Happy DAy! in These titles mean nothing.

I am in an exceedingly good mood. I suppose caffeine is a big factor. I made a pot of coffee this morning in the mini-Mr. And I’ve filled the First Nations cup with ice three times - twice at home and once at Casey’s - and then filled the cup with hot coffee. Nice. I like it anyway. It’s sort of a condensed summer thing.

Ok, I’m sure you’re dying to know more about what puts me in a good mood, or what I do when I’m in a good mood. They feed each other: good moods and what you do. The edge of mania is a good place to be - at least as long as you can hang onto your wallet, your heart, your personal safety.

So.

We move on.

I had a pretty good week. I worked 50 hrs, including ten yesterday. I turned down working today. I have kids coming and besides 50 is enough - for most purposes. Anyway that is asking a lot from someone who has those kind of demands on their life. And of course you can only do what you can do. And of course it’s good the place is busy. And of course, even better, it’s good that today is Saturday and I am not working.

Confession. I did not walk much last week. I did not get to 10,000 steps even one day so my graph is not as perfect or as pretty as it was before. That’s ok too though. I will get going again soon. Today with any luck. Tomorrow for certain.

Kids are coming this weekend. In fact I might get interrupted in the writing of this grand opus by company and if so I’m sorry. Life is about interruptions. Good ones are good ones.

Kids will be there till Monday, when we go as a group to one of the Loggers last home games of the season. They will take off to meet old friends at a Wisconsin campground with the exotic name of Jellystone. Also a visit to the Dells might occur. Hans of course is vacationing with us. That’s exciting too. This morning’s housecleaning manic included finding and washing his dishes. I’m sure he will be grateful. Though… he has learned where Gracie’s self-feeding bag of dog food is and he’s learned the joy of drinking water out of creeks. He is truly on vacation when he comes here. His old dog crate is in its permanent place by the bathroom door and across from the piano. He enjoys spending time in it. He sleeps there, goes to time out occasionally and just settles in when he wants to. The crate has books on top =- of course and it’s used as a clothing folding table.

I was up not too early - seven-ish I think and made the aforesaid coffee. I did some housework - careful not to do too much. I want the house to retain its character. What did I do? A list?

A list:
- Burned trash, several times as it showed up
- Worked on the bathroom
- Swept the floor
- Cleared off the table
- Cleared off the counter - some of it
- Did laundry
- Put clean clothes away
- Organized cans and bottles and newspapers and magazines for a trip to the Redemption Center and the recyclers

That doesn’t sound like much but it was more than I usually do.

Oh I’m wearing my cutoff bib overalls. My veiny legs are on display to whoever wants to see. And my public radio t-shirt and my Good Will flip flops. The overalls are my husband’s last pair of Keys. He would wear overalls as a second layer in the winter. It shows how big I am that they are barely wearable for me. They are cut off pretty long so modesty is not an issue. They are kind of fun to wear. They have a lot of pockets - though the jeans I usually wear have a lot of pockets too.

Talking jeans - I had a laundry accident today. Remember the black Wranglers I talked about the entry before last? Sure you do. Well I washed them today. Along with them was a white cotton heavy stocking cap that we picked up on the trail at Reno Bottoms. I had washed it before but it had a water stain on it that would not come out. So I soaked it in bleach in the bathroom sink for a while. Anyway...... the unrinsed bleachy stocking cap made contact with my black jeans and not the black jeans have a sort of random area of a lighter color. When I hung them on the line I saw it. It’s on the back - more down along one leg than across my ass. I stood and studied it, trying to decide how odd it would look when I wore the pants. It’s not too bad. But it’s not too good. I guess I will continue to wear them. I am not much of a fashion plate as you too well know.

I eventually got myself going to town. I filled the Buick’s trunk with recyclables and filled my First Nations cup the second time with ice and coffee. I was off.

By the way, the weather today is perfect. Clear, sunny, warm, breezy.

I went to the can place first and dropped off two sacks of nickel cans and one sack of non-nickel aluminum cans and the two six packs of bottles from the beer John picked out and I paid for at the liquor store earlier this summer.

Beverages we buy in Wisconsin don’t have the nickel rebait so we have both kinds. I had a sack of bottles from Jim’s Canadian beer and a sack of newspapers and magazines that I take out to the county’s trash/recycling place.

There is a little park right by the recycling place. It’s down off the road - cannot be seen from the road at all. I wasn’t even aware of it until several years ago when our retired drivers ed teacher - whose last name interestingly enough was Angel - disappeared. He and his car were gone. After several weeks of searching and announcements in the media, he was found at the little park. He had had a heart attack and his body was found in his car. It’s sort of a strange story - it shows the park isn’t used that much, although I believe it was in the winter when the man disappeared.

Anyway today I noticed the sign leading to the park - it’s called County Home Park and it was developed and is taken care of my the county conservation commission. There is a fairly long driveway to it - leading down over a hill. When you get there, you see a picnic table with a roofed shelter over it and beyond the picnic table, down a rather steep wide grassy path is an absolutely beautiful pond. It’s a very healthy looking pond. It has a little dock floating off the shore. I walked out - looked down into the clear water and thought wow is this nice. I took off my flip flops, and sat on the edge of the dock of the pond and dangled my feet into the lovely warm/cool water.

After a bit I took off and walked along a mown grass trail that lead to another pond - a scummy one to be fair - and around behind the first pond and across a wild hillside of Austrian pine and blue spruce and shoulder high summer vegetation. Lots of blue menarda, queen anne’s lace, tall daisies and stuff that just made you feel good. The trails would add steps to your day. I have a feeling this would be a nice place to add to a walking repertoire. Not as glamorous as Reno Bottom but a hell of a lot closer to home.

The Buick needed gas and Kwik Star’s pumps were all busy so I went to Casey’s. I’m not sure why but I am more likely to buy gas at Kwik Star - I think the price is the same. If you want to buy other things too generally Kwik Star is cheaper and it has a bigger variety of merchandise. Casey’s of course has its donuts and pizza. Casey’s is a good place to order pizza and then go pick it up. Damn I”m making myself hungry. Of maybe more accurately I’m realizing I am hungry.

I stopped for some luxury groceries at Fareway. The store was busy too. I got some silly stuff, popsicles, Little Debbie apple pies, a Globe!!! for heaven’s sake. The Globe tempted me with promises of dirt on Andy Griffith. I haven’t read it yet, and I’m always, eternally ashamed of myself for buying it. I got a big cantaloupe and some luxury sandwich makings. Good meat, good lettuce, good bread, mayo and today even tomatoes. The usual sun dried tomato chicken breast was not available so I got some classy ham.

Fareway has carry out kids - all trained to be interested in the people they help - what a gift to the customer and the employee. I told my long blonde haired carry out girl about the little park and its beauty. She said she knew about it and goes fishing there. How ‘bout that?

Now I’m home. No one is at home. Jim is haying and the kids have not arrived. I’ve put groceries away and I’ve written here. I’ve also boiled potatoes - jackets on - and eggs for potato salad. I’ll try to take time to chop the onion and celery a little finer this time. Last time I had to eat it all myself.

I hear the tractor in the yard. I suppose I should see if I can round up some food. I am hungry too. The potato salad will be for later.

So good bye people. Have a good weekend. Let me know if you want to know the dirt on Andy Griffith - otherwise I will keep it to myself.

Here are some end of day light pics from a day last week.

Last updated August 01, 2015