Confessions of a Grandma

 My brother sent me this picture. He's been going through all the paper my mother had stashed away --an overwhelming amount that he had just put in storage. Lucky that he found it because had it been me it would be gone. He has unearthed quite a bit of family history that we really didn't know about growing up. Anyway, the picture is of my father and my Uncle John. I am guessing my dad, on the right, is about five or six which would date this to 1916 or 17. Neither one loks particularly happy to be posing. I will be willing to bet they were scrubbed within an inch of their lives, dressed in the cowboy outfits and ordered to stay still and clean until the photographer showed up.

I mean when clothes start talking to you--   when I was weighed at the last doctor's appointment my reaction was,  "These damn heavy masks." it made the nurse laugh at least. But it's so darn hard! Diets are hard. And so is exercise! Ever notice how much exercise and extra fries sound alike? Sometimes it's just not worth the effort Trust me, this is a real hazard of hot yoga while living alone. Maybe hardest of all is proper attitude

 I did not do any outdoor gardening this year -- not my little patch of ground just off the deck and not in containers. I have been taking care of my houseplants though. They have travelled back and forth with me Vermont to Florida. This spider plant greatly appreciated being repotted. These guys love their spot in  the sun.  I like succulents because they are the most patient with my lack of a green thumb. In the meantime I am getting some beautiful and delicious vegetables at the local farm market -- support hard working farmers, save myself the aggravation of fighting with thieving chipmunks and rabbits, avoid pre-packaged quantities that I don't need or can't use fast enough -- win for me all around.

 I wrote about Elsa going through without damaging my place in Florida. Since then I have learned that there was some nearby damage however.  The Blue Lotus Meditation Center, where I have attended programs, yoga classes and group meditation, was badly damaged. The roof caved in. Since the center was only slowly reopenning after the COVID lock down, it wasn't noticed right away. On the other hand, no one was there at the time so no one was injured. Upon hearing, I was both extremely sad but also releived. A small tragedy compared to the loss of life  in the condo collapse in Surfside. The center started a small gift store just prior to the pandemic. I was planning on volunteering there next winter. I have also been making these small origami gift boxes that I thought could be used as a bonus freebie when people made a purchase. I am also planning to make cards to be sold in the store. I am hoping that the damage can be repaired. This is a place and a community that is dear to my h

 When my grandson came for a visit we made a trip to the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum. It showcases Lake Champlain in the Revolutionary War and traditional boat making. It is not fully open following the pandemic, but we had a nice visit all the same. perfect day to spend by lake side When in full operation there are demonstrations of traditional boat making. This is the blacksmithing shed. There are examples of all kinds of boats -- crude dugouts to more modern crafts. We enjoyed a walk around the grounds, self guided tour of some of the buildings, a tour of a canal schooner from the 1800's and just getting a taste of history. Dane is quite interested in history and science.  For his next visit, we plan to go to tour the Fairbanks Museum and Planetarium.  I really enjoy spending this time with my grandson.

 I was keeping an eye on the Florida weather. I didn't really want to but I kept getting alerts from the power company and the city emergency preparedness office. I also got a text message from the woman who does a regular check on my place, letting me know she would be keeping me updated. This morning my phone was buzzing with weather warnings -- hurricane, sea surge, river flooding and possible tornado. Pick you own disaster?  I signed into Zoom for the writing group based in Venice at 12:30. The sun was out and all was calm. I got a text from the caretaker that all was well, the storm was much milder than expected. They say that the hurricane season starts in June, but this seems like an early one all the same. In the meantime, I am reading Natalie Goldberg's Thunder and Lightening: Cracking Open the Writer's World.