Marion Patterson

True Friends

Go to the bottom of each day to read a new day.  Last week was “bass ackwards”  this is just “awkward” to find the right date!

How wonderful to included in the continuing friendships, to learn about our adult children’s lives and to encourage them as they seek their way.

After breakfast they took off for the day to shop, eat at favorite Zoey’s and just renew bonds.  Then, they came to the house and toured.  So fun to see them interact as adults but also as the long time friends they are.  Stories I didn’t know, like playing with the Brio trains on Grandpa Fellows’ rug and wondering if they should play in Dan’s Spy Center upstairs in the attic at 1511. They signed the table cloth together along the drive.

Watched, “The Fantastic Mr. Fox” a cartoon version of a funny flick with George Clooney’s voice.

Another storm roared in this morning and dropped a lot of rain, again. Then, the wind shifted to the west and the air  cleared for the flight out at 12:45 p.m.   We had a nice breakfast, did some computer work, hung Grandma Fellows’ rug over the bed to complement the picture by Great-Granny Alcock of New Boston, NH, talked in the cabin and then, off to the airport for a little visiting and the transition to “back to normal.”  Napped a bit, took in Sue Kramer’s party, and now back home.  Looking at the pictures that Michael’s framed, which are gorgeous!  And, more than a little crying as the familiar sense of loss that comes with this transition takes over for a while. It’ll be OK.

Tuesday:  What wonderful weather today!  north wind, cool, breezy.  Washed the front windows from the roof today.  Rather cool to do.  Appointments – one was getting my credentials in for lane change.  The others proved positive, which is a relief.  Took the stained glass up to Tina’s who showed me her absolutely fabulous yard with lilies, shrubs, native grasses and forbs,  the toad who is rather enormous.  She advised on getting it renovated and offered, should the price be too great, to refurbish it.  A great visit. After supper Rich and I water proofed the deck.  I have tools and paint for the porch, so will get to that and finish the upper story windows.

Finished Glass Castles, Jeannette Walls.  An interesting read.

One more day of applying the caustic cream as a first step in ridding actinic kerotosis.  Hope it works.

Tuesday, June 29.  Another day without rain!  Wow!  Another two windows finished.  Three to go!  They are so hard to do because the frames, cracks and crevices have not been cleaned in eons of time and are absolutely filthy.  Then, I sanded the porch and deck posts, applied the rest of the sealer and later put primer on the porch and deck posts.  Tomorrow on to painting them.

Excellent program on preventing skin cancer and I saw many people I know there.  the young doctor is one I had an appointment with, but was able to get into the plastic surgeon first.  This doctor said the cream is excellent for pre-cancerous skin conditions.  Let’s hope so.

Nancy is back safe and sound and so we begin to transition into parents without kids around, again.

Wednesday:  Another gorgeous, sunny,mild day.  Lows were in the mid-50s in the early a.m. I kept the house closed and it never got above 68!  If this were winter, we’d complain and “freeze.”

Finished the windows!  Hooray!  Wow!  Were they ever a mess.  Hanging out the windows I noticed all the gunk that had dripped down from storms, but…I closed my eyes to that and said, “manana” (with the accent mark).  And, Wendy, the massage therapist, wisely admonished, “Hire that one out, Marion.  Power washers, cherry pickers.  Don’t you try to wash the outside yourself.”

I am a mass of bruises from all this silly activity – washing windows, carrying ladders and I also know that the ibuprofen and extra fish oil contribute.  Boo to that.

The deck is water sealed and the posts painted.  The front porch is underway.  My pictures are framed and are “wandering” around the house figuring out where they want to live.

The left shoulder is “getting there” with physical therapy.

OK, now to watch, “The Men Who Stare At Goats.”  I guess I like Netflix.  Now to get the 21st Century TV and adaptor to watch movies, “on demand” and not in front of a computer screen.

Thursday, July 1

What a whopper!

Another gorgeous day!  I painted some of the front porch – quite tedious.  Later LS dropped by with the truck and off we went to investigate places that refurbish “stuff.”  She has an old bench that is about as shot as can be.  But….First it helps to verify that a business exists in the spot listed.  The building was empty.  Also, give the correct information about where we are going – like the name of the place, the street number….Well, we wandered around and finally ended up at Borst.  If she had just said so in the first place….OK, OK.  Next to Chadimas which has  moved to Higley.  Well, the person who could give an estimate was “out to lunch.”  Then, to Belkins, on Mt. Vernon Rd, which was closed.  For Pete’s Sake!  By now we are starved and I cannot get the blood sugar up from earlier in the morning and my shoulder really hurt from therapy and poor sleep last night.  OK, OK.  Then, Parlour City was WAY TOO LOUD! and I about lost it just coming into the building.  The Vietnamese place was closed for vacation.  That is how her week has gone.  And, since LS wanted to be in control, my suggestions fell by the wayside. But, a good thing, is that we stopped at a garage sale on 29th St Dr. and found a “big ‘ole fish!”  So, that became a prop for Rich’s b-day party tonight.

I rested some in the afternoon. Well, not really.  Hair appointment and Toyota check up.    Then, off to a sale on Red Fox Rd. and I saw a pretty Birdseye maple dresser.  I’ll call Friday and see if I can pick it up.  Really sweet.

We had just corn for supper as it is just now in.  About once in seven or eight years it is ready for R’s B-day.  Nice to have a small group over to chat and see the house.  Good people, all.  I value them.

Back to painting tomorrow.

Friday and Saturday – Wow!  Paint…Paint…Paint.  Almost done.  Ooohhh bruises, paint in my hair, all over me.  The end of our really nice weather is upon us.  So, we are scrambling to get these projects done.  We induleged in Bob Anderson’s “Sixth Glass” ale.  Wow!  Sock it to us.  Early to bed.

Saturday after painting we rested and cleaned up and went to Davises’ for dinner.  Nice to catch up with people.  They confirmed what we have observed – people may want to have folks over, but so often they just don’t get it done.  “You are always so good about inviting people over.”  Well, like the Godfather’s pizza ad advocates – ‘Just do it!’   Very nice night.

Can week three of break be over!?  Nancy, Tom and Mary called from a rodeo in Bozeman.  Lucky ducks.

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