Today Is The Actual Friday

So I'm not moving very fast yet.  I changed the "birdie juice" in both of the hummingbird feeders, put a handful of peanuts in the shell in the platform feeder for the bluejays, and refilled the cob corn for the squirrels.  Since it's cloudy again I should muster up my energies and wash all the windows.  They need it badly so today might be the day, unless the sun breaks out because everyone knows you don't wash windows on sunny days because the window cleaner dries too fast and leaves streaks when it's sunny.  So maybe it's window washing day.

When I got home from work yesterday I glanced at the things growing along the front of the house and thought I saw a little dark red shape so I pulled out my camera and look! a rosebud on Dad's rosebush.  Hi, Dad, welcome back.  The surviving lilies are budding too.  I can't wait for them to bloom.  I was so afraid that last winter's extreme cold and long duration had killed all the plants but these few managed to survive.  The lilies along the lot line didn't make it but these did and I'm so glad.

I got a call yesterday from a dad whose daughter is working her way through the eLearning lessons to become SCUBA certified and was stuck on dive tables, the bane of most dive class students.  He asked if they could come in for a lesson.  I stalled him for 45 minutes so I could brush up myself but there was one aspect that I just couldn't get.  Frustrating?  You betcha.  Fortunately Mrs. Boss stopped in before they came and told me about a Table Tutor computer program we have on the work box that helped immensely.  I still goofed up every time on the last "figure your pressure group working backwards" question every time but I think (I hope) the young lady got it, and I know they'll call again for help if they need it.  After they left I spent another half hour going over and over the process (and I'll do it again on Monday) to make sure I had it figured out.  Once people get a dive computer they stop using the tables to plan their dives (me too) but it's still something you need to learn to be safe.  I've been lax keeping my skills sharp but yesterday was a good wake-up call.  How embarrassing but motivating.

June 27--China, Miao-Geyi Peoples, Ensemble.  Laurel couldn't help noticing the Asian woman in line at the market.  Not because she herself was noteworthy but Laurel was fascinated by her clothing.  It wasn't the stereotypical bright embroidered silk, it was linen and cotton in muted shades of purple and blue, probably dyed with indigo.  The woman wore the knife-pleated skirt and wrapped jacket unselfconsciously as if it were her daily garb.  Laurel tried to tear her eyes away, after all it was rude to stare, but something drew her.  "Can I help you?"  Laurel started and turned to find the Asian woman standing at her elbow pressing the barrel of a small black pistol into her ribs.

Well, I didn't see that coming.  Hey, if you're looking for an interesting summer read, see if you can get Miss Buncle's Book from the library.  It was first published in 1932 or so and recently reissued.  The author had a huge career in England and the US in the 30s and writes very well.  The book's pace is a lot slower than today's rock'em sock'em style with action (of one sort or another) on every page but I loved the characters and the slower pace of the story--and the happy ending.  Give it a looksee if you're looking for a book to read while you're sitting in the shade with a glass of iced tea.  Miss Buncle's Book by D.E. Stevenson.  DD read it and recommended it and I concur; you should read it too.  Happy Friday!  And Durwood says it's drizzling.  Oh well, I can wash windows in the drizzle.
--Barbara