First of all, you knew that I would cave and get a new pocket camera. And sell the old pocket camera. I watched the refund for my flight from Milan to Paris come in and said aha! That's a deposit for a new pocket camera! Now all I have to do is sell the old one. We are in the process of writing up a Craigslist ad.
I mention this because the new camera came last night and I stayed up poring over the book of information that came with it. Since it is made by the same company as my good camera (that's in the shop this month) -- Fujifilm -- somehow I had thought that knowledge about one would be transferable to the other. It isn't. I went to bed very late (or early this morning, depending on your perspective) and still didn't understand half of the most basic parameters of its functions. I couldn't sleep anyway. I'm forbidden popcorn for at least a week because of the mouth surgery and you know how dependent I am on Ed's popcorn. Shattered routines. I munched on stale cheese puffs that melt in your mouth and still manage to taste like cardboard and studied the densely filled pages of the manual.
This lack of complete knowledge did not prevent me from taking my nifty baby Fuji along for my morning walk. You wont notice any difference, but I sure as heck did. A new and wonderful picture taking experience! I loved it!
(step out into sunshine)
(on hot days they like to hang out together in the shadows of the old barn)
(the perfect peach)
(the venerable farmhouse)
Breakfast on the porch. This one I will remember! (Yesterday's is a complete blank. Indeed, anything that happened to me yesterday before noon is one misty slate (effect of medications). Whatever I said or wrote to anyone -- know that I wasn't altogether there!
Today is indeed a hot day. That's fine. August days can be toasty. But for the first time this summer it is also really buggy. I am fighting mosquitoes! This is a terrible disappointment! We thought we were past their threat, but no! They are here and they make life outside difficult again. Ed asks -- should we move? I say -- where to? He says -- New Zealand? Or Ireland? I say -- too far from the kids. He says -- they can visit. How many times have we gone around this? Oh, maybe 100. There are some things that just drive us to despair. A swarm of mosquitoes is one of them.
In the afternoon we go to the farmers market. We are late, it is hot, we want to avoid coming into contact with people. In other words, the nifty little camera stays mostly hidden. We just want to get our cheeses, give away a few dozen eggs, say hi to farmer Natalie and run.
Since the market and our CSA pick up spot are both close to our local Thai place, I suggest a take out dinner. It's been a while! Of course, this means that we must balance the huge bag of CSA groceries and the cheeses and hot Thai food on Ed's not too large motorcycle. It is a tricky deal! Our success today is marked by the fact that nothing spills, nothing goes haywire, and we don't actually look at places in Ireland or New Zealand, but instead call someone who will spray some garlic stuff on mosquito infested farmette spots. Hey, I call that a pretty good run! All that and a new pocket camera too!
I ask Ed -- want to watch Rick Steves PBS travel show on Europe? I mean, so long as I'm staying put I may as well throw comments at the TV screen as Rick has us traipse through old markets and ruins of Greek theaters. The man's made a fortune by putting together itineraries for bewildered and confused travelers. I admire his business acumen, really I do. Even if it always seems just a little too touristy, who cares. I can only wish to walk those same cobbled streets and cross the grassy sheep fields some time soon.
In the meantime, Ed is out solid, asleep next to me on the couch as Rick drones on about Greece, about Sicily, about Portugal. Europe brings out the sleepies in my once-travel-companion. Maybe it's a good idea to follow his example just this one time. Good night! Until tomorrow!
