Hot Lazy Day

It was so damp this morning, I didn't want to go out in the garden. We had a good storm last evening from the looks in the yard and the garbage container that had moved 5 feet out on to the porch. The field is muddy, and it's as humid as all get out, so the garden will have to be unattended to for yet another day. I'll have a bunch of things to pick tomorrow.

I had to run a few errands today, so I got dressed and set out to town. I thought while I was out, it would be a good idea to grab a bite to eat before I went in the store to grocery shop. There is nothing worse than shopping hungry. Everything looks so good and I throw all kinds of things in to the cart fully intending to eat each and every thing when I get home. I went to a Chinese buffet, one of my favorites...all you can eat for five bucks, including drink. It's a whole lot better than dumping a wad of bills at a burger joint. As I got up to go to the buffet tables, I suddenly noticed that my shirt seemed to be riding up kind of high around my neck. I went to pull it down and grabbed a tag. Yes, my shirt was on backwards. It drove me nuts the whole time I was eating. I wanted to pull my arms out of the sleeves, give the shirt a twirl right at the table, but thought maybe the other people might lose their appetite, so left it as is.

I thought it seemed kind of hot while in town, and when I got home, and started to unpack the groceries, was dripping with sweat. I checked the weather conditions, and sure enough, over 74 percent humidity. It really wasn't that hot, but when that is added to the picture, it was pretty miserable, so I broke down and turned the air on. While we have had some hot days, it's been pretty dry and pleasant, and hadn't had it on for over a month.

Now that it's drying out and cooling down in the house, a nap sounds pretty good right about now. Something tells me I'm not going to get much of anything else done today before it's time to go to work.

The Dixie

Yesterday I went up to the lake to visit. We all went up to another lake where this paddle boat was. It's name is the Dixie. It is the oldest running paddle boat in the state, built in 1929. It was pretty neat. On the lower deck were tables and chairs to eat popcorn you could purchase from a little stand they had inside. When it was time for the boat to leave, we got on, and took a seat up on the top.
As we walked up, in front of the captain's wheel was this nice plaque. I got a big chuckle out of it. The boat was brought here by a Swedish man, who has died, and now his son and wife run the business. It runs every hour in the summer and the ride takes about 50 minutes. It was fun to see all of the people run out of their cottages and wave as it goes by. And if the kids wave and yell, he blows the steam horn. There was a lot of waving going on! Every now and then, he would tell a bit of history about an area on the lake. One was an old hotel that used to be there where Al Capone and some of his boys would come and spend some time. Another a cottage where Dillinger spent summers. One house on an island was surrounded by trees. The story was the man's dream was to have a tree house, but he was afraid of heights. He built his house with a tree going through the roof. Next best thing! I didn't get a picture of that, I only had my phone camera and it was too far to get a good picture.

As we cruised around the lake, you could see old cottages, next to the new big fancy ones. People would buy two lots, tear the old cottages down, and build a big house. I enjoyed the old cottages and their charm a lot more than the new fancy homes. I pictured generations of families spending endless hours in the summer, playing and growing up, grandparents sitting in lawn chairs, and fading away for their children to take that spot, and making room for another generation to come up.

It was a great excursion and will do it again soon. Next time I won't forget my camera.

The Melon Patch

I brought out a watermelon I purchased at the store to inspire my melon to grow big, just like it. Think it will work? I actually have some nice sized muskmelons in there! In the past, I have only been able to get one to about the size of a softball.
It has been so dry here, that I have been having to water the garden. I must have stepped on the hose walking out and it squirt some water on the ground. These white butterflies were all gathered trying to get what moisture they could out of it.

Cool Stuff

I went out to the garden this morning to see what there was to pick as I didn't make it out there yesterday. The zucchini and yellow squash went crazy in one day. I picked an armload of both, and didn't know what I was going to do with it all, so I put a basket on a bench out by the road. I made a sign, 3 for a dollar, as I wanted them to GO AWAY, put the squash out there and a jar and left for work hoping they would be gone when I got home.

I had forgotten all about it and when I pulled in the drive, looked out there and saw an empty basket. Walking up, I noticed a 5 dollar bill in the jar. Now I know there weren't 15 squash in that basket. There were quite a few, and a couple of large ones, but not that many. Someone must have really thought they were getting a deal, loved squash, wanted to make bread or something. I'm just glad they found a home. I hate seeing things go to waste, and I just love the honor system.

I better find a bigger basket as there are more squash out there, and the green beans are coming on like crazy and those 20 tomato plants are loaded with tomatoes starting to turn.

Anniversary

It was forty years ago today that my mother came home from the hospital to tell us that Dad died. She said "Daddy isn't coming home." None of us ever called Dad "Daddy," but that's what she said.

We were playing in the yard when she pulled up. The neighbor had driven her back from the hospital, and they parked on the street instead of pulling in the drive. I knew right away something wasn't right, and figured out he had died. She talked to us kind of like we didn't know what it was to die; But we did.

Everything was a blur after that with all of the neighbors coming over all crying and moving around. Food was turning up in the kitchen. I remember Mrs Adams came over. She was the wife of a doctor that went to our church. She came in the back door wailing and carrying on so, with an arm load of grocery bags, and started unpacking the cans of food, and jars of stuff. It really was an odd sight, I thought. None of it went together. She must have run through the ailes and threw a bunch of stuff in the cart. I think she pulled out 10 heads of lettuce out of one bag. There were enormous amounts of each item. Even at the age of 10, it didn't make much sense.

With all of the stuff I was watching, it was very clear that life was going to be very different from that day on. Mom was at that time, like most Moms; A housewife. She was going to have to get a job, and be both Mom and Dad. Things weren't that easy before, but I knew it was going to get even harder. Both my brother and I, in one day, had to grow up faster than we should have. My other two brothers were older and even though it was hard for them, they had some years of maturity that we lacked. They were able to help her in ways that we couldn't.

It was rough at times, but we all came through okay and now, forty years later, Mom is gone, one brother is walking around with the aches and pains of an old man, and the others and myself have a few more aches and pains than we would like. Mrs Adams died from alzheimers. Most of the neighbors from back then have passed away, and even some of the kids I grew up with.

It seems like yesterday, I was running around in the back yard without a care in the world and the future was anything I could imagine and more. I can't believe forty years have passed. Time is that of a blink of an eye.

The Fourth

I went up to the lake today to help celebrate the fourth with my brother and sis in law. As I drove up to their house, this is what I saw... Twenty one flags...there was a sale at a surplus store, so S purchased a package of 20. She lined pretty much everything with flags. As I walked up to the house, I heard the Battle Hymn of the Republic blaring on the stereo, and as I entered the door to Glory Glory Hallelujah, there stood my sister in law decked out in her one nation under God t-shirt saluting. What a moment! It was pretty good. I laughed, she laughed.

She was playing a cd of patriotic songs and hymns. It wasn't too bad. They would play it when the grandkids came over. When the Stars and Stripes Forever came on, she said that my brother would always go nuts, get the pots and pans out and start banging on them and marching about the house. I am sure they thought he was nuts. I had to laugh, as when we were little, we had a red 78 of John Phillip Sousa marches and march all over the house. She said that explained a lot.

Times have changed for youngsters these days. Back then, we were so easily entertained. Today, if there isn't a computer game around or an Ipod, there isn't anything to do. I wonder what they will pass on to their grandchildren when they reach our age.

Divine Luck

It seems the part time job that I lost a few weeks ago has found it's way back to me. I got a call today to start on Monday and try this thing again. Wish me luck!