It Took Six Tries...

 ... but I managed to capture a picture of the Hummingbird late this afternoon.  I saw it at least

five other times and as soon as I'd get my hand on the camera it would fly off.  Not far, just to the weeds at the back of the yard but too far to take a picture.  It teased me like that, off and on, for most of the day until it held still just long enough.

We had a drizzly day.  It never rained hard but it dribbled around all day and it's still drizzling.  I wonder how the Hummingbird flies in the rain.  It's so small I imagine that a raindrop could knock it off course.  It's so chilly and damp that I got up in the middle of the night for an extra blanket and before I went to bed I switched the a/c for the furnace--and it's been running off and on.  I dressed in layers today and ended up digging out a wool sweater to wear over my tee-shirt and dress and leggings.  That's how chilly it was today.  The weatherman called this Fall Preview season yesterday and assured us that the 80s will be back in a week or so.  We'll see.  I don't trust the weather guys.

I spent the middle of the day downstairs finishing a full-length Dress no. 3.  I made it in a heavy linen that I bought at Rag Peddler Fabrics in Lexington, KY a couple years ago.  I wasn't sure I'd like the dress but it turned out better than I thought it would and when I put it on I was sold.  One of the pockets is kind of wonky so I may be tackling it with the seam ripper or I might just leave it.  I'll see how it feels tomorrow.

One of the tomatoes is changing colors!  Greater love hath no blogger than she'd go out in the drizzle for a picture of a barely-pink tomato.

And while I was out there I snapped a photo of the butterfly weed.  It's about the only flower that's still blooming and I love the bright orange tucked into all of the greenery.  The other thing I like about going into the garden is walking on the mint which releases a wonderful fragrance that clings to my shoes so I bring that aroma in with me.  As annoying as the mint is because it goes everywhere I love the way it smells.

09 September--Barbara Malcolm, Better Than Mom's. 

Iris and Patti giggled like schoolgirls, evidently happy to be labeled bad girls. 

Patti reached into her bag and showed Fay the butter yellow seed stitch sweater she was knitting for her granddaughter.  “It is going to have a cute orange ducky on the front.  That is if I can figure out how this damned chart works.”  She leaned over and peered at the paper, frowning at what looked to Fay like a secret code. 

“What does all that gibberish mean?” she asked. 

“Oh, all knitting is just variations on the two basic stitches,” said Iris.  “It is all just knit or purl or a combination of the two, or a variation like knit two together.  It is not that hard.” 

Dorothy piped up.  “Well, it couldn't be, could it, or you would not be able to do it, Iris.” 

“Shut up, or I will reach over and slap you silly,” Iris said.  “Of course, that would be redundant.  You are already the silliest woman I have ever met.”  

Fay held her breath waiting for the explosion, but the three of them just looked at each other and started laughing again. 

“Well, you ladies take your time.  Have a nice afternoon.  I will bring your bill by later on.”   

She lifted the bus tub full of dishes and carted it back to the pass through.  “Hey, Brady,” she said.  “See those three old ladies in back?” 

He nodded. 

“They are staying for a while to knit.  Keep an eye on them while I grab some lunch, will you?” 

“Sure,” he said.  “Those three come in every few months.  They are a lot of fun.” 

Fay ladled out a cup of cream of mushroom soup and made herself a half of a ham sandwich on rye.  She perched on the end stool at the counter and read the paperback romance novel she carried to work in her purse. 

“You are going to rot your brain reading that crap.”  She whirled around to see Iris standing next to her, her empty soda glass in her hand.  “Do you mind if I nip back there and get a refill?” 

Fay wiped her lips and hands on a napkin.  “I will get it for you, Iris.” 

“I do not want to interrupt your meal.” 

“That is okay.  It will only take me a second.”  She was back with the full glass in a jiffy.  “Why don’t you go sit down and I will carry this back to your table for you.”  

“I am not so old and feeble that I can not carry my own drink,” Iris said, but she turned to go back to her table. 

“I know you are not,” Fay said to her as they reached the table.  “I am actually doing this so I get a better tip.”  

“Oh, good one, Fay,” Patti said.  “Do you knit?”  

Fay shook her head.  “No, I never knew anybody who knitted.”

“Do you want to learn how?  It is all the rage these days, especially with young women like you,” said Dorothy. 

“Thanks for the compliment,” said Fay, “but I am not exactly young.  I will never see forty again, that is for sure.” 

“Hell, forty is young from where I sit,” Iris said. 

“From where all of us sit, as a matter of fact.” 

“Well, I am working…”

Patti interrupted her.  “What time do you get off?” 

“Uh, two o’clock.”  

“If you want to learn to knit, come on over to the table after two.  We will still be going strong and I know that among the three of us we have needles and yarn you can get started with.  How does that sound?”

 “Sounds good,” Fay looked at her watch, “I will see you all in about forty-five minutes.”

Today's toss was... uh oh, I forgot to toss anything.  I'll get back to it tomorrow.  Instead I dug
out six recipes and made a shopping list because I have one week's worth of meals left so it'll be time for another bout of Investment Cooking next week.  I'm sticking with most of the "old stand-bys" that I've been making all along, adding only one different recipe, but once it starts to really get cold I'll shift to more slow cooker recipes.  At least that's the plan.

--Barbara