2024 Life Logs, Day 280: Rainy, Rainy Day
Date: Monday, October 7, 2024
Weather: Rain All Day; High Temp 62, Low 48 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue, Falmouth, MA

My nephew Tommy and I went out to breakfast at Betsy’s Diner where the sign out front says, “Eat Heavy.” Tommy and I failed that test. Neither of us could eat more than half the breakfast we ordered. But I still love Betsy’s Diner for its retro charm. Tommy then traveled on to Chatham to his business conference and I returned home to spend even more time dealing with my sister’s move from rehab back to her assisted living tomorrow. And even as I write this, I still have more calls to make in the morning. The wheelchair that was delivered today is the wrong size, so I have to get a smaller one delivered. It goes on and on.

I had one goal today and that was to reply to an email from my daughter in-law’s parents in England. I got that done and picked Ollie up after school, did a little house cleaning to get ready to host my book club tomorrow, but that was about it. It rained all day, so my walk with Shadow was a short one this morning and we didn’t get to play ball. Tomorrow the sun should shine, so after book club, we’ll get outside.

2024 Life Logs, Day 279: Clam Chowder and Smoked Brisket
Date: Sunday, October 6, 2024
Weather: Partly Sunny; High Temp 64, Low 49 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue, Falmouth, MA

This evening my nephew Tomm, who is from the Charlotte, NC area, flew into Providence and arrived here in time for a late dinner. He is on the Cape for a business conference that begins tomorrow at the Chatham Bars Inn, but tonight the Goldstones and I combined to fix a welcome dinner for him. Sam smoked a brisket. I went over early in the day to check out the process and was surprised at how big the brisket was. And at the end of the day, I was delighted with how delicious it was. Thank you, Sam! And I made clam chowder from fresh clams from Bourne Pond and added crispy roasted potatoes and a salad. It was great to welcome Tommy once again to Cape Cod.

2024 Life Logs, Day 278: Woods Hole Film Festival Screening
Date: Saturday, October 5, 2024
Weather: Partly Cloudy; High Temp 69, Low 49 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue, Falmouth, MA

My day started with Ollie’s soccer game and ended in Woods Hole at a fil”m screening of Jimmy Tingle’s The “Radical” Middle: Why Would a Comedian Run for Office? Judy Fenwick, a friend I met when Heather was running for Select Board had an extra ticket and invited me to attend with her. I had never heard of Jimmy Tingle, but I promise you, watching his film, which will be on YouTube starting next Friday, is worth your time. I had never heard of him, but people really familiar with Massachusetts politics know that he ran, unsuccessfully, for Lieutenant Governor in 2018. Before that, he was a long-time comedian. Incorporated in the film are clips of him from the past on the Johnny Carson Show and 60 Minutes. If you want to know more about why a comedian, or anyone, should run for office, you must see his film. He is very, very funny, but he has a sincerely serious message. To learn more, you can go to his website at JimmyTingle.com.

2024 Life Logs, Day 277: Life Happens
Date: Friday, October 4, 2024
Weather: Sunny; High Temp 67, Low 56 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue, Falmouth, MA

You make plans, then life happens. Whatever I planned for today, and I can’t even remember now, it didn’t happen. Starting as soon as I got back from my early morning walk with Shadow, I spent the rest of the entire day dealing with my sister’s move from rehab back to assisted living. I had to communicate with the Medicare Advantage insurance folks, the health director at her assisted living facility, the social work at the rehab facility, the person who places her Home Helper companions, and with my nephew Tommy and Brian who takes care of my sister’s finances. I must have talked to or left messages or sent texts to each of these entities at least 4 times during the day. And the plans kept changing. Even at 6 pm this evening, the social worker called and informed me that the wheel chair and walker my sister has been using in the rehab facility belong to the facility. I thought they had been purchased through her insurance. The social worker, probably not happy to still be working at 6 pm, ordered wheel chair and one other piece of equipment through insurance, but I had to then get on Amazon to order the new walker.
I am mentally exhausted, but I think I finally have it all set. The good news is that my sister will be able to return to her assisted living apartment on Tuesday. The bad news is that no family members will be there to assist. But she will be transported by the rehab facility and her Home Helper companion will follow and help her get settled back at home. My nephew Tommy who will be here in Massachusetts for a business conference next week moved some of her things today and the Home Helper will get the rest on Tuesday. I will fly down the following week and make sure all the new arrangements at the assisted living facility that were agreed upon today are working.

I am now going to go get on my exercise bike and watch some mindless television hoping to block out the stress from today. Good night, all.

2024 Life Logs, Day 276: Spectacular Fall Weather
Date: Thursday, October 3, 2024
Weather: Mostly Sunny; High Temp 66, Low 54 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue, Falmouth, MA

For seven days we have had really spectacular fall weather. Lots of sunshine, warm days, cool nights, a little wind here and there, but nothing too strong. It has just been so nice. I haven’t spent as much time outside as I would have liked, but I have enjoyed each and every day. Today was a busy one that included a lot of driving here and there. I delivered Shadow to Pampered Paws up by the Bourne Bridge, went to an early lunch with my Vegan Lunch Bunch, picked Jonah up at the high school to take him to a dental appointment and then back to school, picked Ollie up after school and took him home, and then I drove back to Pampered Paws to pick up Shadow. Shadow looked great, but he is such a rough and tumble little guy outside that the perfect grooming doesn’t last long.

Oh, and I stopped by Bruce and Jane Woodin’s to pick up an outdoor rug they were getting rid of. I will use it outside under my glass table during the winter, saving the new one I bought for that purpose this summer, for next year. All along, I was planning to roll up the new one for the winter, but I was dreading the bare spot outside the front door as it will be a muddy mess when it rains. The purpose of having the rug was to cover the grass so Lynda didn’t have to move outdoor furniture to mow. It worked out great, but now there is no grass under the rug, just dirt. So now with a winter cover, I won’t have to have that bare, muddy spot all winter. Here’s hoping for another nice day tomorrow.

2024 Life Logs, Day 275: Happy New Year
Date: Wednesday, October 2, 2024
Weather: Mostly Sunny; High Temp 64, Low 52 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue, Falmouth, MA

Rosh Hashanah is the celebration of the Jewish new year, and like the secular new year on January 1, the most common greeting for the holiday is “Happy New Year.” “Shanah tovah u’metukah” can is also used and that means that you are wishing one “a good and sweet year.” Heather invited me over for the lighting of the candles and for dinner. We first ate apples and honey as the apples represent fruitfulness and the honey symbolizes a sweet year. And we ate bread from a round challah which is traditional. I believe this is the beginning of 5785 in the Jewish calendar. Happy New Year!

It was another beautiful day. Shadow and I took a long walk through town this morning and then I did some food shopping for making tabbouleh for my Vegan Lunch Bunch tomorrow. I made the tabbouleh, played outside with Shadow, did a little weeding in the backyard flower and herb garden, but spent most of my day on my computer. I have started another one of my photo organization projects. I am only two years behind, but I did make progress today.

2024 Life Logs, Day 274: Lovely Fall Weather
Date: Tuesday, October 1, 2024
Weather: Partly Sunny; High Temp 66, Low 53 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue, Falmouth, MA

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene and the total devastation left in the storm’s path, I feel guilty enjoying this lovely fall weather … but not guilty enough to stop enjoying it. At the same time, my heart aches for all the people who are trying to figure how to survive in their new reality.

I took a lot of things to the Swap Shop at the town dump this morning and then came home to fix a broccoli and cauliflower salad to have for lunch. Karen Baranowski was coming over to bring me quahogs that Peter got for me. He bought them from a commercial “clam man” who works in Bourne Pond. So as long as Karen was coming over, I invited her to have lunch. We sat on the back deck for lunch as it was just too nice outside to sit inside. Unfortunately, Karen came in a great mood and left a little depressed. I had just read an article sent to me from my daughter-in-law’s father who lives in England. Phil sends me political articles from The Guardian from time to time and this one was particularly depressing. It was about why Kamala Harris is falling behind Trump after an initial surge forward. Apologies, Karen, for passing on my fears about the upcoming election.

After Karen left, it was time to pick Ollie up after school. He had to bring his tenor sax home from school today as he had private saxophone lessons at 5 pm. That that sax is just too big to carry very far. I took Ollie home, came home to play ball with Shadow and talk to my sister, and then I picked him up for his lesson. I am now home and just finished dinner. I am getting ready to watch the Vice-Presidential debate. I shall not speak another word about politics today, but I will watch.

2024 Life Logs, Day 273: Happy Birthday to Heather
Date: Monday, September 30, 2024
Weather: Partly Sunny; High Temp 66, Low 55 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue, Falmouth, MA

Today was Heather’s 49th birthday. She loves sunflowers and yesterday when we were at Tony Andrew’s Farm we saw people coming back on the hay wagon carrying sunflowers that she was admiring. So today I drove to Tony Andrew’s Farm to pick some sunflowers. But when I went into the store to inquire, I was told to look at the big sign by the door. It stated very definitely that there is no sunflower picking until this coming Saturday, October 5. The woman explained to me that yesterday people were picking the sunflowers anyway and that some people pulled them up by the root even though that sign was on the wall yesterday as well. So, no sunflowers for Heather from there. I traveled on to Mahoney’s and bought a pot of chrysanthemums instead, but on the way home I remembered that Windfall Market always has sunflowers, so Heather got both for her birthday. Then, tonight after Heather and Jed got home from town related meetings, we had cake and Heather opened presents. I gave Heather a wooden bowl made by her Uncle Steve in Florida. Happy Birthday, Heather!

The other big activity today was taking Shadow to meet Archie. Archie is a small poodle puppy belonging to Joanie Thompson. Joanie lives close by, so Shadow and I went over for a play date. Archie is just over six months old, is tiny compared to Shadow, and is very shy with other dogs. Joanie and I wanted to see how our dogs would react to each other, and it was a positive experience. Joanie and Archie will come here to visit and if that is successful, then I think we will feel comfortable dog sitting for one another.

2024 Life Logs, Day 272: Sundae Sunday at Tony Andrews Farm
Date: Sunday, September 29, 2024
Weather: Partly Sunny; High Temp 65, Low 53 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue, Falmouth, MA

Today was Sundae Sunday at Tony Andrews Farm. Heather sent a text this morning inviting me to go with them, so I did. I think this was a first Sundae Sunday. At least Heather and I don’t remember hearing anything about them in the past. It was the farm’s way of welcoming in the pumpkin patch season. There were lots of people buying pumpkins. But not us. Heather, Ollie, and I are adamant that we wait until later in October to start the pumpkin ‘thing’. So Heather and Ollie had an ice cream sundae, Heather’s with an apple cider donut on top, but they skipped the pumpkin ice cream. The rest of us just had apple cider and apple cider donuts. Sam, Jonah, and Jonah’s friend Kaden didn’t stay long as they were heading to the golf driving range and then Sunday pick up soccer. When we got home, Heather and I worked a bit on figuring out the easiest way for me to share a ton of photos with her. After Sam’s senior photo shoot yesterday, she realized that she is missing photos from Sam’s early years as they were stored in Picasa. When Picasa went away a few years ago, Jed and I transferred the storage of our Picasa photos, but Heather did not. It is easy to get lost in the world of photo organization on your computer, and so I have been wandering in the land for all of this evening. As always, I am terribly behind in organizing my photos. I have this very convoluted process that worked for me before the age of Google Photo, but I think I am going to give up and let Google do the work for me in the future.

2024 Life Logs, Day 271: Senior Sam; Wine Group Octoberfest
Date: Friday, September 27, 2024
Weather: Partly Sunny; High Temp 68, Low 55 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue, Falmouth, MA

I spent most of today getting ready to host my Wine Group’s Octoberfest this evening, but just before people arrived at 5:30 pm, I got a photo from Heather. It was a photo of Sam standing in the water at Quissett Beach.

It was in the exact same location where we had a family photo shoot in 2009 and it brought back a flood of memories. Mark and I had flown home from Malaysia for the births of Ziggy in New Mexico in April of that year and then on to Cape Cod for the birth of Jonah in Massachusetts in June. Before we headed back to Malaysia, Justin, Jo, and Ziggy came to Cape Cod to visit and we arranged a photo shoot of the expanding family on the beach in Quissett. Today’s photo of Sam was part of his senior portrait photo shoot, and thankfully he had his clothes on! In 2009, after the photographer had taken a photo of the entire family, she was setting up for photo of Oma and Granddad with the three grandchildren. Somehow during this process, two-year-old Sam escaped, took off his G-diaper, and gleefully headed into the water.

77

Thankfully the photographer was unfazed, and we enticed Sam out of the water and took the photo without the diaper.

That’s why I said that I am glad he had all his clothes on today. I just can’t believe he is now seventeen and will graduate from high school this year. What a range of emotions that triggers.

Our wine group Octoberfest this evening was a total success.

I am the only beer drinker in the group, so in my honor, everyone brought beer instead of a German wine which was a choice. The four different types of German beer we tasted were all really good and everyone liked them.

We played beer pong to determine the order of presentation and then proceeded with the tasting of beers and food pairings. We ended the evening by taking a photo in ‘costume’ to send to the members who couldn’t be with us tonight.