Archive for the ‘Musings’ category
June 9, 2017
Last night it rained. On my last Gracie trip to the yard, we both got wet. She shook it off. I changed my shirt.
I went to a Peace Corps event last night, a celebration of President Kennedy’s 100th birthday. It was held at the JFK Museum in Hyannis. Several countries were represented, but it was Ghana with the most attendees. We were asked to wear something from our country of service, and each of us Ghanaian RPCV’s wore Ghanaian cloths. After the museum event, we went out to dinner. It was a wonderful evening.
There are no strangers at Peace Corps events. We all share something remarkable in common and right away we start talking as friends. Where did you serve and when are always the first questions we ask each other. Serve is the key word for that’s how we all think of our experiences. All of us talk of our countries as home. That’s how Ghana has always felt to me.
Gracie ate nothing all day yesterday. That worried me as she is a chow hound. I tried chicken and rice, plain chicken, broth and an egg. Today she sniffed the food I offered so I figured she was hungry. We went to the dump this morning, and on the way home, I stopped and bought her a plain burger at Burger King. When we got home, I fed her a small piece. She ate it and the rest of the burger. I decided we’d go back for more burgers. I bought her two. She ate both burgers so I bought her two more. She ate those. I went to the store and bought hamburger to make for her dinner. I also bought myself a cinnamon bun. We both made out pretty well.
Categories: Musings
Tags: Ghana Peace Corps, JFK Museum Hyannis, Kennedy's 100 birthday, rain, RPCV
Comments: 4 Comments
June 8, 2017
Gracie and I had two visits to the vets yesterday. The first was to check on her legs which had splayed and caused her to go down on the floor. The vet figured it was due to her legs being stiff after she was sleeping on the couch was so long. She got two new medicines. The second was at 10:00. It was to the 24-hour vet where the entrance fee is $177.00. Gracie had spent the evening grazing in the backyard and had been sick twice. One of the new pills caused vomiting, and I wanted to make sure she was okay. We were alone at first then two other dog and their humans joined us. One of the dogs had been attacked by a coyote. He had teeth marks on his haunches and his tail. He was especially nervous, peed three times and lapped the floor. It took a while for the dog to calm down. The other dog had had surgery earlier in the day and was bleeding. The bleeding dog left first. He was okay. Gracie got an x-ray, an anti-nausea shot and an IV to help her rehydrate. She got another new pill. We got home at 1:45.
Here I am sitting inside on a lovely warm day, a sunny day no less, watching television. I am watching the Comey hearing. I think I’m hoping for a revelation similar to finding out about the existence of the recordings during the Watergate hearings. Comey’s facts and written recordings of his meetings with Trump are in contrast to Trumps’s memories. Comey is quite believable.
All of my close friends are around my age, maybe a few years older or a few years younger. That’s one thing we have in common, our ages. We grew up in small towns or in cities, both in this state and a few others. One of my friends went to the same college I did, but the others went all over the place. One of my friends dates back to high school. Two are my neighbors, and I worked with most of the rest except my high school friend’s wife and the two friends I met in Ghana. The biggest thing we share is our politics. None of us voted for Trump. As far as I know, we all voted for McGovern. Somewhere along the line, all of our experiences made us liberals. Maybe it was the 60’s or opposition to the war. Maybe it was fallout after Nixon, but I think it was well before Nixon. We were lucky enough to find each other and to become friends, kindred spirits, kindred souls. Sharing politics is just icing on the cake.
Categories: Musings
Tags: 24 hour care, anti-nausea, Comey hearing, friends, grazing, IV, liberal, McGovern, medicines, pills, Trump, veterinarian, written recordings, x-ray
Comments: 8 Comments
June 6, 2017
No, I haven’t been frozen solid despite the cold. I am huddled under my wonderfully warm afghan on the couch staying warm. The temperature is in the 40’s, more like early April than June, and it is, as usual, raining. Today’s lateness is due to my left eye having been lased this morning. My eye is wonky right now and feels as if the eyelid is at half mast though it isn’t.
Gracie woke me up at five. My alarm had been set for six so I stayed up and watched the local news and MSNBC. I’ve decided I need to vent my emotions by throwing soft stuff at my TV. A Republican representative just said that Trump has the best cabinet in the history of the United States. Where is a Nerf blaster when I need one?
I am begging off of today. I need another nap and my wonky eye needs a rest. I just eye-dropped it and now my world is hazy. Come to think of it, though, that may be just the world and not my eye.
Categories: Musings
Tags: 40 degrees, eye, eyeli, lased
Comments: 10 Comments
June 5, 2017
Last night was a long one. It rained the whole night. Gracie and I went out at about ten. I got a bit wet and so did she. I was still wide awake an hour or so later so I watched a Hallmark movie. Yes, it had a happy ending despite arson, theft and a murder. At one, after the movie, I roused Gracie to take her out again. She got to the door and backed away, but I was insistent. I should have paid more attention. It was a deluge, but she needed out for the night so I pushed her out the front door with me unhappily behind her. Though I ran as quickly into the house as I could, I got soaked anyway and so did she.
This morning at about eight, Gracie was restless, and she woke me up. We went outside. It was wet but not rainy. It was cold. We came back inside and I went back to bed, or back to couch to be more specific. I snuggled under the covers and the cozy warmth lulled me to sleep. Gracie joined me. I woke up at ten. Gracie was still asleep so I rousted her to get her outside. I led her to the yard then ran inside the house and made coffee. I read the papers and had two cups of coffee. It was a leisurely morning.
Rain is expected again today so the sky is mighty dark. What a surprise! I have some errands, and it is chilly enough for Gracie to come.
When I was a kid, rainy days always seemed different than other days. My classroom seemed quieter. The rustle of papers sounded loud. The rain on the windows caught my attention as the drops slid down the glass and disappeared. The day seemed longer. Lunch was inside, but we didn’t really care. The rain seemed to drain our energy.
In Ghana, I loved the rain. After the dry season ended, every rainstorm was a bit of a miracle. The brown turned green. The dust became soil. Trees sprouted leaves. The fallow fields came alive with the tiny shoots of corn and millet. Rivers sometimes overflowed their banks. I always felt the rain and never minded getting wet.
Categories: Musings
Tags: 1 AM, backyard, beck to sleep, bed, couch, deluge, dry season, Ghana, Hallmark, late night, poured outside, rainy day, rainy season, school, snuggling
Comments: 12 Comments
June 4, 2017
The morning has been quite exciting. Last week I put a mouse trap (a non-killing one) on the kitchen floor. Inside was a blob of peanut butter. I was hoping to catch the mouse which lives in the cabinet. Every day I’d check and find an empty trap. After a week, I left the trap on the floor but stopped checking. This morning I noticed mouse poop on the floor around the outside of the trap. Yup, I had caught a mouse, a small gray very upset field mouse. I took the trap for a ride and let the mouse go. I’m going to put the trap back just in case, but I do have a question. How is it a week after the exterminator came that a healthy mouse still sublets my kitchen?
I’m watching Reasonable Doubt on ID and chuckling. The two main investigators are front and center and the camera loves them. It pans to each face over and over as the two give knowing looks to each other as they listen to the father of the murderer describe the events. We get to watch them write in notebooks. They seem to use cursive. The father speaks English without an accent yet he is subtitled. The female lead, a former defense lawyer, uses her middle finger to make a point when tapping the table. We get to watch her finger. She taps quite well. The male lead, a former police officer, says axed instead of asked. He needs subtitles. “I have no dog in this fight,” is another comment of his. That’s a new one for me. Why am I still watching you wonder? I am hooked at how horrible this program is.
It did rain last night but not for long. Today is lovely. We’re back to sunny and warm. This weather has become a pattern. The sunny warm days give way to chilly nights. The house is colder than outside in the early morning. Sunny days and rainy nights come every couple of days. According to the weatherman, it could even rain tonight.
It’s game night. I’m bringing dessert, a tiramisu dip with lady fingers for dunking.
Categories: Musings
Tags: dessert, field mouse, ID TV, investigators, kitchen, mouse trap, peanut butter, rain, Reasonable Doubt, subtitles, sunny, tiramisu dip, warm
Comments: 15 Comments
June 3, 2017
I have no flowers yet. Yesterday was a bust. I didn’t even leave the house except to walk Gracie to the back gate a few times during the day and into the night. I just had no ambition. Some days I’m like that.
Today is sunny and warm, but there is a possibility of showers. It is in the mid 60’s now and may get as low as 51˚, normal spring time weather for New England. I’m happy with showers. They tend to come quickly and leave as quickly. Rain stays around.
All the rain has made for a lush, green world. My lawn has new grass in spots, Gracie squat spots. The rest of the lawn is filling in nicely, and every day new blooms open in the garden. I noticed some of the flowers have seeded themselves and are blooming in new spots. The irises have buds, large purple buds close to blooming. Every day a different delight in the garden catches my eye.
While I’ve been writing this, the sun has disappeared. Clouds have covered it, and I’m not so sure it will be back. The chance of showers is closer to a certainty.
The longer days confuse me. I’m surprised when I check the clock and find out it is still early afternoon but therein lies a problem. I’m a bit confused as to when early afternoon ends and late afternoon begins. I’m leaning toward 4 o’clock.
I’m having hot dogs for dinner tonight, but I’m skipping the beans and brown bread. I never did eat the beans, and I can’t remember when last I ate brown bread. Regardless, though, I’m still calling tonight’s supper a Saturday tradition.
Categories: Musings
Tags: 51˚, ambition, beans, brown bread, Clouds, early afternoon, flowers, green world, hot dogs, late afternoon, Lawn, lazy, new grass, rain, showers, staying home
Comments: 8 Comments
June 2, 2017
Yesterday stayed warm and beautiful. It didn’t even rain. I was outside reading for a while in the sun, and before I came inside, I emptied the water from the deck furniture covers so they’d dry and be ready to store for the summer. Today is just as lovely as yesterday, sunny and warm. The tiniest of breezes barely stirs the leaves. I have only one item on my to-do list: buy my garden and deck plants.
Gracie slept well last night. I didn’t. First off, she was snoring while I watched TV so I kept nudging her. She got annoyed and went to her crate where she fell asleep. I could hear her snoring from all the way down the hall. At 11:30, I turned off the TV and fell asleep. Around midnight, Gracie woke me up so we went outside. Other than my house, every other house on the street was lost in the darkness. The star on my fence was still lit and illuminated the way to the gate. After we came inside, Gracie got on the couch and fell asleep. I couldn’t get comfortable so I kept moving my feet hoping for a comfy spot. I didn’t find one: not on the floor, the table or the couch under the dog bed. Gracie slept while I tossed and turned. I’m tired. She’s sleeping again.
I wish I could make things, build stuff. I’d make some sort of ride for Gracie to go down the outside deck steps. It would be similar to those people chairs that go upstairs. Gracie would enjoy going and coming whenever the mood strikes her.
Today is national donut day. Dunkin’ Donuts will give out a free donut with each drink. My favorite is a butternut donut, but it goes fast. I sometimes have to make do with a Boston Cream. Make do and Boston cream seem incongruous.
Categories: Musings
Tags: couch, darkness, dog crate, lights, lovely day, national donut day, nighttime, outside, Sleep, Snoring, sunny, tossed and turned, uncomfortable, warm
Comments: 10 Comments
June 1, 2017
The rain yesterday was torrential at times. We even had thunder and lightning. Not once did the sun make an appearance. It was too busy shining in Boston. Gracie and I left for the dump when the rain was misty, but by the time we got there, it was pouring. I figured I was there anyway and might as well get rid of the trash. My sweatshirt got soaked. I decided right then and there I deserved one more stop, the chocolate store, the best decision of the day.
My eye is clear, but I still have to take eye drops four times a day. My other eye will be done June 6th.
The early morning was lovely. The air had a crispness almost more fall than summer, and it had the best after the rain smell, both fresh and clean and smelling of flowers and mulch. I stood on the deck watching Gracie and taking in the morning. Finally, we both went inside: me to coffee and the papers and Gracie to her morning snack. It will be warm today, a welcome change in the weather. I’ve already opened a window.
I’ve got to empty the water in the outdoor furniture covers so they can dry and then be put away. My deck still looks like it’s winter. A lot needs to be done. Plant shelves need to be sanded then repainted. The clay pots need cleaning before they can be filled with flowers, the same with the deck boxes. Placing the candle hooks in the pine trees will take a bit of ingenuity as some of the branches were lopped off during the fall clean-up. Lights on a few backyard trees have to be replaced. They died over the winter. I’m hoping for lots of warmth today, enough to dry everything so I can be outside on the deck reading and enjoying the air. I’ve had enough of the house.
Categories: Musings
Tags: candles, Chocolate, deck, dump, early morning, eye drop, open window, plant shelves, reading, smells, sunless, sunshine, torrential, warm, window boxes
Comments: 8 Comments
May 30, 2017
Today I am taking a break. This morning I had my eye lased to correct a problem with the eye not related to glaucoma. Things now appear blurry, and I have a bit of a headache. There is nothing to worry about as it will clear up, but I figure the break from the computer will help.
Talk to you on Thursday!
Categories: Musings
Comments: 26 Comments
May 29, 2017
Memorial Day is a day for thanks and a day for reflection. I hope you remember those to whom we owe so much. This is my annual tribute
Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation’s service. There are many stories as to its actual beginnings, with over two dozen cities and towns laying claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day. There is also evidence that organized women’s groups in the South were decorating graves before the end of the Civil War: a hymn published in 1867, “Kneel Where Our Loves are Sleeping” by Nella L. Sweet carried the dedication “To The Ladies of the South who are Decorating the Graves of the Confederate Dead.” While Waterloo N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966, it’s difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day. It is more likely that it had many separate beginnings; each of those towns and every planned or spontaneous gathering of people to honor the war dead in the 1860′s tapped into the general human need to honor our dead, each contributed honorably to the growing movement that culminated in Gen Logan giving his official proclamation in 1868. It is not important who was the very first, what is important is that Memorial Day was established. Memorial Day is not about division. It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all.
Memorial Day
“Dulce et decorum est”
The bugle echoes shrill and sweet,
But not of war it sings to-day.
The road is rhythmic with the feet
Of men-at-arms who come to pray.
The roses blossom white and red
On tombs where weary soldiers lie;
Flags wave above the honored dead
And martial music cleaves the sky.
Above their wreath-strewn graves we kneel,
They kept the faith and fought the fight.
Through flying lead and crimson steel
They plunged for Freedom and the Right.
May we, their grateful children, learn
Their strength, who lie beneath this sod,
Who went through fire and death to earn
At last the accolade of God.
In shining rank on rank arrayed
They march, the legions of the Lord;
He is their Captain unafraid,
The Prince of Peace . . . Who brought a sword.
Joyce Kilmer
Categories: Musings
Tags: honor the dead, Memorial Day, reflection
Comments: 15 Comments
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