Now That Was a Compliment

Durwood had filled oxygen tanks delivered today by a new guy.  He was friendly, had gray hair, and said he thought I looked familiar.  We exchanged where we grew up and went to school and then he said, "But I'm in my 50s and you're in your 30s so we wouldn't have been in school together anyway."  I had to grin.  "No, no," I said, "I just turned 65."  "You did not."  He had a gratifyingly shocked look on his face.  I told him what I tell everyone who says I look young.  "Thanks, I married well."  Implying that Durwood's taken such good care of me that I haven't aged.  The poor man really should have his eyes checked.


This morning I was out filling the feeders and got royally scolded by this Downy Woodpecker.  It sat up on the dead part of the apple tree and gave me what-for until it flew away.  Guess I was too slow.


 

Out of a whole packet of seeds I have two nasturtium plants, one with yellow flowers and one with red-orange flowers.  Next year I'll plant two packets and maybe I'll have four plants...  I can only hope.










Between a doctor's appointment (my ankle's healing well, he said I'm ahead of expectations, and gave me some new strengthening exercises) and a dentist appointment (the filling took no time and hardly aches at all), I went to the fabric store.  I was looking for a basic knit shirt pattern and some on-sale fabric to make one or two.  Well, I found two patterns--one pretty basic and the other kind of stylish--both of which were 40% off but they're so overpriced to start with they were nearly $20 each but I bit the bullet and doled out some mad money.  I found the dark red print knit fabric on a bolt; it was 30% off which made it still some of the most expensive fabric I've ever bought but I love it and it'll make an excellent shirt.  The brighter print with the white background is a bolt end that isn't enough to make a whole shirt so I got the black t-shirt knit and will make the front

and a sleeve out of the print (if there's enough) and the back and other sleeve out of the black or the body in black and the sleeves in the print.  If I trim the pattern tonight and cut out the fabric tomorrow night I can sew it next weekend and have a new me-made shirt to take to my writing week.




I decided that OJ needs a sun hat that stays at Meemaw's house when I ran across this yarn while getting things sorted last weekend.  I started yesterday and maybe I can get it done this week too.  Remember that start-itis I talked about last week?  I think it's just a mild case.  I still haven't started the sock.

September 12--Allan Laidman, Beach Runners.  The sun struck gold on the tops of the wavelets that rushed onto shore at Fran's feet.  She watched the sand swirl around her toes.  The longer she stood there the more her feet sank into the sand.  Tiny silver fish nibbled at green specks of algae tumbling across the shallows and she wondered if they'd take her feet for food but they didn't.  The soft sound of the water on the sand made a counterpoint to the rattle of the palm fronds.  There wasn't anything in her life to draw her back home.  She thought she could find a job in a shop or office here on the island.  She seemed to need less here, just a place to sleep, shower, and a small kitchen to make simple meals of fresh fish and vegetables.  What would happen if she called her boss and told her she wouldn't be coming back after all?

Isn't that a tempting thought?  I often dream of having nothing to do but what I want to do but I won't wish away my family or friends.  Not really and not for long.  Time to fire up the grill.  When I told Durwood that the corn people said that Wednesday would be the last day for corn he suggested that we get a dozen and cook it on the grill, then freeze it so we can have corn long after the season passes.  I stopped at the corn stand on my way home, the first 6 ears are soaking, and will take their turn on the fire just as soon as the coals are hot.  Mmm, grilled sweet corn.  Sorry to tempt and run but my mouth's watering.
--Barbara