12 Oakdale

I had opted to stay in Williamstown because I wanted us to see Ground/work 2025, a site-specific set of 6 large sculptures, each made by a different artist using a craft from her or his culture. Woodworking, fabric dying, sculpture, basket weaving, mosaic tile, and ceramics. Marvelous, but I hadn’t considered that not all places are flat like Florida. As we trudged uphill, Grant struggled to catch his breath. However, with a rest at a picnic table, he was able to get to the top of the exhibit layout. Downhill is our friend. On to the New Haven, CT airport to turn in the truck and be picked up by Deb and Rob. Note on the truck which we should have inspected better before driving away: there were no dents on the outside, Grant had checked. However, once I began driving, I realized my boot heel stuck to the flood when I wanted to move from gas to brakes. As soon as I found a pull off, we stopped. No floor mat, and perhaps glue or sticky tape where one h...

I’ve concentrated on finishing 3 projects: mittens, charities, and bougainvilleas. First up, the mittens I’d started some time ago with yarn from Mountain Meadow Wool Mill. One was almost done, then set aside.  Not as abandoned as some projects I’ve started, since I bought the yarn after our 2021 trip to Yellowstone. I had planned to finish them before our next trip to cold weather, which turns out to be this Saturday.  Not a difficult project, lovely to the touch wool. Just needed time with needles in my hands. Not too much at once since I haven’t knitted in a while and I didn’t want to aggravate my wrists or shoulders. Fifteen minutes at a time over the past couple of weeks: done. However they are too large for me, so Grant gets a new pair of wool mittens. I will wear my fingerless gloves inside a pair of polyester ones. Should I consider buying more yarn for the next cold weather event? Not until I’ve finished the socks I will make with the yarn I bought last year in Nee Ze...

In a concession to old age, I suggested we move our stand mixer up to the countertop. I had resisted because I like the minimalist kitchen look. However, this relic from my first marriage is getting too heavy for us to move when I want to use it. Yes, we probably should lift weights and stay stronger. But we’d rather eat cake. Another adjustment: we have learned the abbreviation CCRC: Continuous Care Retirement Community. A simple plan: give us a gazillion dollars, and we will take care of you for the rest of your life. I’m considering it. Our first look was with friends of friends who showed us around Westminster in Winter Park. They moved in April and apparently love it. Lots of things to do, food is good, new friends, etc. I was claustrophobic in their tiny apartment. Too much stuff, and no outside balcony or patio. I’d miss my lanai. And we’d be committed to the Orlando area. Do we want to be here forever? Ironically, the same day we received a brochure with an invitation to tour O...

After 4 years of participation, I resigned from the Tree Board. I have worked really hard, and I think I was helpful. Besides nagging continually that we should be planting native trees (please, no more crepe Myrtles that are so ubiquitous in Central Florida that the county agent thought they were native; I disabused her of that misinformation.), I worked really hard this year passing out the centennial tree plaques and creating a map of their locations. By last Thursday, I’d managed to get 64 of the 100 trees mapped, 60 of those photographed with the homeowners. There are about 6 remaining on private property, the other 30 are Town of Windermere trees, in parks or on right of ways.  I also created an album of the photos. Now Tree Board and Public Works can use them for inspiration and institutional memory. (The trees were to be visible from the street. Since we planted our long leaf pine on the north fence line, I put our plaque on a tree that was a volunteer right next to the swa...

Back in the spring, when I signed us up for the local 5K, October 11 seemed way, way off. Yet, so much of life, it found its way to us. Fortunately for Grant, he’d been walking each morning. So far, only about a mile, but still. I, on the other hand, had done absolutely no training. I did walk home from Town Hall Thursday, the only walking I’d done in weeks (months?). Yet, this morning, we got up and drove over to the start - absolutely no way were we adding that extra .5 mile over and back to our day. 7:30, the 5K is off and running. I say goodbye to Grant and start walking. My competitive nature kicks in, and I start to try to catch the next person in front of me. Soon I’ve finished 1 mile, then 2, didn’t see the 3 mile mark, turned the corner on Fifth, and was at the finish line. Because of the stupid tariffs and backup at Customs, no medals for us.* Leis instead. I roamed the tents, getting 2 chicken sandwiches, candy, popcorn, a delicious kale smoothie. Sitting on a bench in front...

We turned the air conditioning off yesterday. Day temperatures under 78°; nights in the low 70s. However, the humidity is running at about 94%. The AC may get turned back on. With it being less hot, I’ve been able to shift my gardening to later in the morning, giving me time to paint first. Better for my brain and energy level. I’ve also started knocking off some of the projects I’ve been avoiding,  First up was making the buttonholes in the Halloween shirt Stephanie made for Kyle. That began with a search for the shirt, which I remembered as a cream color, but was actually black. Overlooked several times in the hunt, but eventually found in one of my craft stashes. Next was reading the online manual to re-learn how to use the automatic buttonholes on Steph’s machine. Neither she or I could find the right pressure foot, but luckily she has inherited another machine which had one. For the life of me, I could not get the machine’s buttonhole lever to stay down, and the computer would...