I say to Ed -- it's a conspiracy! One day it's a cat, the next, it's my mother calling for no good reason, this morning it's a storm and a cat and my mother! I'm referring to these beastly early wake-ups. The ones that rouse me way before I can punch in a solid seven hours of sleep (eight -- the target for ancient people -- seems like a dream...).
Since my mother clocks in four calls today before I can even sit down to breakfast, I decide I better work in a visit with her to see if I can adjust her habits a little. (Right now, she presses her call button. All the time. When they cease to respond with alacrity, because it's the twentieth time in the course of an hour, she calls me. It's a cycle that I wish I could break for her, but so far, I've not had any luck.) Okay, add to my growing list for the day.
But first, a walk to the barn. It's wet after the 5 o'clock storm. And buggy! So very buggy. Yuk. I take a couple of photos and move inside. Very quickly.
(a dainty Clematis climbing up an tall stump)
Breakfast is nice, though Ed is half asleep. It's early still.
And then I am off. Another appointment -- it was to be my last this week but guess what! It begets another appointment! I blame my postwar birth and the troubles I had with my lungs then. Well, no matter. I'm terrifically strong, despite it all!
Then -- my mother. I come in just as there is a meeting in the hallway of three staff members -- two aides and a nurse. On the subject of my mother. She called for help. No surprise there. She wanted a shower. Understandable. Aide came to work on that. My mother refused. Claimed she is momentarily too tired. Intervention needed!
Unfortunately, the shower impasse takes so much time that I can't get to my goal of setting her up with something to do that is not merely pressing the call button. But, on the upside, she is now showered.
Next -- grocery shopping. I'm going away in about a week and I want to stock up the pantry with foods not only for the week, but for the days I'm gone. For Ed. Careful planning required!
Then -- I have a set of keys to duplicate. This is a chapter out of another kind of funny story: Steffi's House. Remember Steffi's House? This one?
Well, I'm helping my friend with the purchase of it. Closing is tomorrow. Moreover, since my friend hadn't intended to move in right away, I convinced her to let the young and very pregnant Polish couple (baby due... early next week!) use it for the summer. Sort of a terrible idea, because first of all, the house is not fully finished (you know how construction goes...) and secondly it is unfurnished. Still, they acted in reliance on this offer and they are ready to move... tomorrow! Into an unfurnished unfinished house, expecting a baby momentarily.
I've been keeping an eye on the construction issues (they always blame the rain which, I suppose is understandable given our spring this year). Last I checked, the steps weren't yet poured in outside. And because the law requires habitability as a prerequisite for the sale to move forward, the builders put in a rail all around the front entrance so that no one will fall down and break their neck. It looks very very funny! (See the rail in the photo?) As if you are forever trapped and cannot leave!
I had stopped at the hardware store to have keys made to the mailbox, because I am told that everyone always loses the key to the mailbox and so there should be multiples. I also purchased cleaning product, to remind the young couple moving in tomorrow (to this unfinished, unfurnished house) that cleanliness is important. (I have no idea if they are, in fact, fastidious. Polish habits vary in this regard.)
Finally, by mid afternoon, I am home. Briefly! Because it's Thursday, we have the local market taking place in the afternoon. I have a great fondness for the market and so does Ed. We are off -- me, on a bike, because I do not want to lose out on some form of exercise that is more than just getting in and out of a car.
(definitely at the peak of the strawberry season!)
On days like this one I have no time to think. [Younger people do not need to set aside time to think. They, therefore, might find it strange that I should miss time for churning out trite musings. Because, after all, I no longer attempt to solve work problems, or to help students navigate their path to degree acquisition and gainful employment. The thing is, maybe older people haven't seen it all, but they've seen a lot. And if they're at all clearheaded, they like to recall, and place current happenings in the context of their past experiences. With the belief that this leads to a deeper understanding of the way things work.Well, that's the theory at least. (My theory!) Today, no such deeper understanding was reached about anything because, as I've said, I had no time to just sit back and think.
But, my quiet week isn't over yet! I still have tomorrow! Even as it promises to be a not quiet day at all. In fact, it may pick up some awards for being the craziest of them all.
Until then!
with love....
