Saturday, September 19: Today was my Gramma date with Isaac. I knew it would be a good day with him when he came out to the car smiling shyly at me. Isaac prefers to look stern and hide his emotions, but he couldn't help looking pleased and happy. He brought along his tablet and pretty much kept his nose stuck to the screen the whole ride over to McDonald's (his choice for lunch), but he did answer the questions I asked and tell me a thing or two voluntarily that had nothing to do with questions asked.
He left the tablet in the car when we went in to eat our lunch and boy was it like turning on a faucet and not knowing how to stop the flow at that point. That boy talked and laughed and talked and talked. He told me jokes, of things that went on at school or home. At one point he made a comment and used a word that I didn't quite catch. It was unusual, not bad, but he quickly apologized and said, "Oh that word means..." and he told me what it was then added, "I forgot you were old." Despite myself I chuckled and he quickly apologized.
Issac is blunt and direct. He never means to hurt, and it's only been in the past year he himself can hear how what he says may sound. I confess that this was a point he and John often got hung up on, because John would get his feelings hurt and sulk and then Isaac would be upset that he'd hurt John and he'd sulk, too, which made them both a bit snippy with one another. There was nothing I could do about it but hope they'd work their own way around to an understanding and towards the end, they had begun to do just that.
Well, Isaac has learned to explain himself and today he said after his apology, "Would it have been better to say you were elderly or that you were a Gramma?" "Gramma would have been a little nicer," I assured him and congratulated him on thinking about how what he says sounds to the hearer.
When we got back to the car, he never did turn his computer back on. He just continued to talk. I taught him that ancient song, "Found a Peanut" after I found an escaped peanut from my ice cream cup. He asked me to sing the song two or three times more and then he made up a game that involved passing cars that lasted until we got back to our hometown.
We took many country highways home, and I was so happy to see that, at last, just two days shy of Autumn, the goldenrod has finally begun to bloom! It gladdened my heart to see it. It might not get cool, but still the blooming goldenrod is a sure sign that autumn is on its way.
When we arrived at Isaac's house, Sam came to ask if I still had a tv antenna he'd given us years ago. As it happened, at some point last month while I was in the shed, I'd stacked it near the door with sundry other items to be donated. I never went back to load them into the car. I stopped on my way up the driveway and pulled it from the stack. Then I loaded as much of all the other donations as I could into the car. Might as well while I was right there even if it was stinking hot outdoors.
A big boom of thunder made me scamper to shut the trunk and the shed door and pull the car around to the carport, so I could hurry inside. It thundered for the next four hours with no more than six drops of rain to go with all the fuss.
Honestly, it was a lovely Saturday.
Sunday, September 20: I am hungry...I wasn't hungry when I came home from church and I settled into my chair to read blogs. But now, I find I am genuinely hungry. This lackadaisical sort of approach to mealtimes is both freeing and a little risky. If I eat lunch now, at 3pm when will I eat supper? Or do I skip supper and then find myself very hungry indeed and looking for something lighter to snack on around 9pm? I much prefer to stick to an eating window that runs 10 am -7 pm but my body does not always cooperate with me on that!
I was well pleased with my outfit when I left for church this morning. I have a nice and very comfortable pair of navy trousers, my new brown Skechers, a thin off-white blouse that I put on over a white tank and just because I know it tends to get chilly in church, my new brown cardigan which is super soft and lightweight. Nothing fancy but I felt nice. Until I got to the car and looked down and realized I was wearing navy pant with brown shoes...and John absolutely thought that navy and brown were absolutely NOT meant to be paired together and he was quite adamant about it. Mind you this is the same man who preferred nothing but black shirts and blue jeans, so why I suddenly thought his sense of fashion should shake my conviction of how I looked is beyond me.
Lovely morning at church. I arrived early enough I was able to speak with several folks I knew before service as well as after. I'd told Sam I'd come home early so he could visit today. Then Katie contacted me as I was leaving to say she was home from taking Taylor to meet her dad and to come over. I bowed out of that, came home and here I've sat since I arrived, with no company. I know Sam will likely come over after supper tonight if he didn't come after lunch.
(He didn't...and I admit I was a bit hurt because I'd so looked forward to having a visit with him.) We haven't had time to catch up in nearly two weeks, so I'd like to see him. But I do admit, if I'd known he wouldn't be coming until later, I would have gone by Katie's before I headed home as I feel I've barely seen that family at all this month.
Oh well. I'm off to see what I can gather and make a very late lunch out of...
Monday, September 21: In just three hours we will officially be 24 hours from entering into Autumn. Apparently, our weather received notice...It is meant to be considerably cooler from the first day. By considerably I do not mean crispy or even what others might say feels cool. It will be very mild, not in the 96-100F range at all and honestly when you've been greeted with real heat daily, 80-85F is practically Chili weather!
Now if only the weather report will prove anywhere near reliable. I'm afraid the forecasters, are, as John once said, "False prophets, every one of them!" So, I shall reserve my real excitement for when I actually SEE that the temperatures have dropped.
However, a more reliable sign of a season approaching arrived today: the propane gas man came by to check my tank. For the first time in years, I needed no fill-up at this time (and no wonder when it's so hot!). But I do expect that I will receive a bit in November.
I had a crud night for sleep. No clue why. I slept two hours, woke, couldn't go back to sleep, got up and had a cup of coffee and read several chapters in both of my books. Since sleep still remained elusive and it was now gone past 5:30 and I was hungry, I made myself breakfast. For some reason, once having eaten warm food, my body decided that it could after all be sleepy and tired and I toddled off to bed and slept for a good three more hours which is enough to manage on.
When I woke, I threw open the windows to air the house, fed Sassy and spoke to Stranger cat, who almost ran up to the porch this morning. Then I came indoors and contemplated the day.
I did NOT have another cup of coffee nor a second breakfast. I was ready to go to work. That's how I know I had enough sleep.
I cleaned my bathroom really well, including cleaning the window and decluttering three of the baskets on my closet shelves. I felt very satisfied when I left that room this morning. It sparkled and shone and smelled clean and the closet shelves looked tidy and neat. I also had a fresh list of things I want to do, need to buy, or recalled seeing in my shed and thought could serve a purpose in this room. Honestly, I think only one item, perhaps two, are to be purchased and one of those is a stick vacuum. I find that the dirt/dust in our bathroom is powdery fine and I think a stick vacuum would pick up that dirt off the floor better than my broom does. But then again, perhaps a broom and a damp mop would work as well.
From there I made my way into my bedroom. The work there was less intensive, but I determined that today was the day to remove the donations from my room. I have loaded my car trunk with donations from my shed, and these may as well go over in the same trip.
Then it was Money Monday and Menu Monday time. I like to check in and make sure I've accounted for my spending from the past week, check to see which bills are due, etc. And then I looked at the week ahead, what I have in the fridge that I need to use, check the freezer, etc. and plan meals, often all three meals for each day. Then I made out a grocery list. I try to keep a running list on the fridge that I add to (or strike off) items as the week goes on.
And by the time I'd done that, I decided I was really hungry once again (it was now 12:45). I made myself a tuna salad plate and my gracious that really was delicious, as were the saltines. Hunger does indeed make a great appetizer.
From this point in the day, I puttered. I washed the olive-green blouse once again, having discovered one area that didn't quite give up the oily stain. I watered plants, refreshed flowers, did dishes, put things away, read emails, etc. Just little things that in and of themselves aren't heavy duty or hard but all put together fill an afternoon.
Wednesday, September 23: Autumn is finally here. I looked at the calendar and was surprised to see that officially Autumn didn't start until 8:09pm on September 22. I was amazed. I think at every point in the past, I would have believed it began in the morning of the day but no, it occurs after sundown. And if you all knew that, then please ignore my ignorance!
It was also the six-month mark of John's death. I am happy to say that I handled the day pretty well overall. I remembered his last day of life and things that he said or wrote, who was with me and how dear they all are though I've not seen anyone except my own children since. But these people are the sort who will ALWAYS be a friend to me and I to them. That's the sort of friends they are.
I spent the day yesterday playing in the kitchen. I had some cooked ground venison in the fridge and determined that I should use the eggroll wrappers I also had to make Southwestern Egg Rolls. I tell you sincerely, there is no recipe. Basically, you add red/orange/yellow bell peppers, a jalapeno, onions, and garlic and taco spice to the meat, along with black beans and corn. Then you place some cheese (I used Pepper Jack because I am a spicy girl) and a scoop of the meat mixture and rolled in the wrappers.
They turned out very good. I baked them instead of frying, thinking I'd have a less oily product. Not true. I overdid it with my spray oil. However, they still tasted terrific. I blotted excess oil with paper towels and froze 10 of them for the future which I will reheat in the air fryer.
I also noted that two of the apples from North Georgia I'd picked up at the farm shed, had a bad spot. I trimmed off the bad spot and shredded the apples and made a lovely muffin that I used sour cream in (about to expire and trying to use up). I have no recipe to share. I went by baking instinct alone, but it worked out beautifully. The muffins are tender and delicate and delicious. I made a caramel drizzle to go over the top to 'dress them up'.
I was very happy with the results in my kitchen this week. I think I've finally got my cooking mojo back!
This morning I decided to take a half dozen muffins with me to my friend's house where I was meeting her for a girls' day out. It felt so nice to have something to take to give someone.
I confess I was a bit disappointed in the weather. First day of autumn, and it was cooler. Also, so humid that just walking to the car left me wet with perspiration. I kept looking for signs of autumn all the way over to Susan's home. I drive along country backroads to her place. Aside from golden rod there wasn't a thing.
Until I turned a corner on Susan's road and then I saw her. It was a smaller tree, tucked up amongst pine and cedar and oak. This was a small tree that stood no more than 8 or 9 feet tall amongst her neighboring trees. But this girl was dressed in the loveliest new copper-colored leaves. I smiled. "Someone came ready for the Autumn party!" I said, as I slowed to get a better view of her. I was so proud to see her all decked out that when we left Susan's, I insisted on driving back past her just so Susan could see the glory of her as well.
We had a nice day. We never lack for things to say and while we typically shop in thrift and antique stores, today went a little differently. We visited Hobby Lobb fabric department and then sort of wandered through the autumn stuff which was crammed right up against the Christmas things which we didn't look at as much. I told Susan I was very aware that if I want to have a new color theme this year, I need to be checking right now for the ornaments I need to complete that theme, but on principle, I cannot look for Christmas decorations in September, I just can't. But I did purchase one of the first Christmas gifts today. That I can do without any qualms at all.
We ran an errand for me, into a Goodwill where we walked out empty handed because Susan kept finding things she'd donated, lol. We left there empty handed. We had lunch and then went into BJs to pick up a few items we needed in the grocery department. Then we leisurely drove along country roads looking for more autumn. One small sighting, far across a field, of a small group of trees sporting golden lime-colored leaves. That was all.
Tonight, I noted the sun set was lovely...and occurring at 7:11pm! This was John's least favorite part of autumn each year, the early fall of darkness. I confess, I've been watching the time the sun sets move steadily earlier each evening and I'm not for it, either!
Friday, September 25: Yesterday, I missed out on the perfect opportunity to clean the patio. It was cool and cloudy outdoors. Unfortunately, I felt plum ill. My head ached, my tummy felt queasy and no amount of stern talking to or coaxing made me want to go outdoors to work. Instead, I sat in my chair, with open curtains and windows and enjoyed the cooler breezes, all the while wishing I felt better. I finished the last of Winter in Thrush Green and many more chapters of Wives and Daughters, and watched a load of tv, dozed and ate and somewhere along about 7pm realized I actually felt better. I went to bed about 9:30 and slept like a log.
This morning it was truly chilly out, but alas, I have a Friday housekeeping routine, and I wanted to stick to it because honestly, I really enjoy my routine days, as much as I enjoy the days I mark for spontaneous things.
This weekend, I have Millie's day with Gramma to look forward to. And a visit to Katie's, and church and maybe just maybe Sam will be by for a visit, but we'll see.
In the meantime, I can't help but note that we now have less than a week of September left...October will be here next Thursday. John always called October his favorite month of the year and he used to literally plan his vacation days so he could take the whole month of October off to simply enjoy it. I would like to make the most of October too, in memory of him, I think.
