Continuing that summertime vibe…

 This and that

Ronnie and I picked sweet corn Saturday. The raccoons have been feasting on it, so he ran a couple low lines of electric fence around the patch and set out a radio (set to country!) to keep them away. It helps a little. We also picked the first tomatoes and a small handful of blackberries that didn’t make it to the house.

Yesterday we headed to Mom’s to collect mail and attempt to get the safe open. Second try!! Usually I do it so many times and get frustrated, so maybe my brain is clicking. The lawyer wants some documentation, like vehicle titles, CDs, etc. The titles are sorted out by TOD for each of us and the ones not designated are all together. 

We’re in the middle of a heat wave. And I am drinking coffee. Yay for AC! It’s some that Grace gave me. Not sure exactly what it’s called, but has a lovely smooth flavor. Just enough for half a pot.

Ron’s sister Lauren and I went for dinner Friday evening. She’s such a sweetheart, hardworking and thoughtful. She asked if I had any advice for a young person just starting to date. It kind of caught me off guard, and I joked that she shouldn’t do anything the way I did it. But that’s not true really. I ended up with a wonderful guy, and two of the best kids anyone could hope for. In hindsight, if I could do it again, I’d be sure we understood that a relationship is two way. You have to work as partners, not each with their own agendas, and be willing to compromise. And go into any date with someone new asking “do I want to be married to this guy in 50 years?” If not, no second date. No matter what you think, you will not be able to change their core.

On a downer note, one of the cows had twins, and the #$&!ing black vultures killed them probably before they dried off. Ronnie got a photo of 14 of the evil birds lined up on fenceposts waiting for him to leave so they could go in for seconds. MDC has a program to reimburse farmers for losses, but you have to get the dead calf to a vet for a necropsy within 24 hours. The vet bill comes out of your own pocket until and if it’s determined the livestock died by vulture. Since it was a weekend and only one large animal vet in the area that doesn’t do weekends unless an emergency, that wasn’t going to happen. So we take a roughly $500 loss. Both were bulls, which would have been sold.

Projects

U for Me sweater has one more sleeve to go. It should be finished this week except a good wash and block. If I don’t get sidetracked by another big project. 

Which would be… the Barn Raising throw. I’m about 80% through adding the crochet edge, so theoretically that part of it may be done before the week is through. I still need to lay all the blocks out, take a pic so I don’t forget, then work in ends and sew together. 

The next clothing project will be a Flax DK that is already cast on. It’s in a beautiful green hand-dyed wool that was bought last year in Wisconsin. Or maybe start a shawl with the wool that Rebecca brought back for me from Denmark! So many decisions, so little time.

At some point I need to dig out leftover green acrylic yarn to repair the granny square hippy jacket that I made for Rebecca. She has worn it quite a bit and always gets compliments on it. Folks ask if I would be willing to make one for sale, and that’s a big fat nope. I don’t love them enough. Anyway, she caught the underarm on something getting out of her car and pulled the start of the giant square out.

That’s all for now!