Friday!

 

The Prisoner is 12 years old, but sure seems fit and healthy.  I'm not sure how cat years translate into human, but we can all learn from them:  they stretch often!

Friday morning, we had the brightest moments of the fourth consecutive Super Moon, as it headed for the Western horizon.  As captured by my phone camera it almost looked like a sunset.

The Brick masons showed up after the sunrise.  The one young man let me know about how the moon is getting farther away from the earth in its orbit as the years pass.  It's a slow move away, of course, but his comment sent me on an internet search. 

Since we were predicted to break the high temperature record for September 29 (and we did, btw), the men did their work as early in the day as they could, and were gone by 11 a.m.  The job is done, for the most part.  They will return on Monday to wash it down.  

The molding brace holding the capstone arch in place will remain in place over the weekend, and I'll avoid using the front door for that time.  The color of the mortar will lighten up as it dries fully, too, and the places that they did a few days ago are hardly noticeable now.  

As soon as I noticed they were gone, I went to the next item I'd been putting off.  I called the car dealer to schedule my oil change, tire rotation and inspection.  He asked if I wanted to bring it in at noon!  I did.  After that I went out again to pick up a prescription that was ready and a few groceries as well.

The kayak rental company is doing a full moon paddle tonight (Friday) but I waited too long and they were all booked up.  Instead, I reserved a kayak for Saturday.  This is the last weekend they are going to be renting.  After this I might have to lay low for a couple of weeks and save up my energy for the next Carl week.  

Life is good.  Keep on Sparkin'!

Who needs artificial Halloween decor?

 

When the real thing is right outside your doorway?

Believe it or not, the brick guys have not disturbed my local spider!

Yes, they are here on Wednesday, too.  I ran off to the pharmacy to get my flu shot, and enquired about the Covid shots.  The pharmacist recommended waiting a week or two before scheduling the Covid one (for me, anyway).  They are currently booked up for all the doses they had.  She said "keep checking the website" to find one when it opens up.

I snuck out to get the mail while the "men at work" became "men gone to lunch" and also snapped photos of the second column, now re-capped, more of the tuck-point work, and the scaffold now on the north side of the house where he's been grinding out the mortar that needs replacing.  They have not yet done the capstone bricks over the front porch.

I woke up stuffy on Thursday... weather front?  Arm's a bit sore from the flu shot on Wednesday, so could be a factor.  What I ate on Wednesday?  Possibly.  Allergens?  Between pollen count and the brick work generated dust?  Possible.  Isn't the "every morning as an old-er person" inner dialog crazy?  When we were kids we had little patience for what those old folks were talking about with their aches and pains and coping mechanisms.  Nowadays, I'm one of those old folks!

I was dreaming right before I woke up, and I've had this dream a few times over the years:  I'm doing a triathlon, but totally unprepared.  I don't have my bike ready, I get the swim done (last, like always) but then can't find my bib for the bike/run and realize I never picked them up.  I recognize that this is just a normal "anxiety" dream, like the one when you show up at school or work half dressed, or having forgotten that you were taking a class and it's finals week.  But the triathlon ones and the ones where I'm late to the starting line of a half marathon... they showed up after I started participating in these things, and even though I'm not "eventing" any more, this is the form mine seem to take.

Whatever, it's a lather-rinse-repeat day on the morning front... get the car out of the garage before the brick dudes show up, hopefully get the nasal stuff cleared out before they get here and it's time to go work out.

Thursday morning they got to the capstone.  As I was headed out to the trainer session, I took a "all I want for Christmas" snapshot of it.  The mason tells me that he found a couple of wooden shivs stuff in there, and there had not been enough mortar.

They did more grinding today, rang the bell to let me know that they are taking the afternoon off and will be back in the morning, leaving a prop in place.  Guess I won't be using the front door until they finish.

I can easily see why this is a good stopping point.  They are going to need to mix up a batch of mortar both to fill the ground out spots (tuck-point work), and to repair that capstone arch.

The lanterns are back and wired to light again, Thursday morning.

Onward!

Life is good.  Spark on!

Mondays are a good day to start things

 

Guess who showed up to drop off materials on Monday?  Yep, the brick mason guy!  Doesn't the weather look about perfect for outdoor work?  The angle of the sunshine screams 3-dimensional autumn!

It was a cool 56℉ when Frau Hackenbuscher (that's me) went out to whack down a few more volunteer trees and make sure the work area was clear for these guys.  They will build a little pile of bricks there on my driveway, I just have to avoid driving into it when I take the car out.  They will be leaving bags of mortar, too.

I asked if it needs to be kept dry (thinking I might have to tuck it into the garage).  He said it's not supposed to rain overnight tonight, so it should be OK.  He says they will be back to do the brick work tomorrow morning, doing work on my house intermittently with work on another site, since the two job sites are in proximity one to the other.  Even today's delivery is part of that, as after he leaves his supplies here, he'll be going back to the other site to pick up a deconstructed chimney.

The problem with the no-show last Thursday is being blamed on computer systems at the supplier.  They could not release his order because they could not get into their computer records.  Sounds about right.

As long as it's all done before the snow flies, I'm good.  Tomorrow morning I'll repeat Thursday's prep, get the car out before they arrive.

Tuesday morning, bright and early, the workmen showed up and started in.  I had taken Dexter out of the garage again, and they left me room to exit for my workout and to get back into the house again.

Being me, I had to take some more "men at work" photos:

As I was leaving for the trainer's studio.  They were starting over the garage entrance.

And getting set up to mix the mortar and build the new columns.

After I got home and had some lunch, went out and took a couple of "in progress" snaps, too.

This is a sample of the "tuck-pointing" in progress, the front of the garage.

One of the columns is looking pretty good there.

We'll see how many days this job turns out to be.  Life is good.  Spark on!

Waiting game

 

I have finally encountered the stereotypical "contractor" relationship.  The guy who says "I'm coming..." on such a day, and then doesn't.

Friday morning my smart watch / fitbit told me I was in need of a rest day.  Don't think I'd ever seen it say that before.  But I took its advice.

The calendar keeps marching on.  I got an e-mail from the kayak rental place, this is their last week of regular rentals.  So on a whim, I booked a Saturday noon paddle.  I have not used up all my punches!

However, Saturday morning I got a text from them volunteering to rebook me for Sunday, as it was starting to get rainy/misty and quiet at the lake.  I took them up on it... so Sunday afternoon it will be.

I'm loving the new glasses.  It does make a big difference to have a prescription that's adapted to the cataract-free eye now!

Saturday afternoon... is it safe to watch the football game?  Phew!  They are ahead 28-7 in the 4th quarter, and they paused the game for lightning!  I looked outside at sunshine.  This is a home game, maybe 6 miles away in Memorial Stadium. I point the camera in the direction of the stadium, you can see those clouds encroaching!

Less than ten minutes later, the front made it across town to my house, and I was seeing large drops come down.  

The TV said there are 8 minutes left to play, we'll see how long before they decide they can resume.  In the end, I don't know whether they resumed or not, but the home team won, so the city is happy.

Me?  I'm grateful for the rain!

Sunday morning had me grumbling at my scale which has the uncomfortable habit of "speaking the truth", no matter what I might think about that truth.  Sigh.

In the early afternoon, I betook myself to the lake, where I enjoyed the sunshine, the peace of the water, and watching the wildlife adapt to the changing seasons.

I did not get good photos, as I was kind of bobbling along on the water, but I did enjoy it, and it helped my inner calendar recognize that it is indeed astrological Autumn!

Observed were a heron, several turtles (sunning themselves and one even slid off his rock for a swim), dozens of ducks, and of course those of us humans who were out for a nostalgic paddle on a warm afternoon.

Life is good.  Spark on.

Time ticks on

It's been a week of quiet on my blog.  I was recuperating from all the scheduled / social / peopling things, and just not to up even on-line peopling, so to speak.  I did the minimum things around the house, and hid from the world.  I did manage to get Dexter's gas tank filled, laundry done, and otherwise sank into streaming a couple of shows on Prime.

I have to admit that in retrospect, it might well have been at least partly "how I mourn" for Rubia.  In the meantime, The Prisoner has been getting spoiled.  I had purchased several of the little premium cat food cans to try to tempt her to eat in her final days, but since that failed, The Prisoner started getting fed breakfast from a can.  And now he has become quite vocal in his demands for this morning treat.  This reminds me of my sister's cats, who have had their food routine set to adapt to their medication needs.  They, too, are accustomed to having the morning greeted with canned breakfast, and meow at whichever caregiver is present to let the human know it's time!

About fifteen minutes before their closing time, they eye doctors texted me that my "new" glasses were ready to pick up.  I texted back that I'd pick them up Wednesday morning.  I warned you that you would not see much difference:

New.

Old.

Tuesday evening I heard rumbles of thunder.  Sure enough, a few drops were starting to fall.  I don't think we got a lot, but it's welcome.  I padded downstairs to take a photo of the sky.  The Prisoner was wise enough to not go out in the rain.

Wednesday morning my daughter in law swapped messages with me about an upcoming opportunity to Carl-sit.  The kids are heading down to a resort town for a vacation the latter part of October, and I get my favorite canine.  They trust me!  Despite the mishap of their honeymoon.

So I have a month to get myself (and the house) in Carl-shape!

Life is good.

Spark on!

You won't see much of a difference...

When the new glasses come, that is.  With assistance from my driver / sister, I picked frames that look very similar to the current ones on Monday morning.  However, I expect my view will be somewhat different / better.

The current ones in a selfie with The Prisoner.  The Prisoner has decided he needs to do some of the things that were Rubia's duties now that she's not around to do them.  Today he was up nudging my computer mouse-hand for attention!

Sunday morning, I put in another session on the project to pull down the vines and cut down the volunteer trees.  I was pacing myself and came in after an hour or so, and three bins full.

My over-peopling time period continues this week with my two trainer sessions and a financial "review".

Next week (as mentioned in the prior blog) the Brick Mason's crew will start the tuck-pointing.  

There was a surprise in my mailbox on Monday... a sympathy card from my daughter in law, for the loss of my cat Rubia!  I did not expect this, but I have to admit to being once again impressed by this token of kindness.  I think the older we get the more we prize simple acts of kindness.

Ooh, surprise!  Tuesday morning while I was off working out with the trainer, the lawn guys came and took away my branch pile from the bottom of the driveway!  It was just a little pile, but now I can take down a few more before Friday's garbage day!

Trainer workout schedule is skewed this week due to a track meet for the coach, on Thursday.  So my second workout will be on Friday instead.  He ran the Last Blast Triathlon this past Sunday, when I was lopping those branches in the photo, not kayaking the swim leg. I had said after a scary drive pre-dawn last year that I would not volunteer again for the race.

Wednesday morning I got a text from the brick mason, asking if they could start today.  

They are doing the deconstruction of the columns this morning.  We played the circuit breaker guessing games to figure out how to cut the power to the landing lights, and the cord stretching to figure out if we could reach their cord around to the outdoor plug in spot, since the same circuit breaker turned off power to the outlets inside the garage.  Homeownership is such an adventure, isn't it?  Most of my breaker box is nicely labeled, but nothing mentioned the porch or landing lights!  Obviously, I have not needed to turn that circuit off for the past 24 years.

Life is good.  Spark on!

The family my son married into

This is my daughter in law and her dad, the day of our Labor Day cookout.  This is the man who (along with her mom) nurtured this amazing young woman.

She's a graphic artist by trade, and has an appreciation for art of all kinds.

She's an avid reader, consuming hundreds of books over the course of a year.

She's an animal lover who had never had dogs or cats growing up (due to allergies), but learned a whole lot about birds that were her childhood companions.

She is compassionate and tolerant and amazingly curious.  She is polite and generous and beautiful in soul and body.  And my son is so lucky to have won her love and loyalty... and I wish them so much good life ahead.

A talented photographer, she also has a sense of humor.  She took this shot of (foreground) the three parents who came along on the Robber's Cave tour in July.  Mom, Dad, MIL, to her.  Background is the tour guide and other tourists.

I started writing this blog Sunday morning the 10th of September, spurred by a couple of comments related to the Community Free Market.  The Free Market is only one of several "give back to the community" volunteer efforts in which this family participates.  There is also a "Repair Café" where people can bring appliances and such in need of fixing, and volunteers do everything from sewing on a button to rewiring a lamp, etc.  That's also a once a month thing, usually on a different Saturday from the Free Market.  Lacey (DIL) published a coloring book for kids about the Little Free Library movement, and her folks are custodians on one in their yard.  From the LFL movement, the Little Free Pantry movement was born, too.

In short, I'm very pleased with my son's choice of a mate... both of them had a previous marriage that did not work out, and both of them seemed to have learned from the experience.

A promising sign observed at their house recently was the "Carl, go to your room" command.  It did not matter which of them said it, he would immediately do just that... trot down the stairs to his den/kennel.  Later he would sneak up the stairs to see if he was forgiven, (and who could NOT forgive that face!?), but I think it shows the seeds of good parenting skills in years ahead.  NOT ANY KIND OF ANNOUNCEMENT!  (Maybe a little grandma-wishful thinking, but not an announcement.)  Give it a few years, already, Barb!

That's my gratitude piece for today.  Grateful they found one another.  Grateful for the emphasis on leaving the community and world a better place in the wake of living here.

Life is indeed good.  Spark on!

 

Week after next for the Brick Mason

 

This is the most obvious part of the "brick renewal" project.  Most of it is what they call tuck-pointing.  But those two pillars at the two ends of my skirting wall?  He's going to completely re-build.

The ground beneath the pillars has settled over the 45 years the house has stood here, causing them to lean like the tower of Pisa, away from the wall.

Friday morning pre-sunrise we had a little shower.  Not much but refreshing.  I could feel the air quality starting to improve.  The AQ alert ended about noonish, and that improvement is welcome!

The brick guy came to the door without calling first Friday morning.  I was home anyway, so no problem.  He left samples of the brick he intends to use to build the new pillars.  Instead of being varicolored as the old ones are, the new pillars will be a single color.

Lighter in color, but matching one of those many varied colors, I believe it will blend nicely.  He says a week from Monday (and they will call or text first) they can get started on the tuckpointing.

I heaved a sigh of relief... that gives me more time to finish my de-forestation project!  Not starting until a week from Monday means my eye appointment to get my new prescription won't get in the way, nor will my Wednesday review with the financial guy interrupt the process.  

Because I was not scurrying to finish the defoliation, I promised myself I would go get rid of things (if anyone wanted my cast-offs) at the Community Free Market.  My daughter in law and her parents are part of the group that put this event on, monthly.  I haven't been in a couple of years.  Last time I went we were pushing little plastic guards to make masks more effective during the pandemic.

I put out a whole bunch of clothing that I've given up on ever fitting into again, a varied collection of books, and those odds and ends that constitute, "I ordered one, they sent two"; "these were freebies from the dentist, but I don't use that kind/brand"; and "I accidentally bought the wrong thing".  On the whole, I managed to get rid of more than I found to bring home.  I brought home two books, one by John Grisham, and one by Tom Clancy.  And a 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle that the people giving away had labeled as "Missing 1 piece".  

I am declaring the morning a success!  One of the things I most appreciate about this event is the personal connection.  Those receiving whatever they choose often are also given the story of how it means something to the giver.  One woman was collecting clothing for the residents of a nursing home where her aunt lives.  She chose a kimono from another woman's offerings, but somehow did not get the belt.  The woman who was giving the kimono away chased her down to make sure the belt went home with her, too.  She shared the story of how the kimono (purchased in Japan) came into her possession.  The woman receiving the kimono shared that it would be going to a woman who does not have night clothes and who shares a room with her aunt.

A couple of people asked me if I knew how often these were held, and I knew, so shared that information, plus pointed them toward the Facebook group where they could find out when and where future free markets would be held:  "It's like a garage sale, but everything is free."

In any case, Life is Good.  Spark on!

The Brick Mason cometh

 On Tuesday while in my last set of abs exercises at the trainer's studio, my watch started jiggling like mad.  I did a quick wrist flip, and sure enough it was a phone call.  From the brick mason.  I finished my workout and called him back from the parking lot.

I probably mentioned the brick guy coming out in April to estimate the work.  He would do it in mid to late June, he thought.  Time passes.  End of June I called to make sure I was still on his list.  At that point the time became "mid August".  I didn't even mention that I had surgery scheduled for then, figuring it might slip again and it would not be worthy of mention.

Surgery came and went, and so did Labor Day.  On Tuesday I got home while he was still matching up mortar shades and taking a small brick sample to head out in search of replacement bricks for the ones that would indeed need to be replaced.  I asked him about what more I needed to do with "Sleeping Beauty's Forest" for it to be ready for them to access and work on the house.  He showed me.

So on Wednesday, after I got back from a breakfast outing, I filled 3 more tubs with brush and vines and volunteer saplings.  The weather on Wednesday was much cooler and easier to work outdoors in.  But I stopped after 3 tubs to pace myself.  There will be no trainer workout on Thursday as the trainer is putting on his race director's hat for the weekend ahead.  That leaves me Thursday morning to continue to work on the foliage!

The sunflowers are still blooming, but I think they are beyond their prime.

Regardless of temperatures, the time and the angle of the sun tell this old lady that Autumn is in the process of arriving.  So all our cleanup projects best be either planned or underway.

Wednesday afternoon walk with kid sister was indoors, due to the AQI of 160.  We mall-walked.  It was louder... echo-y with mall music, but we moved!

Thursday morning I got out again, as I don't know when they'll be coming back and there's a lot to clear out.  Frau Hackenbuscher is at it again!

There is clearly more to be done, but I'm having to pace myself.  It's still smokey out there!

The brick around that window needs to be accessible for the brick guys, and all that vine needs to come down.  I have to admit to loving the vine covered fence and walls, but it really is not good for the longevity of mortar.

Thursday night as I was brushing my teeth, the phone rang.  I had to call back my neighbor as I didn't get to the phone in time to answer it.  He found Rubia's body in his yard.  So at least I have closure.  Her remains would seem to indicate that she didn't actually expire until sometime today.  I'm grateful she wasn't disturbed by a predator.  But sorry that if she was suffering, she was lingering for over a week.

I took a selfie with Prisoner before we knew "for sure" that Rubia had crossed over.  Thursday evening, The Prisoner followed me as I carried her body (in a cardboard box) into the garage, where it stayed for the night, wrapped in a garbage bag before disposal Friday morning.

One thing is clear, dealing with her little body:  she no longer inhabits it.  She is free of the limitations of the recent past.

Life is good, but at times sad.  Spark on, anyway!

Circle of life stuff

Twelve years ago last February, we lost my nephew.  He was in his 30's, and he died in his sleep.  His mother never did recover from grieving.  For me, the tears did not come until a month later, when my dog Diamond breathed her last on the vet's table, with me stroking her head at the end.  Then the tears flowed freely.

It seems to be happening in reverse now, as Rubia has again gone missing, and she was failing more before she did.  She's been gone since Monday the 28th of August.  She hadn't been eating, drinking, or using the litter box the last couple of days before that.  Since she came back twice in the most recent yo-yo episodes, I was not quite ready to say she's gone for good, but in my heart I feel that way.  She just slipped away when I was doing a chore and did not return.

Baby Rubia, when I first brought her home (eight years ago).  

Recent snap after she came back the first time, when she seemed to be getting better.

The last photo I took of her, when she was hunkered down on the deck, before she slipped off on Monday morning.  She has not returned.  

There seems to be little logic in how long a pet will live, especially if you rescued them.  Rubia was born in a shed and lost her mother to a speeding car.  The Prisoner is four years older than Rubia was, and began life in a rural home where his pregnant mama was "dropped by the side of a road".  Beyond that, there are many guesses one might make about  everything from whether a cat is indoor/outdoor, to the vaccinations, to sometimes surgeries, to turning your back on them to unload the dishwasher.

If she has, as my mom used to say "crawled off into the bushes to expire," I have to go back to what I said to my sister in law when she lost her son (the nephew mentioned above), "a life does not have to be long to be meaningful".  

Saturday evening, flipping through the TV channels, I came across the movie Steel Magnolias.  Y'all know that's a multi-hanky movie, right?  That's when the tears started to threaten.  Well, I guess it proves the eyes are functioning and connected to the emotions, even the eye that had the cataract removed.

Sunday before Labor Day I shared the news of her departure with the family.  My house has shrunk to a one-cat household again.  The Prisoner seems plaintive with his meows, as though he, too, questions her absence.

I maintain that Rubia lived a good life and that she added to mine, even when I called her a nuisance.  

Life is Good.  Spark on!