twins again, a big whoosh and delicious fish

This morning on the deck. The twins came at 4:00 A.M. I know this because I was up . They played rough and tumble until 8:30 A.M.  Rolling into a  ball of fur ,teeth and  toes, thumping  and bouncing  from one end of the deck to the other.  

One brother knocked over a plant that is still in its nursery  box. The marker came out and gave him something to tease. Like an otter with a clam he played with it on his chest and in his little hands  and teeth. Amused for way too long I reckon.  Just how interesting can a plant marker be?

I listened to NPR on my way to buy Swedish fish. The report - raccoons are the only other species other than humans that love  puzzles. Raccoons , having figured out the puzzle ,will experiment finding other ways of solving it. Just for the fun of it. Clever monkeys. and my god they are cute!

 

" tell me you love me"  

They are inseparable, these little boy  twins. Their sisters are in the forest, or in  someone's attic, having babies, I reckon. I have not seen the sisters for a while and the old mothers have not come around either. They will be coming to the deck soon enough- to air out their nips and to nap without the bother of babies. 

The raccoons left just in time- the sky opened and WHOOSH!

Doe stayed under the sparse protection of the baby plum tree for well over an hour.  

Dennis is up and running- Must have been the soup! I swear, he could have both legs cut off and  still run a marathon.  So, not covid. Flu- the knock down sort.  

The Swedish fish , by the way, are delish! I bought more just in case the shop runs out of them and can not go to Sweden to buy more. They are not terribly sweet, the texture is just right, the flavors are legit! Elderflower is my favorite, subtle and flowery. I would not complain about raspberry or back currant either. 

 

 Oh fishie fishie fishie FISH

 -0-

There are changes on the wind. Oldest son in Portugal, middle son having to move to Cincinnati as the airline has changed their doings- bought another airline -merged. Daughter in law will quit her teaching career  and is  sorry not sorry. Something has broken- covid shut down, ipads, smart phones, Tic Tok, social media, attention span of gnats- the children are unteachable.   Mind you- This is a teacher that has won prize spot in the teaching world, everyone scrambles to get their kid in her class.  Students have  become un- reachable and the parents are not any better. Government is of course NO help at all.  Education is crumbling nationally- just as president dumb ass would have it. The PLAN.

So, family is scattering hither and yon. The holidays will be modest- just an  old man and  an old woman and the raccoons.  

Flora and Emmett will bail us out.  

I have been to Ace Hardware three times today trying to find the blue that I envision painting the basement room. That blue does not exist in reality , every sample is wrong. 

Gas prices are RE DICK, as though you have not noticed.  I have one forth of a tank that must last until trump falls into the sea.  I am conservative using the car. Friendly for the environment, they say ,and good for my pocket book. So, maybe this oil upset is just what we need to slap us into the reality of climate change, though- too late. 

 

 

 

 

biscuits, oranges, chicken soup for an ailing man darkness

 

Sun up- rain during the night and all day. Welcomed relief for sure. There need to be torrents before the forests are out of danger. Could be a tinder summer. anyway the rain is nice, the dark is soothing, especially after having my  6 week eye jab. 

Covid is making the rounds again, as well as an offshoot- begins with a sore throat, moves into flu like symptoms and a fierce cold. Dennis has it. I am trying to NOT breath.

 I went out to the Coop to get an organic chicken, ginger, garlic, spinach and bone broth. I am making a healing soup for him. He won't wake up.  The soup is ready when he is.

I bought valencia oranges, they are juicy and not sweet. sort of on the lemony side. 

From there I dropped in to. the Mediterranean shop to get biscuits. I generally find digestives and hob nobs there. This time there were digestives but the packaging made me wonder...I checked them closely- Made in UK for Distribution in china- that explains it. 

I love Jaffa cakes- thought I would try these- Jaffa cake sandwich monstrosities. They are probably just right for those loving sweet super sweet- not for me. Pretty sure Flora Jane would like them but should I encourage her? Probably not- she gets too much sugar as children these days do. Everyone eats too much sugar and that's a fact, Jack.

The shop is a curiosity sometimes, not always the same- a little travel adventure without leaving town- I bought two flavors of Swedish fish from actual Sweden- so I don't have to board a plane.

The packaging is everything- the paper is a sort of translucent wax paper with cool graphics and a legend of what sort of fish is  on the front. The yellow one is Gaddan, the Pike with Elderflower, the red one torsken-the Cod with Blackcurrant and raspberry.  There were several others- will try later when my glucose levels. Ingredient list begins with. sugar- the poison of all foods.

Today has been dark and damp but we did have several days of the most glorious sunshine- the temperature into the high 70's for about 20 minutes. Maddy's class sent  the butterflies  out into the world, release day-

She has been teaching @ a Montessori  school, as well as studying and flying . She just turned 30,energy of YOUTH.  Miles to go ! The airline industry does not sound as promising as it once was- Maddy may have to come to terms with that. No worries, though, she is skilled at many things. Personally I would not be too sad if she had to bag her piloting ambition - One pilot in the family is enough to worry about. 

I watched a few things on you tube that may be helpful understanding WTF is going on. The USA's strategy seems hap-hazard and beyond nuts but here is a run down  by Prof. Jiang, whomever he is...

Point number four-counting on the world to be at war for a very long time , The U.S. will put all of their resources into building weapons, other nations will need them and the U.S. will gladly deliver.  Thus evening out the USA's debt. 

The world cut in forths ruled by USA in the west, thus the interest in Greenland, South America etc. Europe would be under Russian rule, Iran would dominate the middle East and Israel would conquer the circle surrounding them. China would get Taiwan but leave Japan alone. 
 What does he know? Not sure, he sounded logical until the  end of the interview. When asked what the every day person could do/think/prepare for/ he turned philosophical- vague and dreamy. Brought up the spirit world and reminded the interviewer that our physical world is an illusion.    Made me question every sane thing he had said beforehand. Here, have a little bullshit biscuit with your realism tea ? 

No one knows- anything.

Kites in the park. Whales in the sky- flying friendly with a clown fish- makes as much sense as anything. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A birthday, A MOM day, a magic crown

Waiting in the lobby .

Sunday brunch with "The Moms". Every year we go to the same place and have a wonderful brunch and catch up on MOM talk, without interruption from children or the men folk. Refreshing. Only Moms would discus poo schedules , big pants, biting and hitting and monumental insights from babes. I was early, too early. and they were late, too late, but finally we got settled and had a very fine brunch , flowers, coffee and gifts. 

Little lad Emmett did have a splendid birthday , two years old . He is so sweet and cuddly, I swoon.  I love age two, easily entertained and not adverse to being kissed a lot. 

Flora helped him blow out the candles and Emmett got his wish. which was probably a small wish, being such a small boy. 

Emily got a pair of glass-less frames for Flora because Flora insists that she needs them to see. (It's a Granny thing) 

Can. you believe that this baby girl is going to be in Kindergarten in the fall? Whoa, slow it down, Universe. Flora is speeding ahead , leaving the Grannies in the dust.  I won't be alive to experience her adult self and the magnificence she will achieve. I know she will, though. She has a great head start and is smarter than anyone in the room.  

Good fortune will follow her and will just fall into her lap, she will be needing a big lap! Emily took her to a fair where there were crafty vendors. Flora fell in love with a  crystal crown. Emily said , well, maybe another time...maybe for your birthday...The vendor recognized how magical and astonishing this child is,  and gave her the prize crown, just for being Flora. Of course she did. I do know how that goes. I would give that child the moon and stars and all the sparkling fishes in the sea-  NO sharks or blob fish. Just the pretty ones. 

A wonderful. week end was had. On we go into a week of trying to get the bedroom in the basement in some sort of order. it will take all of my OOMPH! Tuesday will interfere-- eye jab- undoes me for a day.

Leaving with the queen of Birthdays and her little lad subject, Crown made By Emily.
 

target prectice, brown folk, flowers for Mom.

Mystery in my email- an offer for all things GUN. I could buy this life sized target to practice shooting at. Notice anything about this target that makes you think brown folk? South of the border folk?  Yes, indeed. The illness of racism thrives even in mystery email.

I am going to Emmett's Birthday party  in a few minutes, I bought a shovel and a bucket  for him.On the package is a truck hauling pigs to market. I won't tell him where the pigs are going. they may be just along for a drive through the farm land.

Still in my nighty I answered the door this morning- A bouquet! For ME! A day early but everyday is Mother's Day, I reckon. 

Happy Mother's Day . 

Off to eat cake and wish a darling lad a happy second year.
 

Fish and chips, nursery, a splendid day

Our Stella picked me up at noon and off we went for the adventure of the day. The nursery, where I found zero perennials  but managed to fill my cart anyway. The geraniums are especially pretty this year. Many colors and I think I bought them all...

Much is in the nursery at the moment, difficult to be frugal and conservative, which was my intention this year...I failed.

Oddities were tempting but I know better- I have purchased eccentrics before  and  managed to kill them. I have followed you tube advice for the orchids and they are not looking great either. Glad they don't bleed or scream. 
 

Relaxed or tortured,not sure.  Trying to escape , maybe. I can imagine chasing it around the house to get it to go back into it's pot like a Merry Melodies cartoon. Besides, the price was $50.00, NOPE. 

Pineapple the size of a golf ball is just silly but isn't it cute? 

 Stella and I paid for  our instant gardens and went out for lunch. We went to Trudy's recommendation at the harbor, the fisherman's side. Our preference to be sure. We both lived on F dock at some point in our youth.  The restaurant  is a call to the past , we immediately felt comfortable there. Fishermen at the bar, a dog at foot level- against state law  but  there are ways around that. Permission from establishment or service dog- that sort of thing. Anyway. Dog , well behaved and welcomed.  I find it  comforting to have a dog around.

Stella ordered fish and chips. the best since London! And I ordered salmon on Caesar- truly best I have EVER eaten. Including Dennis's  freshly caught salmon on the grill - delicious but you can see this is hard to beat.  

Generous portions, loads of fish! Prices less than the other harbor restaurant where we usually go. This is our new favorite place.  Going back in time to  our lives on the water she on a fishing boat, me on a funky sail boat.  Like wearing  comfy old slippers, most relaxing . The wait person does not bug with  all of that contrived restaurant nonsense. Straight forward. 

Read the news under the fish and chips, talk to the dog, eat a fine lunch and watch the boats bob. A fabulous day with Stella, as usual.
 

 

The working boats, best side of the harbor!

Today I am psyching  my old  self up , to working  in the basement until I drop.  The Grannie ladder calls my name. 

Here are some posies for you-

Off I go-