my Dad. Met Becky for lunch at Agua Linda and went to my last class on writing a novel and marketing your book. The author is 82 and trying to decide whether to write a sequel. The marketing guy is something of an idiot, but some of his ideas are sound. He doesn't know much about using computers, but set up profiles for her on FB, Goodreads, and lots more websites, trying to sell her book.

Went to KR potluck with my salad while Ray napped. Watched TV, went to bed. Slept well.

No idea why I didn't post yesterday, except my life is not terribly exciting. I have been taking classes on writing a novel and getting your book published. They are not very good, but still have some helpful information. One of these days I will have to work on my writing some more. At least I am in the air conditioning for a few hours.

Tuesday morning I stayed home. It was still very wet from all the rain. ray came home about 12:30 and I left for class. That night, we met Becky and Kent at Cine to watch Bernie, which was quite funny, but as Ray says, not really my kind of movie. Jack Black stars as the assistant funeral director in a small southern town. Everyone loves him, especially the little old ladies. It features a lot of interviews with townspeople--not sure whether they are actors or actual townspeople, but they are hysterical.

Yesterday I went in with Ray at 8:30, so no time for walking or gardening. My Dad was here for several hours. I delivered lunches. Deb helped me because Karen was sick. I went to class. I picked Ray up and we came home. I finished the curried rice salad I had started in the morning and took it to potluck. It was good, but not as outstanding as I was hoping.

We watched a ltitle TV and I fell asleep. Ray was up until 5 working on the notes for today's class, which starts at 9. He will have to do this until July 7, trying to get ready for the next class every day. This is because it is a new class he's never taught before. The next time he teaches pterodactyls, it won't be so bad.

Very hot and humid, but still cool enough at night (60s) to open all the windows.

Lots more rain yesterday--yay! I took Ray to UGA and went to my Dad's. He was doing dishes, which he does without a shirt on. I had a 10 o'clock dental appointment and then he took my car to my house and got his boots.

The dentist took forever (an hour and a half). Some of my fillings are old and should be replaced, but other than that all is well. We drove to Clarkesville, about an hour, for lunch, and then met up with an OLLI group. We went to Mark of the Potter and a shop selling plants. We went to see one woman's garden with a large sturdy fence to keep out deer. We sat around drinking wine on her screened porch and having a good time (I was the youngest by a lot). I didn't have any and I was surprised that everyone else did. Randall told about being on the grand jury and having them acquit a man who hit someone--I guess because he was 90. He complained about the DA (Ken M.) sending them cases that weren't well prepared.

We stopped at Glen-Ella Springs, a lovely old resort hotel where they do lots of weddings. It was really nice and peaceful--maybe I'll go there to eat sometime.

We drove home to Athens, picking up Ray and leaving my Dad at his place. Ray and I decided to eat out, since it was 6:30. We went to Taqueria del Sol, but they don't serve dinner every night. We ended up eating at Siri Thai, which has a more elegant feeling at night, but is still delicious and is quite a bargain ($34 for two).

I went to Town and Gown to audition for Lysistrata. It was so fun! Rick Rose is directing, Florence was helping him, along with Hue Henry. Other people auditioning were Terrell, Genevieve, Bill A., Nathan A., and many I didn't know as well. It was really fun, including some Greek dancing. Ray sat in the lobby and worked, but he could hear me and said I sounded great. It will be a wonderful show. The problem is I was planning to be gone most of the month of July when the rehearsals are. Performances start August 3. If I get cast, I may not travel as much as I was expecting, in order to stay here and rehearse. I will have a day or two to decide after they post the cast list. Life is full of these sorts of choices and it's really hard. I have waited for a play and director that I felt good about for years.

We were home before 9 and watched some TV and ate chocolate pudding. I fell asleep before 10.

This morning it is very humid and over 70, so the AC will be running soon.

Rain, rain, and more rain. But I'm not complaining! All day yesterday, it rained on and off, maybe about a half an inch total, keeping it cool enough in the house to cook quite a bit. Pancakes and bacon for breakfast, of course. A brief wet walk.

We went to teach the children at UUFA. There were only 4 of them, two 5-year-olds, an 11-year-old and a 13-year old. It was an important lesson and I'm not sure I was successful in teaching it to all of them: It's important to say positive things to each other, and you can also tell yourself how wonderful you are. I read a lovely story about a boy who had a bad day at school, with his classmates teasing him. One of the 5-year-olds told me he used to go to Montessori, but now he is home schooled. I'm a little sad about it.

For lunch, we went to DePalma's. We called my Dad and invited him to meet us there. It was fun and good. I spent the afternoon reading emails and doing things in the kitchen, with a brief foray to the garden. I prepared a pound and a half of green beans that we grew--the most wonderful beans you ever ate, young and fresh. I turned them into bean snap, but sadly I let them burn a little, so the flavor of the dish is compromised. Ray cooked and mashed a couple potatoes.

I also made a chocolate pudding with a layer of sauteed bananas. It doesn't taste as good as it sounds, so there is a lot left. Plain chocolate pudding would have been better.

I made some bread, too, but it didn't rise as much as I would have liked. It may be the recipe, or the weather, or I just didn't catch it at the peak moment.

TV, reading, bed, but I had trouble falling asleep with my noisy mask on.

This morning early, more heavy rain was muic to my ears.

I was really busy yesterday and now I'm tired and don't feel great. Oh, well.

I got up and we ate breakfast (berries and yogurt and homemade toast with peanut butter). I zipped off downtown to help with a run/walk, giving out t-shirts. There were over 300 participants for this inaugural race--run/walk for a better Athens, a group opposing the Wal-Mart that will probably be built near downtown, where the race was. Interestingly enough, the money raised went to Habitat. Not sure what that is about. Maybe the better Athens group isn't a 501(c)3. It was a beautiful morning and I talked to John Kissane, a former neighbor of ours. Also Mike Wooten.

At 10:15, I went to pilates, the first time in a while, at least since I broke my ankle. It was a crowded class, good for her. It was good. I thought, this should be easier, since I have lost weight...but apparently I have more to lose.

Then I went home. I was tired. I thought of stopping at the Farmers' Market, but couldn't imagine what I might need there that I didn't already have.

Ray and I had lunch and gathered things for the memorial service. I packed up some tablecloths and napkins and some extra food. I took two batches of mini-quiches from the freezer and one of little rolls. At the Fellowship, Ray worked on sound while I stayed in the kitchen. There wasn't that much to do--put tablecloths on, arrange the chairs, accept food from people and thank them. Deb P. helped a lot, arranging fruit, etc. I baked my rolls and mini-quiches and we listened to the service. They had set up a feed into the fellowship hall, with a projection. About 20 late-comers sat in there with us and we could see and hear it all. It was a great service, but it ran over an hour and a half. We had all the food set out by 4:30 and we rearranged the chairs and set up a couple round tables. The people streamed in and we re-filled the food as needed.

Then Ray and I slipped away and went to eat at Janna's. She had made a cold soup: avocado-vichysoisse and salad nicoise. All good. I ate too much and too fast. We had brought a few of the mini-quiches and rolls and some blackberries.

We had to rush off to pick up the tickets to sell. When we got to the Classic Center, the guard could not find them. After about 20 minutes, I called the theater and someone answered the phone! They had gotten all the tickets for the weekend on Friday. We enjoyed the play very much, but it was long. Saw Harriet and showed her pictures from the wedding. Got home late.