by Judy Handley | Mar 23, 2023 | 2023 Life Logs |
2023 Life Logs, Day 82: Memories
Date: Thursday, March 23, 2023
Weather: Overcast and Rain; High 52, Low 41 degrees F
Location: At Home in the Cottage, East Falmouth, MA
I got a note on Facebook tonight letting me know that a high school classmate of mine who I was very close with had a stroke and died this week. Jerry Hill was voted ‘best looking’ in our class, but he was so much more. He was a person whose beauty was inside and out. He was the kind of friend who always had time to listen to your problems. I don’t know who wrote his obituary, but it was truly beautiful. I never thought I would say an obituary was beautiful but reading this one left me flooded with tears and memories. It outlined in detail the wonderful ways in which Jerry touched people’s lives. Jerry received his graduate degree in Theology from Northwestern, became a minister among other things, and believed fiercely in the interconnectivity between us all. “What happens to us after we die, he never claimed to know, but found endlessly fascinating. At funerals, or in conversations about death, he would likely say that the body left behind no longer holds the spirit of the deceased. He liked to think that we simply become a different piece of the fabric that connects us all.” So, we shall stay connected, my dear friend.
I had an epidural to inject steroids into my spine this morning. The hope is that it will help relieve the inflammation caused by my two herniated discs which might allow them reabsorb more quickly. The pain relief, if the procedure was successful, is often not felt for a week or two, so we shall see how that goes. I rested for a few hours when I got home and then went for an epic grocery store shopping trip. My refrigerator was empty as I have not placed my Misfits order for home delivery for two weeks. After shopping for an hour, I will not forget to place my Misfits order this Friday night!
by Judy Handley | Mar 22, 2023 | 2023 Life Logs |
2023 Life Logs, Day 81: Heavy Lifting Day
Date: Wednesday, March 22, 2023
Weather: Mix of Sun and Clouds; High 49, Low 43 degrees F
Location: At Home in the Cottage, East Falmouth, MA
The high temperature today was a degree lower than yesterday, but there was no wind today and it felt warm and wonderful. It was forecast to be mostly cloudy, but the sun kept insisting on breaking through those clouds. It was a delightful spring day. My job today was supposed to be finding hardwood mulch and straw needed for ‘planting’ mushrooms at Heather’s. You don’t really plant them, but you need the hardwood mulch and straw for bedding and it is hard to find, at least locally. But when I remembered that I am having a pain management procedure done on my back tomorrow morning that requires I do no heavy lifting for a day or so, I had to change my plans. I can look for hardwood mulch and straw tomorrow. Today I needed to get the shelves out of the basement that I use for starting seedlings each spring. There are two full height wooden shelves that are connected in the center and collapse when not connected. So, I had to separate and collapse them in the basement, bring them upstairs, and then reassemble them. And that requires moving everything out of the living room so they can be assembled on the living room floor. I did not quite get the job done when it was time to go get Jonah and take him to evening soccer practice. But I completed the job when I got home and now I need to get to bed so I can get up early for the pain management procedure. And if anyone reading this knows where to find hardwood (not oak) mulch or straw this time of year, please let me know.
by Judy Handley | Mar 21, 2023 | 2023 Life Logs |
2023 Life Logs, Day 80: Happy 11th Birthday to Ollie
Date: Tuesday, March 21, 2023
Weather: Mostly Sunny, A Little More Like Spring; High 50, Low 36 degrees F
Location: At Home in the Cottage, East Falmouth, MA
Heather and I started our day together meeting with another contractor to look at renovations to transform the bonus room above their garage into an in-law apartment. I’ll be anxious to see how much this contractor projects the costs to be.
After leaving Heather and Jed’s, I drove to Mashpee to do some shopping errands and then spent my afternoon making birthday cupcakes for Ollie to take to his first Boy Scout meeting tonight. Then at 5 pm, I headed back to Heather and Jed’s for Ollie’s birthday dinner. Ollie scored big on presents this year, but one of his favorites were three Rag & Bone t-shirts.
He has fallen in love with them because the cotton is so soft. Happy Birthday to Ollie!
by Judy Handley | Mar 20, 2023 | 2023 Life Logs |
2023 Life Logs, Day 79: Doesn’t Feel Like Spring to Me
Date: Monday, March 20, 2023
Weather: Mostly Sunny, Windy; High 43, Low 34 degrees F
Location: At Home in the Cottage, East Falmouth, MA
There was sunshine today, but when I went outside with Shadow at exactly 5:24 pm to celebrate the first official astronomical minute of spring 2023, it didn’t feel like spring to me. The wind was roaring making 42 degrees F feel like 32 degrees–freezing. I had on my winter coat, my toboggan, wool socks, and gloves and was still cold. Regardless, I welcome spring and hope it soon feels just a tad warmer.
I continue to take baby steps toward preparing for my move in July. Today I focused on cleaning up a few rusty tools so I can try to find a new home for now. I also cleaned a lot of my things from Shirley’s shed that I have used while living here. I will continue this slow process, a little each day of spring 2023.
by Judy Handley | Mar 19, 2023 | 2023 Life Logs |
2023 Life Logs, Day 78: Lights in My Life
Date: Sunday, March 19, 2023
Weather: Mostly Sunny, N Wind; High 39, Low 28 degrees F
Location: At Home in the Cottage, East Falmouth, MA
For me, each of my grandchildren is a ‘light’ in my life. Today, I watched Ollie receive his Arrow of Light and cross over to Boy Scouts.
He is the third and final Goldpebble that I will have had the privilege to watch go through this ceremony and it was a beautiful reminder of how bright Ollie’s light shines in this world.
I am so lucky to live close by and to be able to be a part of these special events. Both of Ollie’s brothers were there to greet him as he crossed into Boy Scouts … a very special welcome.
Jed performed his final official duty as Master of Falmouth Cub Scouts. He will still be involved in the final training of the incoming Master at some camping events, but soon that volunteer commitment will be over. Congratulations to Ollie, to Heather and Jed as parents, and to Jed for his years devoted to Falmouth Cub Scouts.
by Judy Handley | Mar 18, 2023 | 2023 Life Logs |
2023 Life Logs, Day 77: A Family Oriented Day
Date: Saturday, March 18, 2023
Weather: Mostly Cloudy; High 49, Low 30 degrees F
Location: At Home in the Cottage, East Falmouth, MA
My day was spent with family. First thing this morning, I took Sam, Jonah, and Sam’s friend Sebi to Harwich for spring soccer practice. We got back to Heather and Jed’s around 12:30 pm and Heather asked if I had a minute to stick around. She wanted to show me some of her most recent gardening projects. Her front yard gets no direct sunlight once the trees get their leaves, so she has decided to grow mushrooms in part of the mulched area. She has also rearranged the planters on the deck and has some new additions. She was finally able to find planters that fit over the deck railing. The ones that she found in the past only it over a 4-inch wide cap railing, but Gardener’s Supply now has ones that fit over her 6-inch wide railing. Then she showed me an area in the backyard where she could transplant my raspberries. Since I am moving, I have been looking for a home for them and Heather had the perfect place. She asked the boys to clear some roots in the area where they would be planted while she and I went to my house so Heather could dig up the raspberries to take home and plant. While she was here, we loaded the van up my black felt growing bags filled with soil and a few bags of organic garden soil and mulch I had. We joked that I could open up a gardening supply store! She headed home to plant the raspberries and I drove around looking for straw and hard wood mulch that she needs to start the mushrooms. No luck on that, but she did get the raspberries planted.
I then switched gears and made a meatloaf to take to Heather’s for dinner. She and Jed went to the Falmouth Education Foundation gala tonight
and I went over to fix dinner for the boys and spend the evening with them.
