Ship Sails In, Ship Sails Out

And I got to see it both times.  Today was St. Agnes Grad Class of 1965 monthly lunch day and afterwards I ran a couple east side errands, then I realized that I forgot my shrimp truck postcard to get my discount and stay on the mailing list so I had to go back home.  As I reached the top of the Mason St. Bridge on-ramp the lights changed from yellow to red, the barriers began flashing, and the bells clanged.  I was first in line in one lane.  I looked to the right and left and didn't see anything but decided to get out of the car and there it was--the ship that I saw sailing down the bay and into the river yesterday was on its way outbound today and there I was with a front row seat.  I'm happy to report that I wasn't the only dork on the bridge.  Another woman about my age got out of her car, crossed the barrier to the eastbound side so that she was closer to the ship, followed along with it as the ship passed between the bridge spans, and came back past me on her way back to her car.  I was out on the sidewalk on the north side taking pictures.  "Isn't it beautiful?" she asked.  I said, "I love it" and we grinned at each other like kids.  It was nice to see a kindred spirit.







 
Before I left for lunch I put a batch of Lentil Soup into the slow cooker so it'd be ready for the last half hour step when I got home.  Oh, man, did that make the house smell good.  It'll taste good too.




It was a beautiful day so once I got home from the shrimp truck I changed into yard clothes and mowed the lawn.  Now if it heats and humids up like they're saying it will at the weekend I'll already have my yard work done.  AND it pays to get reacquainted with your old schoolmates because I learned at lunch today that one of the guys I went to grade and high school with is a semi-retired landscaper and he builds retaining walls.  I need my retaining wall rebuilt so I asked for a call to schedule a visit in the next couple days.  Naturally he called when I was in the shower after mowing but he'll call again tomorrow and we'll get together.  I'd definitely rather pay a person I know to do the work than to pay a stranger.


After supper I got one of the Montparnasse Eco Cardi's fronts sewn to the back at the shoulder and the sleeve sewn to the front and back.  I had to look up on the internet how to sew it so that the welt shows on the outside and, may I say, it's kind of a pain, but I think it's mostly a pain because I'm sewing perpendicular stitches/rows together rather than parallel ones.  I'll get it.  It's slower than I thought it'd be but I'll get it done.

September 10--John Singer Sargent, Repose.  Jillian lay back on the pillows, a woven shawl wrapped around her like a straightjacket.  Her feet were tucked up under her and her face was turned away from the window.  "How did you get sunburned?" Tillie asked.  She hovered over the girl on the chaise, her hand reaching out to almost touch Jillian's tousled and damp hair.  "Don't remember," said Jillian, shifting so that the shawl slipped exposing more fiery red skin.

I know that I wrote that last part because I managed to get myself semi-crispy sitting in the sun yesterday.  It was so nice with a cooling breeze and the water lapping quietly on the rocks at our feet that I didn't notice that I was getting burnt.  It isn't bad but it is red but then I am the definition of pale.  Darned pale red-haired grandmother skin.  Tomorrow evening is the caregiver support meeting at the ADRC (Aging & Disability Resource Center) that I've been going to for about a year.  I thought I'd go one more time but I also signed up for a 3-session art history lecture there so I'll stay in the meeting for half an hour and then excuse myself to go to the lecture.  I'm looking forward to it.  I'll report.
--Barbara