A Clear Day

Today the smoke from the wildfires in Quebec has cleared here, at least for now. The sun is shining, and the day is warm and breezy. Attila is out in the garden beginning to transplant his starts from the greenhouses to the soil. He has installed a support fence with t-bars and remesh for the tomatoes, and hopefully they will grow up and away from the soil below. Already doing well are the pumpkin and squash, and the peas and beets. We have enjoyed two green salads made from the thinned plants of the lettuce, beets, and spinach.

The peonies are blooming, ours are all white this year, the pinks ones have not yet appeared. Attila brought in three lovely blooms for me, they sit majestically on the dining table.

I’ve been relatively busy with domestic tasks. I ran out of flour, so yesterday was flour milling day, two gallon jars filled with whole wheat flour. That should last at least a couple of weeks. Today I baked burger buns, as we often eat burgers with fresh salad for dinner during the summer. Our burgers are made from either our homemade salmon patties, or our homemade sausage patties.

I finished the blouse I was making with the material from the vintage tablecloth. I love it. It is very simple, roomy, and comfortable, and I think pretty in a plain sort of way. After finishing the blouse I’ve been hemming and hawing over what sewing project to tackle next. I still haven’t reached a decision.

short sleeved blouse made from vintage tablecloth material
The finished blouse, made from a vintage tablecloth.

I have been sorting through my clothes lately. When I was young and in my 20s, I was a fairly large size, as I was not only tall, but big boned as well. I was not fat, I am not fat now, certainly not thin, but not fat either. In my middle age I gained a size. In my old age I’ve gained another size. So the clothes I have from my early years have not fit for decades. The clothes I have from my middle age will fit tightly and uncomfortably, so I don’t wear them. The pile of clothing that will not be worn again grows, and will go to the charity shop one of these day.

There is also a pile of pants that fit but the elastic in the waistbands is completely shot. I haven’t decided yet if I am going to try to replace the waistbands, or just give up on the pants completely. It is so disappointing when shoddy elastic is used to construct clothing, when it wears out before the garment does.

I was sad to hear that a cousin of mine is now living in long-term care with dementia. I had not heard from her for a while, and my Mom’s cousin had also tried to get in touch with her with no success, so I contacted her daughter. Apparently my cousin is doing well, and is happy enough with her living arrangement. Her daughter visits her weekly, sometimes more often, and takes her out on day trips frequently. The news was a bit shocking, as she is my age. She lives out west, so visiting was not something we could manage even when she was well, now the internet is beyond her, and I suppose that although I will miss her, she won’t miss me. That is a blessing for her. I find it comforting that she is so well loved by daughter, and family.

Worldly

Weather

Updated on Sat, Jun 10 at 3:55 PM
22°C
FEELS LIKE 25
A few clouds
Wind 11 S km/h
Humidity 63 %
Visibility 14 km
Sunrise 5:23 AM
Wind gust 17 km/h
Pressure 100.6 kPa
Ceiling 9100 m
Sunset 8:50 PM

Quote

“We are here and it is now. Further than that all human knowledge is moonshine.”
H. L. Mencken
1880 – 1956

Human knowledge is intoxicating, and thus untrustworthy in essence!

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Sandy

I love the blouse you made, Maggie. I think it’s very pretty and also looks comfortable. I haven’t had time to watch the news lately and was amazed at the scope of the wildfires, I heard from a cousin in northern Wisconsin who mentioned the fires and the haze in her area. Here, near Chicago. I don’t notice any haze. My oldest cousin went into a nursing home recently. She couldn’t take care of herself and her home any more. Initially she had some memory issues, but after being care of at the home, her memory is good again. When she was in her home she wasn’t eating well at all, but after a good diet, she’s also gaining weight. We’re all encouraged. She said she likes the place and she’s made some friends. But she’s only 5 years older than me, so it gives me pause. One day at a time, I guess.

Last edited 1 year ago by Sandy
Joan Lansberry

Your blouse looks very well made! I’ve changed sizes quite a bit. I was quite glad to have kept my smaller stuff. It felt like shopping for free to dig them out and find several colorful shirts I’d forgotten I had. (Likewise, I’ll keep the larger stuff, because who knows what will happen in the future?) It’s good your cousin is being well looked after. Also, I’m glad your air is clearer now…..

Sandy

Oh that’s funny about the women commenting on your ex’s beard 🙂 My cousin is also single. Doctors said she couldn’t live alone because she loses her balance when walking and falls. She’s very stubborn about not using things like walkers. So she uses a wheelchair instead. (Not sure why she accepts the wheelchair). We moved her downstate so that she would be near my Aunt and the cousin who is handling her affairs. While this sounds like a sad story, I think in her case it’s a somewhat happy story. She is safe and cared for. She’s eating good food which she hadn’t been doing. She likes the home. And she’s making friends which she had not done when living alone. My Aunt and I used to call her every weekend, but we couldn’t see the state she was in physically. So the new arrangement gives us peace of mind. Still, in my parents’ tome, nobody ever went to a nursing home. They would move in with a relative.