Family and Friends

We rented a car and went down to Edisto where the whether was hot and humid. I had my heart treadmill test a couple of weeks ago. And that was very good results wise. So, the humidity was no fear for me. We had a great couple of days there and in Charleston for a couple of hours. It was good to see old fiends and family. One day we will have to all go down there for a celebration that someone else is putting together, and we will just show up. Nahhh. I am sorry we did not have enough time for more beach, but as you can see we did have a little time, anyway. I will show more pictures latrrrr. "I have troubles with my r's." I have to tell you, I missed place my camera during the party, and saw at least 8 lying around the house while I was looking for mine. Enjoy the pics.

THE NEWS AND THE DAMAGE

I thought it so funny at first when the politician Jim Graham was sending out emails that he would have other people on the case for us in the block re-doing of the road and sidewalk. But it has become pathetic in the "bullcrap" they gave us in response to our concerns. No one dealt with us directly. It was a chain of emails that meant nothing was getting done for us, but they will put forth the emails saying it is getting done. The last one I got, assuring me most positively the person would see to it that it was looked at, sounded like a hand-off taken with that "The Sting" smile that Robert Redford could do so well. I am just glad that I shouldn't have to deal with their brush-off emails anymore. Our stairs are not as bad as Nate's shown here, but I am sure that the city would just blow us off as they have in the last couple of weeks about the "minor" damage done to our properties, and problems with the back hoe they used. I certainly haven't heard a volunteering of anyone to come look at what the damage. There I got that mostly off my chest, I won't have to worry anymore about it till next election day. The other picture are of "Bright and Spiney"(the plants, not Matthew and Shelley) as I have decided to call them, and then of course Matthew and Shelley at a celebratory dinner for his defending his thesis, I think.

A day in our life.

Matthew and I went shopping for cabinets for the Kitchen today. Well, looking is a better term. Then we went to lunch. I came home, and Edvard and I spent some time outside, a lot of time outside. We eventually went for a walk. It was cooling down so the shade was a nice place to be. William came and joined us. As we were walking home, we saw two guys helping another guy who was walking in a tight circle, just going around and around. Stopping and doing it again. He didn't look drunk, so I asked William to go up to see if he needed some water, because it looked like he was in work out clothes. The guy sort of latched onto William. And he was holding on to him. Then they crossed the street for some reason, and finally a cop car showed up, and then a fire engine, and another that was sent away. The EMT's tested his pressure and did a blood sugar. They were sure he was having seizures they just weren't sure what kind. Then the Fire Dept. ambulance showed up, and they all thanked William for his help, as well did Tom who was first there to help the guy they now know as Grant.
It was good to know we helped the guy. William said he did this easier with knowledge of having been with me on my diabetic escapades. So, we walked home some more and about 3 blocks from home I saw a worm struggling on the side walk. I got a leaf and a stick and scooped it up on the grass. It was small, but my contribution. William laughed at me because I wouldn't actually touch the worm. Ah, well.
We made it home. Enjoy the pic

Soup and Dishing

Okay here is the deal. I had to go to Rockville to get some things for work, and I went to one of my favorite lunch time places. Ambrosia. Well, I had to wait for for Melissa and while I was waiting I ordered tea and a bowl of the Greek egg lemon soup. Well, when it came to my table, the waitress said, "It looks like it is egg-lemon plus soup." To which I rightfully responded,"What?" And she went on to say that it looks like they added more stuff than usual to the soup. And sure enough, there was red peppers and celery and carrots, I think. Now, the celery might have already been in there, but my stomach went a little tight. When I order something that is tried and true. Do not, I say, do not, throw other crap in there. One of my favorite recipes that mom makes is Shrimp Pesto. And after me having three glorious times, I go home, and she has made it with tomato chunks and other assorted alias things in it. Not fair. It is like adding harmonious choir behind John Lennon's "Imagine," or New Coke, or whatever else people have done to ruin a good thing. Such as adding white tires to their front yards. ell, sometimes that helps, but that is a personal thing. Well, I am done now. Anything else would be redundant. PS I ate and finished the soup. I was upset, but hungry. Enjoy the pic. More to come a little later in the week.

A near perfect Spring day.

It was beautiful this morning on our morning trek through the neighborhood. I told some ladies yesterday that Edvard normally has me walking on the weekends early, and, "Sure enuf 'E and William, teamed up aghin' me," and we were out the door by 6:15 walking through the hood. It was a beautiful cool morning though, so it wasn't so bad. We are going out to VA today to get the grill, and get rid of some of the back porch clutter. I have a picture of the backyard to show the progress. And the other tree, is one that is in the dog park that we made it to this morning.
I have come back home, and I am drinking a Diet Rockstar. It is a energy drink that I tried a couple of weeks ago, and really seem to like it more than any of the others. It is in a tall boy. It tastes better, to me anyway, than the Red Bull or Tab energy drinks. It also gives me a smooth pick-me-up rather than a rough, "Hey, let me slap you awake!" kind of feel. Now, it is also a two-serving can rather than a single. But I like what I like and that is the way it is. Amen.

The poem for the day is a short one that I wrote coming home from college years ago on the bus. It was night time and the sky was clear. I could see the dirty landscape and the trash along the highway, and the town we were traveling through was poor, or so it seemed. I was thinking how I would not like to live there. It was then that I looked down next to the bus while were waiting for the light to change, and I saw this huge puddle with the reflection of a pine tree and the moon behind it. It was beautiful, so:

Passing through these puddle towns,
Small town living, small town people,
Small town trash, and small town puddles.
If one looks into that simplicity,
Into that simple puddle,
One can find that reflection,
Of that beautiful sky, that beautiful tree,
Those beautiful thoughts.
Simplicity


Enjoy the pics.

Buddha watches over us

We have added Buddha. He is one of the finishing touches to the garden. He has been in our kitchen for three years now, so he was relieved to be back to nature. We got him from a shop on Connecticut Ave. about 4 years ago. Actually, Ralph and William obtained him. Ralph is a ball buster when it comes to getting the price down. I love the peacefulness he brings, I am speaking of the Buddha statue now, along side the tree. William worked today at oiling the teak chairs we got also several years ago. They will be great with the picnic table, which has also been in our kitchen. Life comes along for those who are patient. Actually, it probably comes along for those who aren't patient, as well. Just not as Buddhisticly.
Now, Edvard here is lounging in the kitchen sleeping on his kitchen chair, as well as the smaller seat next to it. Bless his heart.
Oh, and speaking of heart. I went for my cardio-with injection-treadmill-stress test. Whoo, ain't that a fun thing to do, but it all came out well. The doc says things are good. He had pictures to back up his diagnosis.
Which brings me to another poem. Not a long one, but one that I feel to share today. Actually the one I want to share, I just don't feel like typing the whole thing. This one is something I have felt in the past on many different levels of my life. In many ways it is like he said in "The Holy Grail," "Well, I got better." So, it is less of a overbearing feeling, and sometimes an irky feeling that I think of:

I wish I was like everyone else,
For it all seems so natural to them.
They go and go, with out a glitch,
I can't seem to get started.

I do not blame those above or below
Though I do throw questions to the air.
If I were the same, would I be the same?
If they were me, would they be like me?

I think not.
Only I can be me, and so I shall.
Damn those insecurities that life plays us, and move on.
I may not be who I want, but I am getting as close as I can.



The old last lines don't play out as well now as they didn't then. But they were still defiant:

Only I can be me, and so I shall,
Damn the insecurities, and full throttle forward,
I may not win, but I will be a hell-of-a-close second.

Enjoy the pics

Squirrel Bandit

Okay, I do not know if you can see this, but there is a squirrel that has a bone that I am pretty sure Edvard had buried and he/she had recovered it. The squirrel was chowing down on the bone, and I thought I would take pictures. Also, notice that the fence now has railing along the top of the lattice. Matthew and I did that this afternoon while William entertained Edvard on the front sidewalk. The faucet in the beginning of the pictures was at Home Expo today, and reminded me of a dog cartoon face No poetry this time. Enjoy the pics.