Random List

:: We had a fun holiday weekend with three days of sunshine in a row. This is something that hasn’t happened around here in six months. ‘Twas wonderful.

:: We went to a high school graduation party that was held at a cabin on a family farm. To get to the party we drove out-of-town into the countryside to a small road lined on both sides with cow pastures. From there our directions told us to look for the balloons and turn right. We did as instructed, driving on a rough path down the middle of a cow pasture, over a small hill, and arriving at a lovely party totally hidden from view when on the road. It was nice to be outside in a relaxed atmosphere– watching kids play games, talking to other guests, drinking beer, having fun.

:: We decided to go to the cemetery to see the Vietnam Memorial Traveling Wall. It was interesting and well-planned. The scale of the wall is smaller than the original, but it still manages to re-create some of the original’s ambiance. If nothing else, this exhibit gives an inkling of how amazing the real wall is– and perhaps encourages those who have never visited Washington, D. C., to do so.

:: While at the cemetery we walked around for a while. Wandering through the grassy areas we saw all sorts of unique tombstones and family markers. One said, “integer vitae.” Neither one of us knew what that meant so when we got home, I researched it. This is a phrase from a stanza from an ode written by Horace. “Integer vitae” is telling you to live a life of integrity so that you’ll be safe no matter where you go. Good idea, huh?

:: To decorate for Memorial Day I put red-white-blue stars-&-stripey pinwheels in the flower pots by our front door. And then I put two smallish flags in a flower-pot along the front walk. EZPZ, but stylish and inviting. However, except for one other family on our street who put out one big flag, no one else decorated for the holiday. Don’t know what to make of that. This neighborhood usually goes overboard for any and all holidays.

:: We finally had a cookout– our first of the season. Burgers and veggies cooked on the grill. Fresh berries on ice cream for dessert. Served with delightfully cold white wine spritzers. Simple and delicious. Just the way summer is meant to be.

{april – monday – morning}

√ It’s Get To Know Your Neighbor’s Trash Day in our suburb this morning.

Monday is trash day here and most neighbors put their trash by the curb on Sunday night. Last night we had high winds that blew everyone’s trash around the yards and into the street. So far no one has been a slug about picking up the mess in front of their property. Yeah!

However, every once in a while we have someone who moves here and refuses to pick up any trash but their own. We don’t like those sort of people. They don’t last long here in Mom Trails. [That’s my nickname for this subdivision.]

√ Word of the day is slabjacking. I love saying it. *slabjacking*

It means that our front sidewalk will be “magically” lifted from underneath to make the sidewalk level again and connect with the bottom of the front stoop. This requires specialized equipment and the expertise of a concrete company. *slabjacking*

Currently the front sidewalk is uneven and sinking to the right which is dangerous and ugly. When the company finishes this repair, we will have a level sidewalk and everything will look almost like new. *slabjacking*

√ I’m allergic to April.

My allergist refers to my particular allergies as “rose fever.” I’d be a darned bit less snarly about these allergies if there were some roses on the bushes now. But the bushes around here are all thorny and dormant with no flowers on them.

I asked my allergist about this obvious discrepancy between reality [no roses in sight] and his term for my malady [clearly based on the concept of roses causing something]. He just laughed, said it was an old-fashioned term, and kept on telling me what to do to relieve my itchy, bitchy, twitchy-ness. Nothing like modern medicine, eh?