It's Nice and Cool Here

Yes! Clam chowder!

I had a really great time yesterday.

It took us a while to get going. It was almost noon by the time we were all up and dressed. We bought weekly MTA passes, so we can ride as many trains and buses as we want. We went to the harbor and walked and walked and walked. There was a lovely breeze and I enjoyed looking at the boats and the people and the tall buildings. I love the smell of the ocean, too. We had lunch at a great small restaurant, the Sail Loft, with a view of the water. I ate lobster roll and chowder and Molli had fish and chips and Ray had baked haddock (I think).

watching people and boats and enjoying the breeze

We walked some more, all along the docks, admiring the apartment buildings and fantasizing about living there. We stopped at another restaurant about 3 and had coffee (for them) and iced tea (for me). It was very posh, but it only cost us about $12 including tip. We sat outside. After that, I suddenly realized I couldn't walk much more. So then we walked at least a mile to get to the subway! We saw the building where Molli will be working in the fall, in a downtown busy neighborhood.

I wonder how much it costs to live here, with a view?

When we got back, of course, we had to walk up four fights to the apartment! Molli did some reading and then headed to her babysitting job. She will miss the little guy and his family starting at the end of August, but it will be nice not to have to do it anymore. She will make a little more money as a law intern, but she will be working 9 to 6. It is less than minimum wage, more like an honorarium.

Ray bought a few groceries (I was still recovering on the couch and couldn't bear the thought of going down and up the four flights). He and Molli pretty much made dinner, broccoli and hamburgers. He also bought us some Ben and Jerry's. We watched a little TV and went to bed.

This morning, I am still sore, back, legs, feet, arms, shoulders, and I have a mosquito bite on my waist that is driving me crazy. We were planning to go hiking today...not sure how much walking I am up for. We'll see. It is cool and sunny again, wonderful weather to be out in. The cars stream by below the apartment, and I look forward to what the day brings.

travels with Ray

Oh, my gosh! It is so nice and cool here. I have on jeans and socks and am contemplating a sweater! Molli and Ray are asleep, it's good sleeping weather, I guess, but I would love to be out and about, plus I am going to have to eat something soon.

I really like their funny little old apartment with high ceilings. They have art on the walls, that Adrian put up. I miss him a lot, but with just three of us, it's not too crowded here. I am very happy and relaxed. I can sit around in my nightgown and not be uncomfortable. We all know each other really well and enjoy each other's company. Poor Molli has been lonely here, especially this summer, and we are glad to spend time with her, too.

Yesterday, I made dinner: chicken, corn on the cob from a street/farmer's market, and green beans. It was all good and there is just room for three at the small table. We took our wine up to the roof to watch the sunset and admire the view.

The only thing is, there is constantly traffic in the highway below the windows. Sometimes sirens or beeping or machinery, but mostly always cars going by, at least until after I was asleep and as soon as I woke up. It's great that the weather is cool and we have the windows open all the time, but the noise is wearing to this country girl.

The flight from Durham yesterday was very quick. We had breakfast from Monuts and got some donuts and bagels to take to Molli. We were on the ground in Boston about 10:30. We met Molli at the subway and had lunch in her apartment. We walked about 3 miles, with the dog, Osa, who is also very glad of our company. She has been alone in the apartment a lot, with Molli working and going to school. Molli has cleaned everything in preparation for our arrival and is letting us use her bedroom, sleeping on the couch herself. Fortunately, it is a very comfy large couch.

Molli and Adrian's apartment

Molli and Adrian's apartment in Boston is somewhat like Amelia's apartments in NY. It is in an old building, up four flights of stairs. It has a lovely bay window and view of the four lane highway with trees beyond. In the bathroom, there are four pipes running from floor to ceiling. They are painted, but peeling.

thank you, Mr. Toad

home-grown

harvest

Virginia Carver dancing at UUFA

Making sandwiches at UUFA

thursday already

time to put out the trash and the empty produce bins.

Monday I don't think we went anywhere all day.

Tuesday Ray went to his office for a few hours in the afternoon and came home about 6. I didn't go anywhere.

Yesterday I volunteered at Sandy Creek Nature Center. It was good, but man, was I tired and hungry when I left there a little after 12:30. There were 22 children, ages 4-6, more boys than girls. I have a theory that children who are more difficult, or just active, are more likely to be sent to camp by their caretakers. I think there were more boys than girls, for instance. The three staff members were a little overwhelmed at times. The activities were perhaps not active enough for some of the kids some of the time. Some kids didn't want their Moms to go...or Grandmas. It was really hot out for hiking and games. But it was fun, too. The kids were affectionate and curious. Some were really knowledgeable about animals.

I picked Ray up and it was one by the time we left UGA. I was really hungry by then and we stopped at Mardie's for lunch. It was hot walking from the car to the restaurant--and there was a sign on the door, "closed for the summer, see you 7/21." Really? We were annoyed. I guess regular customers would have known. We saw two other cars come and go, as well. There is always a wait, so I guess they don't have to worry about driving people away. So we went to Agua Linda instead and had delicious Mexican food. We also bought a new hose at the hardware store nearby. As we were driving home, it started raining! We hoped it would be raining at our house too, for the garden. It stopped before we got there, but I checked the rain gauge and we had about 1/4 of an inch. More would have been good, but even that much makes a big difference. It's hard for me to water evenly with the hose long enough to do 1/4 of inch.

I rested up for awhile. Now I was too full. It was after 2, so no cooking or air conditioning or TV. I had cleverly cooked some potatoes that morning before we left, so I spent most of the afternoon peeling them. They were ones we grew, so some were very small and some had bad or wormy parts to cut out. I added oil and vinegar, onion, salt and pepper, and celery and celery salt. No mayo.

Late in the day, when it starts to get pretty hot inside (81) and we can't run the air, I usually go out. It's hot out, too, 86 I think yesterday, and humid, but there was a breeze. I let the chickens out, which is always entertaining. I was planning to pick blueberries, but got about 6. Those days are gone. Then I looked in the garden and there were green beans that needed to be picked! Also a few tomatoes. The beans are funny. They hide, somehow, because some were really big and fat (not so good to eat). There are still flowers, so there are still more coming. We have a couple cantaloupes and three watermelons that I hope make it to the eating stage!

Ray came out and said, "we need to go." Oh, no. I had to put the chickens up and I didn't have time to change out of my jeans and t-shirt, dirty from the garden. I wasn't wearing my watch and didn't realize what time it was. Ray bought some corn the other day and the young chickens (and old ones too) are much easier to get in the coop now. They come when I call and know they will get a treat in the coop. We got to the Fellowship at 6:29, not late, but not by much. Ange, Clarissa, Elizabeth and Ed, Stu and Kay and their granddaughter, who is about 8. The food was good, especially some cold cucumber soup. Yum.There were deviled eggs for protein.

Post-Holiday Blues

Ray making pancakes

Friday was a holiday and then we had the weekend. We did not have to worry about our electricity fast during those days. Yesterday was relatively cool and we kept the house below 78 without running the air. This morning the windows are open again, but I don't think it is as cool.

The service yesterday involved members of the congregation sharing their thoughts on independence, interdependence, and patriotism. Some of the speakers were moving or inspirational. I think particularly of Mary, who spoke about growing up here, subject to discrimination and segregation. They even had a separate window at Dairy Queen! She couldn't go to college at UGA and went to a small historically black college. She went to Beirut as part of their Junior Year Abroad program. Someone there referred to her as American, not Negro or worse. It was the first time she thought of herself that way.

We talked to people and then took ourselves to the "new" Transmet on Tallassee for lunch. We had blueberry pancakes for breakfast, so salads seemed right...but we split one piece of pizza to go with. The woman who greeted us, Jen, was super friendly and enthusiastic. When we came in, she said hello to us like we were old friends. I was trying to think who she was, and then looking behind me to make sure she was really talking to us. She was very high energy and said "Fantastic" after each item we ordered. It made us laugh. She liked Ray's t-shirt, too, of course, and he talked to her quite a bit...kind of like my Dad.

One of the many advantages of an early service (10:30 in the summer) is that there's more afternoon left, even after lunch. We were home before 2. I lay around inside, reading e-mails and recipes. About 5, Ray went out and started working on getting rid of the boxes in the garage. He is breaking them down and using them for mulch around the blueberries. Not very pretty, but effective. I came along and let the chickens out. I started to clean out the nesting boxes and got chased by some wasps that had built a nest in the old coop. I only got stung once, on my hand, but I was terrified. I screamed and screamed for Ray to come help me. He came, of course, but the crisis was over. Cameron came too. My sting hurt (I put baking soda toothpaste on it, which helps a surprising amount), but I also felt a little queasy. I think I had a megadose of adrenaline that affected me for several hours. I felt shaky and just not right. The chickens were fine. I guess they don't eat wasps and are not bothered by them. Ray knocked down the nest and killed at least one wasp. I was a little nervous for a few hours whenever anything buzzed near me, which is often, when I'm outside.

Some of the chickens had trouble figuring out how to get out of the coop.

I watered the main garden for about an hour, concentrating on the cucumbers, which are wilting from the heat and lack of rain. Most of the zucchini have died, probably from borers, but I think they are more likely to attack the plants during a dry spell. I picked a few cherry tomatoes and kept working on pruning the suckers off, and one banana pepper. Ray got about a cup of blueberries.

We ate leftover potato salad with hard-boiled egg and pie with raspberry sorbet. That pie is delicious!

I discovered that Ancestry.com was allowing access to the census records through the Fourth of July weekend, so spent the rest of the day looking up as many of our relatives as I could. We watched a pretty intense episode of Leverage, ending with Nate getting shot and turning himself in. This did not help with the excess adrenaline problem and I thought I would never get to sleep, but Ray read to me for a long time and eventually I relaxed.

We had so much fun Friday at Gini and John's. There was a croquet game that lasted more than two hours and everyone got poison. I was in the pool twice, and in my bathing suit for most of the day (my new rule for Fourth of July). I had a lot of fun, didn't eat much, and drank no alcohol. We were home by 8:30 or so. I was exhausted and sore.

Amaryllis blooming

Saturday morning Ray slept late. I was eating breakfast. It was nice and cool and I had the windows open. Cameron started barking and I said, "there's my Dad." Ray woke up and came downstairs. Dad was tired, too, but he did some gardening and watered. Things are really suffering from the heat and dryness. He did find some green beans to pick and Ray and I picked about two cups of blueberries. They are smaller now, harder and less tasty, but still good. We took a walk, but I wimped out and came home early. I spent an hour or so on the couch, on the computer, feeling tired and dispirited. "I know," I said. "Let's invite John and Deb over to play cards." It had been a while. Ray agreed that was a good idea. We had a couple pounds of chicken to grill and I had been in the process of making some potato salad. They were happy to join us.

I studied recipes on the NY Times Cooking site. I'm a beta tester and I love it. There are so many choices. Ray mowed the lawn some and vacuumed the house. I cut up the beans and marinated the chicken. I made a blueberry strawberry pie and watermelon daiquiris. About 5 or so, I went outside. It was hot, but not too humid. I let the chickens out while I grilled the chicken.

When they arrived, I added some more ice and buzzed the blender again. I poured out some daiquiri for our friends, who were definitely game for watermelon daiquiris. They were delicious and pretty. Big chunks of watermelon, some lime juice and rum and ice. The one thing I would do if I were serious is chill the glasses. I got out a few crackers and bits of cheese, and turned the green beans on. Ray finished cooking the chicken and I got out the
potatoes. The food was good, but not great--healthy, though.

We dealt the cards and played half the game before eating dessert. Ray was way ahead and John couldn't win for losing, as my Dad says. Deb and I just had fun. I was even ahead briefly. When we had played down to one, we went out and got the chickens in. Deb and John helped. It was pretty fun. Then we ate pie, still slightly warm. Sadly, we had no vanilla ice cream, but offered raspberry sorbet to those who wanted. The pie didn't really hold together and I served it up with a giant spoon. We ate it in bowls, with spoons. Oh, man, was it good. The strawberries came in our box on Thursday and they were starting to go, even though they had been in the fridge. What a great use for them!

We finished the game by 10...Ray beat us badly, with a score well over 200. He was in a good mood, naturally.

So, now we have a pretty clean house and nothing we have to do today. It's cool again this morning and I probably need to water the garden thoroughly, even this morning or tonight.