Score!

After trying every single time one was offered, I finally nabbed a reservation at Michael Heizer’s land art work City. Sunrise, July 21, which means we will meet our transportation at 3:45 AM. Ouch. At least it will be cool. I immediately made flight, car rental, and motel bookings for a 2 day trip. We are crazy.

This weekend, Patten took Brightline up, bringing 2 mangos (first crop ever) from his tree. He made us daiquiris to celebrate Father’s Day and Grant’s 83rd birthday. Stephanie joined us for lunch on Sunday, bringing a delicious chocolate cake. 

Clara painted flowers on my rain barrel, and I channeled Dad, creating a stand for it from wood I already had and painting it with the purple paint left from our back door. Only expense was $8 for white spray paint, which Clara covered with brown, and the $20 tip I gave Rodrigo for installing the rain chain ($150 from Wayfair). In 2022, he had replaced the lanai gutter so it came out through the screen (Terry from Integrity Screens created an opening in the screen panel $  ). That was $700, and he did tell me there would be no charge to come back to cut the chain hole and cap the spout. Four years later I finally called, and he was true to his word. So not a cheap project, even with a free barrel from Nancy’s daughter. But I love my carnivorous plant bog, so priceless.

I am swimming (backstroke and breaststroke) back and forth, back and forth. I’m up to 25 roundtrips. When we get back from New York, I’m adding goggles to my routine. Eventually, I want to actually freestyle, with my face in the water. Slowly getting there. Maybe by the time the water turns cold, I’ll be comfortable enough to swim at the Y and take some lessons. Of course, then I’d have to have a decent suit.