I know it's my regular day off but I'm still luxuriating in the days stretching before me. Whoever controls the weather has gifted me with lovely warm sunshine and breezes for a f
ew days. Thanks. Dusty and I walked out by the bay this morning and saw a pair of mallards, a running (probably) turkey in the distance, a white and orange cat curled up on a limb of a downed tree, and something that looked a lot like alien gonads. No, I'm not kidding, they're the right size and shape but only come in singles (that's why I think they're from aliens 'cuz mammals' come in pairs). Here's a picture.
Thanks for sending so many people to look at the duplex this week. We had 3 (!) yesterday and one so far today, and another one wants a callback. Now if one of them passes the background check and wants to rent from us, we'll be in business.
DIL and I finally got our schedules coordinated and went to lunch for Mother's Day today. She apologized for being so busy but I'm kind of glad that it took so long, it kind of made today Mother's Day lite. We ate at a little Italian caffe (Italian spelling) down by the river; it was great to see the sun sparkling on the water and watch the confused geese fly north. It was nice to have an unhurried sandwich and time to catch up. She's a real treasure.
November 8--Angra dos Reis, Brazil. We were the sixth boat into the little anchorage off Angra dos Reis island. I could see the little family groups setting up on the narrow beach. Chairs clustered in the shade of bright awnings and grills were already lit. Diego leaned over to put the cooler into the dinghy as I admired the view of his ass. I was so glad he refused to wear those horrid baggy shorts the American men swam in. They looked like they were wearing their color-blind grandfather's pajama bottoms. Just awful. I carried the picnic hamper to the stern and gave it to Diego. His eyes dipped down to my breasts and his eyelids dropped seductively. "I hope we can find a private spot," he purred as he licked his lips. I smiled and turned back to get the bag with our towels making sure to twitch my hips as I went.
Dag-gone it, I fell asleep just as it started getting good. Oh well, you can fill in the blanks yourself.
--Barbara
I can't say that enough. I think this is the first time I've ever had a week off without going someplace. This week I'm staying home, well, staying in town. I have plans most evenings except tonight and Thursday but that's okay, except for walking a couple of mornings and lunch with my DIL tomorrow, my days are all mine. I do have a chore list but it's pretty short. I know that the week will fly by but I'm relishing it all the same. It'd be perfect if I could convince Durwood to go off bu
t since we can't afford to go away together for a few days we can't afford for him to go alone either. I plan to get in plenty of knitting because all my OTNs are nagging at me even though I plunged into another narrow scarf on Saturday and I remembered on Friday that I promised to knit a hat for a friend's daughter so I've got that on deck.
I did finish the little fish toy for an upcoming baby, with more fish-type 
doodads to come before the baby is born. The toy is cute and was pretty easy to make. It's not as soft as I'd like so I might be making another one before the happy day. But it is cute. See?
All week I'm not working. I don't know if I've ever done this, had a week off without going someplace. Durwood has been trying to figure out somewhere for us to go but I think that's a bad idea since we have no renter and money is tight so I've been discouraging his whimsy. It's going to be a "homemade" Christmas too. No one has a big list and all agree that being together is the best gift anyway so I'm going to be making... oh, no you don't, I'm not going to be giving out hints or telling outright. You'll just have to wait. Homemade Christmases are the best.
November 7--Mljet, Croatia. From the air the islands look like a fuzzy green foot kicking a fuzzy green ball. You can see the narrow tracks that thread of cabin to cottage through the dense forest with only one clearing at the west end that's just as empty as the rest. The old ones talk about the wreckers and smugglers that used to live out there before the wars and the socialists, but now no one lives there. A few cottages are still used by people eager to get in touch with the environment, to live clean without gas or electricity but soon they become tired of chopping wood and no computers or electric lights. They come back to the city with dirt under their nails to stand under the shower until it ran cold.
I don't know anything about Croatia, don't even know where it is on the map, so it was difficult to capture its atmosphere, but I like what I got. Have a Monday!
--Barbara
Did you remember to set your clocks back? I was so sleepy last night that I went to bed at 10 PM, which Durwood teased was really 9 PM but I couldn't imagine why I'd stay up just to say I'd gone to bed at a "normal" time. I was a bit disappointed that I awoke around 6:30 but then I counted up the hours I'd slept and was very satisfied with myself for sleeping 9 hours straight. I know it's due to the Paxil I'm taking; I'm still trying to figure out when it's best to take my daily pill. Right now I'm feeling like it should later in the day but I'm enjoying the time. It's much better than getting used to the time change in Spring. Oh, and I have to go and buy a couple 9V batteries for the smoke alarms today. Can't forget.
November 6--Mentawai Archipelago. One more step, maybe two, and she could melt into the shadows in the jungle. Sue Ann was uncomfortable out on the stark white beach in the sunlight. She was sure there were eyes on her all the time but she had to go out on the reef to catch fish. She laid snares for lizards and birds but fish were a much more reliable source of food. It had been three weeks since the coast guard had dropped her off with a few cases of rations and not much else.
It took me nearly half an hour to write those few sentences because I kept falling asleep. I can't remember when I've been so sleepy day after day. I'm off to put sheets into the dryer and then knit a bit before going out to plant bulbs. Ta-ta.
--Barbara
I finally had time today to go out into the backyard, pick up all the fallen and squirrel-bit apples, and pick the un-chewed-on ones on the overhanging branches that I could reach to make applesauce. I confess I did use a cultivator with a long handle so that I could reach more apples, but most years the squirrels are the only ones who pick those apples. It's a sin to let good food go to waste and we'll eat the applesauce all winter. I went out and bought about 5# of Bartlett pears that I'm going to cook with some of them to make pear & apple sauce. That should be a new and delicious taste temptation. (Gah, too many fast food commercials!)
Dusty and I walked about 3 miles around in the mall today. It was very winter-y looking, windy and cold this morning so until we both get some longies to keep our leg muscles warm we elected to walk indoors. It's much more fun walking outside in the wind and leaves so we're planning to be ready by Tuesday to brave the elements. This week we've both noticed how much farther and easier we can walk than we could last year when we started. I think we've both also strained our arms patting ourselves on the back, but we're determined to keep our joints oiled and not get too old and creaky too fast.
If anyone knows anyone who needs a place to live in Green Bay, Wisconsin please send them our way. We've still got a half a duplex empty next door and times are tightening.
November 4--Marquesas. The view sure is different, Jake thought. He stood on the peak of Nuku Hiva just above Taiohae town. the sea was a rich navy blue and calm with a ruffle of white foam where it met the shore. White sailboats bobbed at anchor replacing the flat gray warships in his memory, and there was no pall of smoke from burning jungle or exploding shells. He heard bird calls and the clatter of the wind in the palm fronds that reminded him of the static-y crackle of the radio in the shack. Every once in a while there was the crack and thump of a ripe coconut hitting the ground that was nothing like the whistle of incoming rounds but it made him jump every time. He was glad to be back on the island in peace time but now he was too damned old to really enjoy it. When they were young, he and the boys, they could fight all day, clean up a bit, and party all night. Now he needed a nap after playing golf and he took a cart. Two drinks and he was out, and nobody smoked anymore. He'd always liked smoking but Katy had made him quit saying she didn't want to be a young widow. He was thinking of taking it up again now that his parts weren't working so good anymore. Every time he went to the doctor, the doc told Jake to quit doing something or eating something he loved and gave him a new pill or two. Some days he thought the guys who had bought it in these hills were the lucky ones. They'd gone out all at once, they hadn't died by inches the way he was.
I like old warriors and their memories. I like seeing the young brave men hidden inside.
--Barbara
I caved. The other day I trolled through the free patterns on Ravelry looking for s
ome toy to knit for Bill & Diane's daughter's baby-to-be, and since we met them through scuba diving I thought something fish-y would be good. So I found a stuffed fish toy, a crocheted fish-shaped dishcloth I think I can make into a bib, another toy I'm thinking of adjusting so it'll hold a bar of soap, and a drawstring bag shaped like a fish to hold it all. I dug out some self-patterning acrylic to use for the toy but I held off casting on, intending to work on what I have rather than cast on something new. I managed not to cast on--for one whole day. I rationalized that it's a small item and won't take me long so it's okay. It's going to be very cute, not very soft, but very cute (even though right now it looks kind of like a blue and patterned boobie with a nipple). I may have to knit another one with some cotton chenille I have that would be very soft but this is good practice and it's amusing me.
I'm on the 5th skein of Ara on my Campsie Wrap and it's looking lovely and it's so warm on my lap. I know I'm going to like it even if I look like a trussed up pig in it. I already love it.
ew days. Thanks. Dusty and I walked out by the bay this morning and saw a pair of mallards, a running (probably) turkey in the distance, a white and orange cat curled up on a limb of a downed tree, and something that looked a lot like alien gonads. No, I'm not kidding, they're the right size and shape but only come in singles (that's why I think they're from aliens 'cuz mammals' come in pairs). Here's a picture.
