Rained Out

Tonight's aqua fitness class at the neighborhood pool was rained out.  Not that getting wet wasn't part of the program but doing it with thunder and lightning isn't a good idea.  KW offered me a ride home in case it started pouring while I walked home but I thanked her and refused because I'm almost halfway home by the time she gets into her car and out the pool drive.  It politely waited to rain until I got home.  Thanks, Mother Nature.

 
This morning I went out to harvest ripe tomatoes only to find a chipmunk dining on one of them, just the stem and a bit of skin of another, and nibbles out of a couple more.  To add insult to injury, our sole bell pepper was invaded by some worm or bug and is inedible.  That does it, I'm not planting those anymore.







 

The Japanese beetles that turned the strawberry plant leaves to lace last week discovered Dad's roses by this morning.  The fully open rose was blackened and being consumed so I cut the bud and flower that were opening and un-buggy so that I can enjoy their fragrance and beauty without the (admittedly pretty) iridescent bugs getting their greedy little mandibles on them.





 This afternoon I made another batch of Mediterranean Chickpea Salad so the flavors could

blend until suppertime.  I discovered how much I enjoy a bowl of lettuce with a serving of the salad and a sliced grilled chicken tender for supper.  Delicious.  And this bowl is six servings.  I'm finding it challenging to get motivated to cook for just myself.  One of these weekends I'll chain myself to the kitchen and crank out a bunch of recipes, portion them out, and freeze them so that I don't have to think, only thaw and nuke.  I suspect it'll take a while for me to get used to cooking for one.  My mind still churns with thoughts of things I need to do so that Durwood is comfortable and happy in his new place and I forget about something to eat.  But I've been fairly good about not going to get something fast and fatty.

When I got home from my walk to the pool and back (with very little getting wet in between) I sat down and worked on the Bodhi Leaf washcloth.  It took me a quick read of the pattern to realize that I had gotten to the end of the fancy part and didn't have to figure out where I'd lost that purl stitch again.  Now I'm to the decrease part which is the pointy part at the end.  This one isn't as much bigger than the original as I thought it'd be.  I'll use regular dishcloth cotton for the next one, I think.  But I'm only casting on another one when I've got a lot more cardi back knitted.  I really mean it.  Cross my heart.


August 6--George Stubbs, Zebra.  Did you hear that a zoo in Egypt got caught painting stripes on donkeys and calling them zebras?  Imagine being the poor schmuck whose job it was to do the painting.  I've never been close to a donkey but I imagine they're not that great at holding still.  They had to use oil-based paint because water-based paint would wash off in the rain.  Wait--does it ever rain in Egypt?  It boggles my mind to think that people today could be fooled into thinking a painted donkey is a zebra.

That's it for today.  I found some Command hangers that will hold the heavy plaque and framed photos I want to put up for Durwood so that's on tomorrow's agenda.  Hopefully I'll steal some time to sew too.  I realized today that I need to sew up a pair of soup bowl cozies for a wedding gift on Saturday.  Good thing they're quick to make.  I have bowls and will print off a couple of my favorite soup recipes to include because, let's face it, homemade soup is where it's at.  None of the canned stuff.  Ugh.
--Barbara