old "read & bead"
May 27, 2008

My holiday weekend:
Shopping hard enough to fill a Pontiac. I'm serious. We did some hard-core running around on Saturday, and between groceries, gardening supplies, household necessities, parts and supplies for the swimming pool, and even some clothes, we had the G6 crammed full, and damned near dragging the ground.

One day of cooking, three days of grazing--I worked my ass off on Saturday, making macaroni salad, baked beans, potato salad, and coleslaw. We threw assorted things on the grill each day, to go with. And on Sunday, I made some homemade vanilla bean ice cream.

Lots of reading (see list under "Reading", below)

Some (but by no means all) of my gardening. I got new planters for the front porch this year--did them as "pot gardens", with assorted blooming and decorative foliage plants. I also got sme new planters for the back yard, and some petunias and dusty millers to put in them--but the weather turned shitty before I could get them planted. I want to find some spikes and a good rabbit/squirrel deterrent as well, before I plant them. Oh, and I got one tomato plant.

Doing some "mental beading"--turning over some design ideas in the old noggin, looking for the right supplies (online)to make them happen.

Putting flowers on Papa's grave, and missing him terribly. We went out on Sunday morning; the Vet's Cemetery was mobbed, and they were getting ready for a big ceremony while we were there. Not a good time for quiet reflection, but we don't limit our visits to Memorial Day, so it doesn't matter so much.

Feeling sad about Dick Martin and Sidney Pollack, too. I've always had a fondness for Martin's goofy shtick (I just watched "The Maltese Bippy" the other day, and if that's not love, I don't know what is.), and as for Pollack, he's been responsible for many of my favorite movies, from "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" and "The Way We Were" to "Tootsie" and "The Quiet American".

Monday was tummy troubles. I don't know if it was too much potato salad or the hot, humid weather striking suddenly, but me no feel good.
Good enough to vacuum, wash dishes, and do four loads of wash, though.

The heat didn't last, though. It's friggin' frigid now. Windy, too.