random thoughts – Day 2,274 (Monday) – lovely day

It was a lovely spring day. The sun was shining. The sky was blue. The air wasn't too humid. The sun, which blasts with vigor through the kitchen skylight, is now tamed by the new skylight with a shade installed Sunday. Drawn halfway, it kept the blasting sunshine out and still provided lots of natural light. What a difference! It’s currently my favorite kitchen “appliance.”

Adding a few more embellishments.

The morning was spent fine tuning the purple velvet dance vest with the addition of more appliques made from the scrap fabric from the big skirt. The previous less is better philosophy felt lacking. Later, various costume components for each dance were grouped into zipper lock bags for dress rehearsal Tuesday.

The afternoon saw a walk to get the mail and then loop around the neighborhood. I saw some newer-than-me neighbors from three houses away. She was planting in a flowerbed, he was watching her. We had a nice conversation about a variety of topics. It’s fun living in a neighborhood where people chat with those passing by.

My dance partner came over and we went over some costuming stuff and practiced four of our five dances in the show. The fifth is a piece with nine dancers and a lot of precision, and it’s pretty hard to practice with only two people.

random thoughts – Day 2,273 (Sunday) – the roof

Sundays have a different flavor on weeks with no dance group. With the exception of a dress rehearsal on Friday, June 12 and a performance on Saturday, June 13, we are off for the summer.

Today was an even more different flavor of Sunday. A roofing crew arrived at 7:15 a.m. under a sunny sky to remove the old roof and put on the new one. The crew of three operated like a SWAT team as they piled out of the van and immediately began unloading equipment. 

A ladder was set up outside one of the living room windows. Materials were schlepped up to the roof. The roofers cast shadows on the back lawn.

Soon, tarps were lowered around the house to capture the debris. They created a strange lighting situation inside and an odd view of nothingness beyond the windows. 

Goodbye old roof.

The actual work was a little noisy, but not quite as loud as I expected. A generator hummed in the yard. The banging and ripping off of the old roof jiggled the living room ceiling fan and things in the kitchen cabinets rattled. The nailing seemed to come in bursts and had an interesting rhythm that I wish I had recorded. 

When I wasn't looking at the action out the windows, I read a book on the couch. Kiki sought refuge deep under the bed and stayed there until noon when the noise stopped for 20 minutes while the crew took a break. When the work resumed, she disappeared again.

The crew busted butt and by 3:30 p.m., as the clouds appeared to be graying and gathering and looking like they might be gearing up for rain, they were finished, the yard was cleaned, and they were pulling out of the driveway.

The new skylights have remote controlled shades, which will be a huge help with summer cooling and comfort in general and especially when working in the kitchen. The sun beats in full force for several hours around midday, and while the natural light is gorgeous, the sun can be brutal. I thought the shades would be more translucent like the honeycomb window shades, but they block a lot of light.

Tiny peek of new roof.

Next up is the siding. New exterior light fixtures are scheduled to deliver tomorrow. The hunt is on for new house numerals because the current ones are too small to be easily read from the street and the house numbers are at irregular intervals so there is potential for confusion. 

Later, I took a walk up the tiny hill to try and admire the new roof and get a picture. The roofs aren't steep, so it's hard to see most of them, including mine, but I did get a glimpse. It's so pretty. The shingles are black, but photographed more like gray. So weird.

random thoughts – Day 2,272 (Saturday) – more sewing

Before: mock wrap top.

It was back to the self-imposed ball and chain of the sewing machine today. The borrowed green top for one dance in the show in a couple weeks was test driven in class last Tuesday. The green over top and the rose and gold vest below it both were both problematic and shifted when I moved, which is kind of a big deal for a dance costume.

Friday, while on an errand, I passed Salvation Army Thrift Store. I set a budget of $5 and entered. The clothing was browsed in a relaxed manner with hopes for inspiration for a replacement green top and/or possibly something to wear under it instead of the currently shifty vest. 

On the blouse rack hung a perfectly colored dark green satiny mock wrap top. It miraculously fit. The tag read $3.99. Under budget, so even better. The top was bought.

After: wrap top.

After 24 hours of mulling the alterations needed to transform the mock wrap into an actual wrap top, I was ready to begin. The top was laundered and hung dry. Once dry, the side invisible-style zipper was removed and the side seams were opened up to release the pleated panels and the wrap ties. 

It was quick work stitching the ties to the already pleated edges and then sewing the side seams. And boom, it was done. Thank goodness for an easy win.

Costumes are nearly finally all set. Today, the coin bra neck strap fasteners were done and the final adjustment of the hook closure on the dark pink velvet fancy dance bra was made. It is now the home stretch. Dress rehearsal is Tuesday. 

random thoughts – Day 2,271 (Friday) – what a year

One year ago.

One year ago today (June 5, 2025), my house in Lowell went on the market. Listing day capped off a couple months of downsizing, decluttering, and making a few minor interior updates leading up to the optimal time to list. The year since has passed at a blistering speed. My head has been spinning for most of it.

On June 30, I had been officially laid off, the Lowell house was under contract, and my realtor and I were preparing an offer on what became my next residence. All of last summer was spent packing, moving, and unpacking. Two months after listing day, I was dodging moving boxes and clutter in a house in another city in another part of the state.

There are a few things I miss about the old place and old life. I miss the lily of the valley, irises, columbine, lilac, bleeding hearts, day lilies, and evening primrose in the yard and wonder if the new people kept them or ripped them out. In exchange for the flowers and city noise, I got a quieter wooded setting and more privacy, and I can always plant stuff, so it was a good trade. There are some Lowell specific sites and events I miss, including LaLa Books, The Brush Gallery, Warp & Weft, Fuse Bistro, and St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Shop.

I miss the easy access to the National Park Service Saturday morning historical walks, the annual Folk Festival, the Summer Music Series, the Kinetic Sculpture Race and Merrimack Repertory Theater. If I had known in 2024 it would be my last time at many events, I might have approached them differently. I miss seeing the rowing teams gathering on the Merrimack River for the regattas and the Southeast Asian Water Festival. I miss representing the bank at community events (free food and entertainment!).

It’s been a year of adjusting and baptism by fire. The plan was to work full-time for two more years and during that time, figure out what retirement would look like. The bank had other ideas, sold out, and put a significant number of us out of work. It was miserable and depressing being unemployed and cast into the purgatory of “too old to hire and too young to retire.” It is weird not having colleagues and a paycheck.

After a diligent nine-month search and submitting hundreds of applications, I conceded defeat and stopped looking for another job. I granted myself permission to relax and stop feeling guilty about every minute not spent combing through job descriptions and customizing cover letters and resumes that are likely never seen by human eyes. After a few months cool-down period, it’s time to set some new priorities and draft the next act of this life.

random thoughts – Day 2,270 (Thursday) – adventure day

My sister has the week off from work and I got to spend time with her (and Mom) again today. The adventure du jour was a trip to Market Basket in Rindge, NH. This is another new stop on my Market Basket world tour for which I have been woefully negligent in making notes to document my successes.

The transportation plan had been based on the criteria of largest cargo area and functioning A/C. My car has A/C but a miniscule cargo area. My sister’s car has great cargo space but no A/C. Mom’s car met both requirements. We piled in and buckled up. And the car wouldn’t start.

StepDad had just arrived home and was waiting for us to exit the driveway before he pulled in, except we couldn’t get out. He assessed the situation and determined it was a dead battery. After a quick strategy session, we exited Mom’s car and headed into my sister’s. Some stuff was removed from her trunk and set in my driveway and we were on our way. The absence of A/C didn’t bother me, but Sis was warm. This is nothing new and it’s possible I have ice water in my veins.

It was a nice ride to Rindge, but I can’t claim that Market Basket to be my favorite. My list of needs was short (11 items) and was made using the flyer.  The stuff I wanted the most (goat cheese crumbles on sale for $3.99) was out of stock, but I got the 99-cent English muffins, the last package of cheese ends, and they had my favorite ramen flavor (creamy chicken) so that was good.

It was the kind of day I’ve been longing for. One that had activity but still felt was long and leisurely like the summer days when I was around 10 years old. I started a book this morning, went shopping with Mom and Sis, then came home and finished the book (it’s only 177 pages). It felt like it was 5:30 or 6:00, but it was only 3:15. Nice!

A trip was made to Tractor Supply to look at yard ornaments and to Aldi for the produce items I knew cost less than the ones I didn't buy at MB. TS had more of their never-ending stock of metal roosters, both big ($200) and small ($50). I was amused but not fully tempted. I must have been hungry, though because I ended up with a cart full of tempting stuff in Aldi.

Veggies baked with sliced feta.

At home, I decided to try a recipe I’d seen for sheet pan baked veggies and feta cheese so I got busy chopping. I should have consulted the recipe before shopping because I didn’t have all the ingredients (no fresh lemon, onions, garlic cloves, or orzo) and improvised.

Green beans (not in the recipe), broccoli, and grape tomatoes were cut and drizzled with olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Feta cheese was sliced and placed in with the veggies and the whole thing was baked. The tomatoes took on a more intense flavor, the feta browned a bit and it was really good plated with ditalini. There will definitely be more iterations of that dish.

Paving season continues.

After supper I took a walk around the very quiet neighborhood and dropped three books off at the little library box and took two out. Asphalt paving equipment is parked again by the mailboxes so paving season may not be fully done yet. 

Yesterday, a section of the main entrance road was dug out and patched. Today I noticed a couple smaller street patches and several more homes with fresh driveway pavement. Two houses on my walk have roofing company signs planted in the yards. ‘Tis the season for upgrades in the neighborhood.

random thoughts – Day 2,269 (Wednesday) – full day

Some days are not busy, others are. Today was busy. It kicked off with visiting Salvation Army Thrift Store with a friend to source items for costume making. We got there right before they opened and got the last parking spot. I got a few things that had interesting trims and that can easily be reworked, keeping in mind how much I already recently acquired and that Mom has a box of fabrics she wants me to take off her hands. My friend found some really cool stuff.

Next on the fun slate was a trip with Mom to my sister’s. It’s my sister’s birthday today and we picked up a red velvet cake on the way over. It was a nice visit with pizza, cake, and chatting with Sis and my two nieces who still live locally.

The evening included a DIY video class on removing popcorn ceilings. My house has popcorn ceilings throughout and they don’t bother me (now, anyway), but I thought it might be interesting to learn about what is involved in changing them. A free webinar is a convenient and easy way to find out. Two minutes into the video and hearing the word  "popcorn" many times, I suddenly wanted popcorn to eat but there is none in the house. If only I had planned better. Sigh.

This looks fun.

Of course there are a bunch of supplies needed, all available from the orange store presenting the video. I know from a marketing standpoint, highlighting and selling product is a major reason to do educational videos, and it was nice to see the correct use of the tools in the video. It looks like it is fun and satisfying scraping the stuff off. 

Will I remove any of the popcorn ceilings? Who knows. But even if I never do it myself, now I know the 99 steps and the supplies involved, so that could be helpful, especially if someday I’m getting quotes for the work.

random thoughts – Day 2,268 (Tuesday) – explosions

Rhododendron explosion.

The rhododendrons in front of the house are exploding with big pink puffs of color. I love them. I also can’t wait for them to be done so I can trim the overgrown beasts. They seem to have not been cut back for ages – much like the one at the house in Lowell when I moved there. That’s where I learned about the timing of the buds setting. You know, after I had cut them all off with my major late summer trimming and then had no flowers the first spring I was there. Oops.  Live and learn. At least I didn’t make that mistake again.

While pacing like a panther awaiting an update on the roofing project which I thought was happening today but then learned a few hours later was not, I decided to channel my impatience in a more productive manner. I had been seeing videos on FB of “The Long Lost Steps” of Cecchetti with Diana Byer, who has been resurrecting the technique with short reels.

When I was a teenage dancer with Marion Rice Studio of the Dance, part of our center work was the “Cecchetti Arms” series. The new reels feature the six port de bras (French for “carriage of the arms”) in the Cecchetti series, which I loved doing then and it turns out, love now. So, instead of pacing and to avert an outburst, I ran through all six sections of the arms series with the videos.

It worked and I felt less like my head would explode. It was so much better that I started doing final checks and tweaks on costume parts for the June 16 show. Unfortunately, this got me aggravated all over again. Tops I thought were finished are suddenly too loose. New adjustments done today kept falling short. Others just caused new problems.

Duo and I were having a day.

The length on one top was fixed, but now the neckline is doesn't sit right. The straps on another top were checked, rechecked, trimmed shorter, and had Velcro added for the closure, and after all that, they are still too long and need more work. Another top that just needed a bit of velcro for a more secure closure is suddenly too big. Even one of my tops in Sunday's show suddenly wasn't fitting right after being perfect a week earlier. 

So frustrating! Seriously, what the blankety bank? The icon for the  Duolingo app had an expression that matched what I was feeling, so that was at least amusing. 

Tonight, while dressing to go to dance class, a toe cap on my least old pair Converse All Stars was chipping off. Another pair that is several years older does not have this problem.  I took the top and overlay for one of the dances to class to give it a real-world test drive. It was not good. I really need a class in alterations because this has become too much. 

In a veil sequence that is part of a large group number, despite my best effort to not step on my veil, it kept happening. Any minor foot movement seemed to suck the veil under my foot and the corresponding arm movement would rip the veil from my hand. 

To my credit, I did not actually explode as a result of any of the noted and still unspoken annoyances of the day. I will take that as a win and move one.

random thoughts – Day 2,267 (Monday) – delivering

Mess from dance night.

The photos for the Lowellscapes Show (open June 6 to July 26) were due today. The mess from the costume bags being dumped in the kitchen upon arrival home last night needed to be dealt with because the magical gnomes or fairies or sprites or whatever that are supposed to tidy up overnight keep blowing me off. It was a busy morning.

I got caffeinated and ready to get busy. The costumes were pulled from the bags and rehung. Hair accessories were returned to the designated storage in the bathroom closet. Makeup was returned to its rightful place in either the everyday makeup drawer or the stage makeup storage box.

Once the dance stuff was dealt with, I moved to the photos. Gallery paperwork needed to be completed with image titles and emailed. The six framed pieces were set into a tote bag, where they all fit, but it was too heavy to manage. I envisioned missing a step outside the gallery and having a bag with smashed glass and damaged photos. A second bag was found and the load was split into a more manageable configuration.

The ride to Lowell was after the morning rush and therefore reasonable. I finally parked in the no-longer-so-new Hamilton Canal Innovation District (HCID) garage at Dutton and Canal. It opened in 2020, but until last year, I had a work parking pass at another garage and always parked there or in the bank parking lot. The level of the garage I parked on was practically vacant, which felt a little like the setting for a scene in a suspense movie.

Delivered.

The work was safely delivered. I was the first one to arrive with pieces and I had a nice chat with the gallery executive director. While I was there, two other photographers in the show arrived with their pieces and I got to meet them. 

It was fun hanging around in the gallery for a little while. I miss the atmosphere and am looking forward to the exhibit’s reception in a few weeks. Being laid off from work and then moving removed me from more than just a job. It’s like I was laid off work then I laid myself off from some several once-nourishing aspects of my life and I need to reclaim that territory.

random thoughts – Day 2,266 (Sunday) – dance day

The weather was more respectful than yesterday, as in it was not precipitating “wintry mix” and was a more civilized 60-plus degrees. The morning and early afternoon were spent readying for the Natick Dance Showcase. The time used was more than sufficient, but I had the luxury of being unoccupied and chose to linger, pause, and move through the day in a shockingly calm manner.

There was coffee. Reading. Phone games. A shower. Run throughs of the dances. Verification of the costume components, which required two bags for transport. Yet another unsuccessful search for the elusive large I*EA duffel that would have eliminated the need for two bags. (I’m beginning to think I imagined ever owning it, as it has spent most of its time over the years in hiding.)

An undocumented amount of time was spent on makeup and hair. There were comical moments. To keep my bangs from doing weird things, I pinned them under in a roll while doing makeup, then forgot about it. When I took them out, they were tightly rolled in some horrible scene reminiscent of what Mummu did to my bangs when I was a kid and she had me looking like I was 50.

The little eye liner bottle fell from the counter and splattered eyeliner all over the floor. Waterproof eyeline, as in harder to clean up. Makeup remover towelettes worked. While putting on shoes and socks for departure I noticed there was spilled eyeliner still on my foot. Oops. It would not come off. The eyelash glue squirted out with more enthusiasm than needed, leaving splotches on the counter, the tweezers, and my fingers. There was swearing. Another makeup remover towelette saved the day.

With two hours until carpool pickup time, I wondered what to do next. Read? Recheck the bags for the 10^th time? Possibly jinx things by practicing the dances again? There were bits of all of those things with mixed results. I practiced a veil sequence from the duet but with a different veil because I didn’t want to unpack the one for the dance. It was a different size veil and a heavier weight and it didn’t go well.

Overall, the show was great. It was a surprise a few days ago when my duet partner and I learned we were opening the show. Our dance was to “Habibi Metal”, a fun take on some classical instrumental music. We embraced the “metal” and danced in jeans and metal tee shirts (AC/DC and Headbangers Ball) with zills and veils. We even had a headbanging move in it we named “the Beavis and Butthead” and it was so much fun.

Act One performers

Now, it’s time to start plotting the next choreography. So much music, so many ideas.

random thoughts – Day 2,265 (Saturday) – snow showers and costumes

May 30^th. At 7:25 a.m. it was 45 degrees with a wind advisory from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m., and “wintry mix” forecast until noon. The wind had the trees whipping wildly and the wintry mix included crispy ice and snow mixed with rain. The voice of Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz crept into my head, “unusual weather we're having, ain't it?” from the scene where Glinda the Good makes it snow in the poppy field to wake up Dorothy and her travel companions.

C’mon New England. This is supposed to be the start of beach season, not ski season. At least it wasn’t like my junior year of high school when “The Mother’s Day Snowstorm” delivered a foot or more of heavy, wet snow overnight May 9 - 10 and school was cancelled, so there is that to be thankful for.

Today’s plans to attend various outdoor events were scrapped the minute I got out of bed and grabbed the winter bathrobe and turned the heat back on. There was zero interest to freeze outside at the Greek Festival I have always liked, the grilled cheese food truck at the local cheese shop I keep meaning to visit, a hike at a nearby park, or anything else that was penciled on the calendar. 

New hair flowers for new dance top.

Instead, I organized the two costumes for Sunday’s show and packaged into zipper lock bags the various components for each. I ventured as far as Dollar Tree (1.5 miles from home) to seek out a very specific color fabric flower to go with one costume and larger zipper lock bags.

After scrutinizing the flowers located in four different spots in the store, I finally found the color I was looking for to coordinate with the new dance top for the troupe performance. In another week, I'll be doing the same thing for a couple of the costumes for the June show.

At home, I cut two of the yellowish-orange flowers from the bunch and attached them to a hair clip with a wire trash bag tie, green ribbon, glue, and hand sewing. The costume bits that had been packed earlier in the day were repacked into the spacious new, 2.5 gallon bags. Things are as ready as they will ever be, but that won't stop me from waking up around 3 a.m. from the recurring dream where I have arrived at the venue without a costume.

random thoughts – Day 2,264 (Friday) – progress and rewards

Progress continued. This morning the five Lowell-themed photos with new mats were set into frames and all six are now ready for delivery to the gallery on Monday. One by one, the current residents of the frames were evicted, set into clear sleeves, and stored on a shelf with dozens of others (I’m afraid to count them). The framing glass was cleaned and not a drop of blood was shed. The new artwork was set into the frames. A few small photos were set into mats and await labeling for sale in the gallery. Victory was declared.

The framing process miraculously led to a small organizational effort in the art/sewing room. A couple boxes containing random items were pawed through and the contents were redistributed and consolidated. Future efforts may involve the destruction of a slew of the old photos. That was today’s thought anyway.

New favorite ice cream.

Momentum carried to the kitchen. Three photos of recipe cards from Mummu that hung in the Lowell kitchen were hung. A pound of brussels sprouts and the rest of the broccoli was tossed in olive oil and roasted and made a delicious supper with a cheeseburger. 

It may be because I rarely eat red meat, but right after supper, I felt like I needed a nap. Instead, I went to out to buy some ice cream for a reward for the day's successes, and later crowned my new favorite Ben and Jerry’s flavor. Karamel Sutra has officially bumped Cherry Garcia out of the #1 spot on my B&J ice cream hit parade.

random thoughts – Day 2,263 (Thursday) – stress relief

With three dance performances on the calendar (May 31, June 13, June 16) and all the preparation work involved with practice, gathering costumes, planning hair and makeup, etc., I really had to question my sanity after accepting an invitation to be part of a photography exhibit with work due June 1. It added an extra level of planning and activity to what felt like an already full schedule, but the busier I am, the more I get done. Generally, anyway.

There was the review of photos, which began with 100 images on the theme of the show. These were reduced to 25 and test prints were done and used to reduce the count to six.  Full-size prints were made of these.

In the frame shop.

Back in the days when I exhibited frequently (a lifetime ago), I had a reserve of pre-cut window mats, backboards, and frames always at the ready. It turns out that inventory of window mats either no longer exists or is tucked away in some unexplored corner since moving. This was confirmed on Monday, after going through boxes and shelves of photos and already having been to the framing shop the previous Friday for mats for one odd sized photo. A message was sent to the frame shop on Tuesday to see if they could help with the additional need.

Today, my new friends at the frame shop hooked me up with five crisp white window mats and back boards. The relief I felt walking out of the shop this afternoon was immediate and it was a surprise to realize just how wound up I had been about it. Most people find relief at massage therapy or in a hot tub. For me, today anyway, relief happened in the frame shop.

I will get everything into the frames Friday and packed and ready to deliver on Monday as planned. It feels good.

random thoughts – Day 2,262 (Wednesday) – asphalt and costumes

The morning's view.

The morning's view from the couch included equipment for the final step of the neighbor’s driveway. Beyond the rhododendron that is now blooming, the business end of a dump truck rose from behind the red dumpster that has been in my own yard for the past month. The final operation of the driveway paving was relatively quiet and suddenly the crew was gone.

The new driveway looks great – like a swath of rich, black velvet. The only thing protecting its pristineness from potential damage is a thin strip of yellow plastic caution tape stretched across the edge adjoining the street. Meanwhile, my driveway looks like a faded, grayish, lumpy scrap quilt with long lines of patching. Driveway envy has definitely set in, but one thing at a time, please.

It was a mostly quiet day, meaning I cannot account for how I spent most of my time. Later, my dance partner and I practiced our duet choreography for Sunday’s show and two of the four group dances we are in for the June show a few weeks later.

Costumes in a row.

It’s hard to believe the shows are now so close. The costumes have been collected (mostly) and are hung on a rack in the spare room (jewelry and accessories still need to be gathered). There are a few costume pieces needing minor adjustments for the June dance show, and those items are over by the sewing machine. 

The costumes for the June show weigh a ton and will be a challenge (potential nightmare!) to stuff into a bag for transport. I can focus on all those moving parts next week. I just need to get through this weekend first.

random thoughts – Day 2,261 (Tuesday) – cemetery and clouds

Memorial Day may have been yesterday, but today was the day Mom, my sister and I went to the cemetery and did the family grave decorating. I grabbed my gloves and flimsy gardening tools and Mom and had hers, and we stopped to get flowers at a small greenhouse she likes. The selection was still good, even the day after Memorial Day. My sister met us at the cemetery in Fitchburg.

Bleeding heart.

We thinned the bleeding heart at Mummu’s stone and added yellow snapdragons because Mummu’s favorite color was yellow. At great-aunt Julia’s stone, we planted pink petunias and red snapdragons. Mom’s grandparents (John J and Wilhelmina) got white petunias and marigolds.

We checked on the graves of Mummu’s three siblings who had died in childhood – John W – aged 7 months, Lilja – aged 10, and John E – aged 16. John E’s grave is thickly overgrown with day lilies but we didn’t have the proper tools to thin them because the original agenda was planting, not thinning. We plan to return with the proper tools for the task.

The dug out bleeding heart came home with me and was promptly planted in the back yard. It originally came from either my sister’s yard or my yard in Lowell (which had come from my sister’s yard). It’s one of several plants I regret not having thinned from Lowell before I moved, but once the house sold, I ran out of time for things like gardening.

Evening sky from the passenger side.

Tuesday means dance night, for another couple weeks anyway. On the ride home, for which I was the passenger (my favorite automotive role), I took lots of photos of the clouds with the setting sun while chatting with my friend who was driving. I haven’t seen many sunsets lately. The trees at home usually block the view, and I’m not usually out anywhere else at the appropriate hour so I was glad to see it tonight.  

random thoughts – Day 2,260 (Monday) – books and such

The day, which began with rain, redeemed itself later with sunshine and humidity. This did not stop me from wearing a sweatshirt while taking a walk or pruning the azalea in front the house. It was on brand. I am also the person who once sat poolside in Florida summer heat and humidity wearing long jeans and a hoodie, while my family enjoyed swimming.

Neighborhood library box.

The walk was to return a book to the Little Library box near the mailboxes at the end of the street. So far this year, I have read 14 books, and 10 of them have come from the Little Library box. My neighbors have been putting in some great books that I likely never would have known of. There was no intention of getting another book until I finish the one I'm reading, but one caught my eye and is now on my kitchen counter awaiting its turn.

The book currently underway is a collection of short stories in the style of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes. Technically, I guess it’s fan fiction by modern writers and the stories are really good. The morning rain left me unbothered as I went on some reading adventures with Holmes and Watson. Worked for me.

Later, I got busy and made fruit salad with cantaloupe, pineapple, mandarin oranges, and grapes, then later still, brought some over to Mom’s house, along with about a third of the bag of mandarins. A three-pound bag of tiny orange treats is a lot of tiny oranges, and the last bag I bought saw about six of them end up in the trash after getting gross and mushy. This time I brough Mom some before the same thing had a chance to happen again. I like mandarins, but I can’t eat that many of them.

Tiny toad hedge tenant.

The improved weather got me outside to trim the recently flowered and now sad looking azalea. I consulted some sources before beginning to cut, and took out the obviously dead branches, and cut back some wildly gangly ones. 

While working on the azalea, I spotted a cute, tiny, grayish-brown toad on top of the neighboring hedge. It was calmly sitting there while I carefully cut from the neighboring plant and made every effort to not disturb it. I guess now I know the source of the recent evening serenades that sounded like they were right outside the bedroom window.

random thoughts – Day 2,259 (Sunday) – wet one

A little steady rain and chilly temperatures didn’t spoil the Memorial Day weekend gathering and we still gathered a family member’s home. Despite all the rain this month, and what felt like a lot of snow this winter, I was told the water level is still six inches low and "we need the rain." Ok, cool. But could it maybe just rain overnight when people are sleeping? Please and thank you.

Instead of sitting on the deck, we sat in the living room/dining room area.  There were still burgers and hot dogs, just cooked inside. There was toss salad, potato salad, pasta salad, fruit salad, bean and veggie salad, chips and salsa. Then there were brownies, and after eating a huge one, I learned there was cake. Oy.

Final score - Twins 5, Sox 5.

The Red Sox played (after a delay) and we watched the game They lost to Minnesota again, for a three game sweep. I did not envy the die-hard fans sitting under plastic ponchos in Fenway Park in the rain, but I do admire their fortitude and willingness to do so.

My guess of the black blob in the yard being bear poop was confirmed by the relaying of a tale about a neighbor who lives one street over from me recently seeing a bear in their backyard at 5 a.m. Now I will be tempted to get up and look out the windows when I first wake up instead of rolling over and going back to sleep. I kind of would like to see a bear (from a safe and protected distance).

The overeating made me very tired. When I got home, I sat on the couch like a zoned-out blob scrolling through social media and playing Words with Friends and Duolingo Chess for a couple hours. Now, it’s time to go read some Sherlock Holmes stories written by modern crime writers (Murder in Baker Street – New Tales of Sherlock Holmes).

random thoughts – Day 2,258 (Saturday) – prepping

Cowboy caviar. Or Texas salsa.

It was a domestic day at home. After much deliberation and reviewing of recipes and the contents of the pantry, a big bowl of bean and veggie “Cowboy Caviar” (aka “Texas Salsa”) was made for a cookout on Sunday. The other main contender was a fruit salad, but the pantry contained nearly everything needed for the bean and veggie mixture – pinto beans, black beans, canned corn, diced tomatoes, plus chopped grape tomatoes, onion, and vinaigrette dressing. The only missing item was green pepper, so I mixed everything and added the green pepper later. The taste test was a success. I forgot how much I like that salad/salsa/stuff.

There was nothing on hand to make the fruit salad and it might have taken multiple stores to gather the items, depending upon what Aldi had in stock for produce. The Cowboy Caviar  felt like a good decision when I arrived at Aldi to get the green peppers. They had some of the fruit I like, but not enough variety for a decent fruit salad for a party.

In the effort to consume more calcium from food sources, I spent a disappointing amount of time at the dairy case reading labels because online articles about the type of yogurt with the most calcium are very contradictory. One claimed that Greek yogurt (my favorite) has more calcium, another said low-fat regular yogurt had the most. My label reading at Aldi revealed that of the yogurt they carry, the regular yogurt has more calcium per serving than their Greek yogurt so I bought the regular stuff. And also, some cottage cheese which I will try my best to consume, although my track record with it isn’t good. There are some recipes involving eggs and cottage cheese baked with some stuff that sound promising.

random thoughts – Day 2,257 (Friday) – matts and mowing

There were tasks scheduled for today, specifically, working on the photo matting and framing for an exhibit, and mowing the lawn. One of the photos is a nonstandard size and needed a special window matt cut. I found a framing shop close to the house.

It was a great time in the shop, and I ended up being there a couple hours. One of the owners demonstrated the matt cutting machine to show me some fancy additional cuts that could be done, but we decided against it. We had a great time chatting about downsizing homes, frames, matts, and a local arts group her husband is involved with. Later, her husband/co-owner arrived. He is an artist and he and I had a great talk about hanging art shows while he cut the matts and she had some lunch. 

Almost all mowed.

The lawn was less successful and energizing than the framing shop. It was my first mow since moving here because stepdad next door mowed my  yard last fall when he did his. My mower is electric and today I discovered my cord is too short to reach all of the front lawn. At least a dozen times it unplugged itself when it reached maximum distance, and I swore and stomped to the outlet to plug it back in. 

There is an L-shaped section in the front yard along the driveway and at the edge of the road that is still tall and shaggy because I couldn’t reach it with the mower. The opposite corner of the back yard has a corresponding shaggy patch that I couldn’t reach. Now, I need to determine the length of the cord so I can buy a longer one.

Mystery matter.

Near the shaggy back yard spot lies a surprise. There is mysterious matter in the form of a large black blob of glossy something that is dark like tar or licorice. There were small flies on it. It didn’t smell. 

Based on the size, I know it is not cat, dog, bunny, or deer poop. A lot of local people have been mentioning bear sightings on the Nextdoor app, so that was my best guess. I carefully mowed around it and decided to deal with it further tomorrow. An internet search for bear poop seems to have confirmed the guess. 

random thoughts – Day 2,256 (Thursday) – driveways

Yesterday’s guess about the driveway work next door was correct and part of it is being widened. As part of the process, the old driveway was dug out today. The clanking sound of roller being driven up the street kicked things off at 7:09 this morning. Before long, it was followed by the rumble of a dump truck and a collection of other vehicles.

Next door driveway work underway.

I had already been up for an hour and was drinking coffee, so it gave me some live entertainment. The existing pavement was cut with a circular saw thingy and the digger tore up pieces of asphalt and set them into the dump truck. My favorite part of the process was the workers yelling long conversations over the noise of the equipment.

By early afternoon, most of the equipment had disappeared and a beautifully flat, slightly wider, compacted dirt driveway remained. It will be interesting to see the next phase. 

My driveway is a little rough with some previously patched cracks and general unevenness and now it will look even worse by comparison. It will probably be next year when I’ve got my own driveway job going on and I should probably pop next door the next time the crew is there and get a business contact.

random thoughts – Day 2,255 (Wednesday) – hope springs

Ever since the dumpster arrived, the roofing materials delivered, and I learned one skylight was still on order, I’ve been on high alert when I hear trucks outside, hoping it is the skylight so the roof can be scheduled. So far there have been oil trucks, package delivery trucks, tree trimming trucks, and firetrucks.

Some sort of work next door.

Today, the sound of a truck drew me to the window (again) with a nugget of hope (again). It was a big truck alright, but not a lumber company delivery truck and not for my house. There was a dump truck full of dirt and some small machinery digging away at the strip of land between my house and the neighbor’s. It wasn’t very long before the dump truck left. The smaller equipment stayed. 

When I took a walk, I had a chance to check out the work. A swath of bare dirt runs along the neighbor's driveway and my best guess is that they are widening it. I guess I’ll know when it is all done.

During the walk, I also noticed the sudden absence of an asphalt driveway at a house two streets over. The entire stretch of pavement along the house from the street to the back yard shed was missing and the occupant’s cars were parked on the far side of the house. Spring has sprung and some neighborhood home projects with it. I’m getting antsy for my roof to be done so the siding can be done and then I can work on some plantings along the house. I want new exterior lights and house numbers to go with the new siding.

The inside work list, which was initially intended to be for the winter before it was procrastinated into now, is getting longer by the day. A new, still not purchased medicine cabinet will make my life easier on a daily basis. The recent days of heat made the need for ceiling fans for the bedrooms and dining room feel more urgent than in September when I first thought of it. Now I wish I had spent the winter more wisely and gone shopping for ceiling fans. 

random thoughts – Day 2,254 (Tuesday) – weather mood swing

It was sunny and hot (92 degrees). Until it wasn’t. Around noon, I ventured out to scope out the yard work situation. A small amount of raking occurred under the azalea and the dead leaves were set into the trash can from the free curbside stuff yesterday. I lasted about 10 minutes in the sun and heat before I went back indoors to sit on the couch under the ceiling fan. The window A/C units are in the shed, put there by a handyman last fall. 

Clouds collecting.

Later in the afternoon, it was cloudy. Then rainy and windy. It kind of snuck up on me. I was in the house with the shades lowered against the sun and heat, and eventually I realized it was less daylight-ish than it had been. When I looked outside, the clouds were gathering. With the sun in hiding it was safe to raise the shades and check out the changing conditions.

Before long, it got noisy with the wind whipping the trees across the street in a wild dance. Rain began pinging off the kitchen skylight and the metal stove vent pipe. Water poured off the roof and pummeled the back of the hydrangea. The sun reappeared while it was still raining, and there was some back and forth of clouds and sun for a couple hours and the temperature dropped to the 70s which was much more comfortable. The weather mood swing was in full effect. Whee!

Rhododendron is nearly ready.

Just as it was beginning to rain with a purpose, I noticed the rhododendrons are ready to start popping at each side of  the front door. After they bloom, I need to do a major pruning because they are wildly overgrown. There is another one in the back yard that is taller than I am and kind of scraggly.

I wondered how hot it would be in the lower-level church space where we dance on Tuesday evenings. It was warm, but not unbearable, but it got stuffier the longer we were there. It’s been better, and it’s been worse, and it surely will be both of those again. Hopefully, it will not be oppressive the night of our show.

We ran the dances for the show which was mostly okay until we got to the one where two of us are wrapped in silk veils. Silk is lovely and warm in the winter. In the heat it is hot and clingy and yucky. Just like last week, I kept stepping on the edge of the veil which made it hard to maneuver the thing. I have about three weeks to get that situation straightened out.

random thoughts – Day 2,253 (Monday) – treasure hunt

It was another beautiful weather day and I could get used to this, but I won’t because I know better. My heart has been broken by the weather too many times already in this lifetime. It’s supposed to be around 91 degrees tomorrow, and 87 Wednesday, but back in the 60s by the end of the week and for the next five days.

Sorting ribbons and trim and such.

The day didn’t have a plan, but a theme emerged along the lines of a treasure hunt. An excessive amount of time was spent early in the day looking for black Velcro which I was prepared to swear on my life existed in my sewing supplies. Four sewing drawers were rummaged through, plus two decorative tins with odd trims and notions, and the recently established and already messy ribbons and trims storage box. I found white and tan Velcro but no black.

In the process, ribbons and trims were carefully rolled, sorted by color and level of fanciness, and set in small snack size storage bags. Ribbon from two boxes were consolidated into one. 

After it all, I ended up using the tan fastener stuff on the purple velvet vest and it was officially declared done. The vest anyway. The top that goes under it still needs a tweak to tighten the bottom edge and while sorting through the ribbon stuff I got an idea for a potential change to the neck ties on the coin bra. And this, my friends, is how “work expands to fill the time allotted.” I anticipate more random change-ups in the next few weeks, mostly because there is still time.

Mid-afternoon, there was a curb alert post in one of the “buy nothing” groups with three chests with plastic drawers (perfect for sewing and crafts stuff!) and a big barrel (perfect for yard cleanup!). The post was 19 minutes old when I saw it. 

Finished. For now.

I mapped the route in Waze, then, as I was at the door, decided I should visit the loo. Along the drive, I imagined where I would fit the drawer thingies in the car, remembering halfway there that the cargo area still had two sets of snow shoes and some poles in it. As I drove up the destination street, a car passed me from the opposite direction on the cul-de-sac and I just knew it was the three storage unit things en route to their new home.

When I arrived at the house with the freebies, a woman was loading a wheelbarrow into the back of her SUV. She said she had come for the same barrel and storage things I had my eye on, but when she arrived, a lady was already loading all of those into her car. If only I hadn’t stopped for the toilet, I might have gotten at least one of the coveted items. Oh well.

It wasn’t a total loss. I got three flower pots, a bucket, and an indoor plastic trash can which will work for yard work, it’s just smaller the usual yard size. In other words, I’ll probably be able to load it into the back of my car myself and drop stuff at the yard waste area without assistance. This is still hypothetical. I took the items from the car and set the flower pots in the shed and the bucket and trash bin alongside the shed. Then I went into the house. I did not dive into yard work when I got home. Maybe at the end of the week when it’s cooler. We’ll see.

random thoughts – Day 2,252 (Sunday) – sunshine and calcium

Ferns in the sunshine.

It was a day of more of the same, except the weather was exceptional. Blue sky, puffy clouds, abundant sunshine and 84 degrees. The ferns in the back yard woods were pretty bathed in sunlight. The walk around the neighborhood didn’t require a jacket and/or speed walking to not freeze.. Thrilling! 

Dance practice was good. Our new troupe tops came in and were distributed. They are even prettier than I hoped. We ran through the dance for the May 31 show and the full program for a June 13 performance, where I know three out of the five dances well enough for muscle memory to be in effect, but the other two dances I don't know well enough to even fake it.

The note came from my primary care doctor about a  week ago about the DEXA scan. The verdict is “osteopenia,” which was the entire message from my doctor. One word. I wrote back and asked “What am I supposed to do?” Minimal helpful and hard to follow information arrived – specifically, “eat at least 1500mg of calcium from food sources.” Very little other info provided.

Now I’m reading articles online and reading labels and looking at charts I can buy (no printer, so I can’t just whip one off) and discovering with dismay how much stuff I like has zero calcium (potato chips). And how little calcium seems to be in a lot of other things I actually like. Milk is popular in the lists, but it stuffs up my sinuses and makes my throat phlegmy and because of that I have hated it since I was a kid. Seafood is popular on the lists, but I don’t see myself or my grocery budget taking a shine to oysters (barf), crabs, or sardines anytime soon.

Yogurt isn’t as cruel to me as milk is, and I may have to boost consumption from a bowl to a gallon daily. Maybe an entire cheese wheel every day? Tofu is on the list, but I have never succeeded in cooking an edible version of it, and usually end out throwing it out. Dining out so I can have properly prepared tofu is not likely to happen anytime soon, but maybe I can find a tofu cooking school. This is going to be fun. And by that I mean, probably not fun at all.

random thoughts – Day 2,251 (Saturday) – swept

The weather, one of my favorite topics to whine about lately, was greatly improved today. The sun was shining, the air was warm, and windows were opened. It was everything I hope for in a spring day. There were town wide yard sale events in nearby towns, a yard sale in my neighborhood, and a farmers market opening, but I did none of these things. I got swept up in the purple velvet vest sewing project.

The day’s goal was to finish the vest. When the side seams were taken in and the neckline reshaped, the arm holes were affected and needed to be expanded. The gold trim on the edges of the vest had been removed in several work areas, and remained sewn in place at the back neck edge. Today, the arm holes were fixed and the trim was ready to be reset. There was a challenge.

The neckline had been reshaped from a straight vee neck to a curved line inspired by the belly dance Turkish vest design. When the trim was being reset, there was no longer enough, because the shortest distance between two points is a straight line (old neckline), but I now had a longer curved one. There were two gaps in visible places where the trim ran out.

A message was sent to my talented and brilliant sewist friend with a photo of the trim gaps. She replied, “Space to sew on interesting notions?” I did the palm to forehead “Duh! Why didn’t I think of that?” thing and sprang into action.

Gaps in the trim!

Scrap fabric from the big skirt project was fetched, which is, coincidentally, the perfect colors for the vest. In the space of 40 minutes, scrap fabric was lined with scrap fusible interfacing to provide support (proving that my tendency to save practically everything pays off eventually). From the scraps, paisley and floral motifs were cut out. These were pinned on the vest in the two bare spots, and elsewhere to make it look like a deliberate design.

Fray Check would help keep fabric edges from fraying. Surprise! When a bottle of Fray Check sits in a drawer for long enough (decades?), the liquid solution becomes a solid. The WalMart website was checked for the availability of the magic stuff, and a trip made to the store. This ate up a solid hour of prime sewing time, because it seems to be impossible for me to enter WalMart, find the needed item and exit immediately. The pattern drawer didn’t have any new costume patterns. The clearance aisle yielded a spool of trim for $1.50. The bakery discount rack was empty. The sweet potato fries were too high up on the freezer shelf to reach.

Back at home, there was an epic battle to get the cap off the new bottle of Fray Check. When I couldn’t unscrew it by hand, I tried my back teeth, which hurt but didn't help with the cap. Running the cap under hot water finally worked. The effort included swearing and the composition of an imaginary letter to the Dritz company about the excessively tight cap.

Almost done.

Finally, all the edges of the motifs were treated with the Fray Check and set to dry while I finished trimming up loose threads on the vest. The hand sewing of the motifs was slow going. It took a couple hours to stitch a paisley shape at each shoulder area, which isn’t even where the trim gaps were. 

It wasn’t quite finished today, but almost (which really only counts in horseshoes, hand grenades and thermo nuclear warfare). Definitely tomorrow it can be completed after dance group, unless the gorgeous weather on tap sweeps me up in a hike or some outdoor frolic. 

random thoughts – Day 2,250 (Friday) – a break

We caught a break from the rain. The day started out gray and cloudy, but the weather improved and it was sunny later in the day.

Velvet dance vest,
ready for rework.

The indoor part of the day was spent milling about. There was some reading (The Cactus, by Sarah Haywood) and thinking about alterations needed to a newly acquired dance costume vest. Then, I reviewed some pattern pieces on hand, plucked out about a mile of stitches, and set about altering the piece.

There was trim to be removed and seams to be opened and restitched to take the top in a bit. A neckline modification needed to be drawn on paper, then the fabric cut, and edges hemmed. Fasteners needed to be shifted. More trim needed to be removed.

As the daylight that is so good for ripping stitches dimmed, I set the project aside for the day. It had already consumed more time than I first imagined, but that seems to be the case with all the sewing projects lately.

Part of the problem is I am winging it and learning as I go with most of the alterations. The biggest lesson is that it seems easier to make something from a flat piece of fabric than to alter a completed garment. The big challenge with sewing from scratch is finding a pattern to follow (or making one) and finding appropriate fabric. Also, seamstresses doing alterations deserve every cent they request in payment.

The outdoor part of the day happened around 6 pm when I took a break from the costume project and left the house for the first time in a couple days. I walked to the mailbox, then looped around the neighborhood. It was so quiet. I saw one car traveling on the street, and one other walker. Trees are still blooming, lawns are fresh and green, and the spring yard ornaments and décor are popping up in yards.

random thoughts – Day 2,249 (Thursday) – more rain

The rain continued. It was steady and at times, very heavy, and dampened (ha, ha) my enthusiasm to leave the house. I did not enjoy it. The forecast for tomorrow is “expect light rain.” I will probably not enjoy that, either. I’m thoroughly over it. 

Rainy day cake.

Today, I read. Baked chicken with honey, soy sauce, and ginger. Baked and frosted a cake. Practiced a dance. Worked on the straps for a dance top. Watched the water flow down the driveway. Looked at the back lawn and woods which were vibrant and lush during a lull in the precipitation.

Today’s high temperature was 53 degrees. The bright spot is projected to be Saturday with a high of 74 degrees, followed by Sunday at 81, Monday at 80, and Tuesday at 89. I hope so. I’m counting on it. My sanity depends upon it.

random thoughts – Day 2,248 (Wednesday) – chillin'

At 5:40, the morning brightness nudged me awake. By 6:00 I was out of bed and making coffee. That was possibly the brightest point of the day (in terms of illumination). It wasn't long before it got cloudy and gloomy. It rained (again). It was chilly outside (still). I was inside chilly and grumbling about the heat being on (again). I thought April was the month of showers and mud season but this year May is heavy in the action. Blah, blah, blah. 

Current table mess.

It was a day spent in the house with the exception of one quick trip out to mail a card and pick up some photo test prints for a project. Broccoli and brussels sprouts (current favorite vegetables) were roasted and lunched upon with risotto (current favorite grainy thing).

The dining / sewing table now has a bunch of photos in addition to piles of patterns and boxes of pins. In addition to looking at photos, there was time spent working on dance costumes (still), reviewing videos of the dances in the show, and practicing dances. Blah, blah, blah. 

After the upcoming shows are done, I wonder what I’ll do with all the free time. And where I will fit all the costumes. It will be fun to find out.

random thoughts – Day 2,247 (Tuesday) – time and balance

Another day gone in a blink. My biggest still-unanswered question is, why didn’t the days ever go by this fast when I was working? Maybe I need more stress and chaos to make the days feel longer, because they are disappearing much too quickly in the peace and quiet.

It stands on its own!

There was a bit of personal stress at dance group tonight, and time did stand still a little bit, so I may be on to something. I forgot a chunk of one dance that I practiced just yesterday. Then, I was using a brand-new veil that I will be using in the show’s opening number, and it is much lighter than the veils I’ve been using. Unfortunately, habit kicked in and I was still tossing it like the heavier veil I’m accustomed to, and it went badly, multiple times. It wrapped around my head. I stepped on it, I dropped it. I have a few weeks to practice away the kinks with it.

The 25-yard skirt had its first test run. The sturdy skirt that can literally stand up on its own had a successful debut at practice with no mishaps. It balanced out the scales a little, but couldn't make up for horrible veil work and forgetting a chunk of a dance. In the skirt dance, it was the music CD that had issues and it cut out twice.