Mon. afternoon, 04/27/09

Hello

When I turned on the radio this a.m. I learned swine flu is in the news.

From the library I borrowed "Babe" on video cassette. At Champlain Veterinary Clinic Wanda told me Dr. Gunther used to have a pet pig named Newton. The pig was fond of Fig Newton cookies. My maternal grandmother had a pet pig named Arnold.

On Easter Sunday earlier this month (04/12/09) I wrote this poem to defeat boredom.

Grey sky spits out a few snowflakes

Heavy traffic includes all models & makes.

A walk yielded five empties or 25 cents

Neighbor allowed dog to poop (I have no fence.)

On gravel I did 50 jumping jacks & jumped rope

Fresh air & exercise help me cope.

In cardboard pots I sowed some seeds

for zucchini, mint, & probably weeds.

I slipped my feet into barn boots not Crocs

to stretch plastic on garden anchored with rocks.

The weather today is hazy, hot, & humid. The temp is above 80 degrees Fahrenheit!

Now I'm going to play the piano.

Bye

Fri., 04/17/09

Hello

Before leaving the house on foot to do errands this a.m. I watered lettuce, spinach, & turnip green seeds in the ground & radish seeds in a whiskey barrel.

Late this morning the sun retreated from the sky. Now the sky is overcast. Rain is forecast for tonight & tomorrow.

In the winter the USPS returned application & cover letter I mailed to Old Mill Troy because the plant doesn't have a mail receptacle in St. Albans. This a.m. I handed the original envelope to a woman seated behind a desk in the office.

Now I'm pursuing a job as an independent contractor for a credit card processing company. This weekend I'll visit the web site to learn more about rates & svcs. I think I'll enjoy meeting merchants in northern Vt.

Thank you for your interest in my whereabouts & doings.

Bye

Tues. a.m., 04/14/09

Hello

This afternoon I have been asked to play the piano during a Holiday House tea party. I thought the event was scheduled for next Tuesday.

My hair needs to be trimmed. I like the Haircuts Plus salon on Williston Rd. in South Burlington. It's bright & airy. Mon. afternoon, 04/20/09 I have a dental appt. in South Burlington. The outing will include a trip to the Chittenden Solid Waste District Drop-Off Ctr. on Patchen Rd. with household waste & recyclables.

Last Thurs., 04/09/09 I sowed lettuce & spinach seeds in the ground & radish seeds in a whiskey barrel. Soon I'll enjoy fresh salads.

Now I'm going to sit on the piano bench & practice. Should I drive or walk to Holiday House? The weather today is sunny.

Bye

Sat., 04/04/09

Hello

Crocuses & tulips are emerging from the ground on the south side of my house. Today's rain is beneficial.

This a.m. I returned three video cassettes & a book to St. Albans Free Library. I walked home via a railroad track & an industrial park so I could collect empties. I wasn't disappointed. I also found four heavy decorative pieces of metal or iron beside the rr track. They might make an attractive flower bed border.

In the kitchen I made a pot of soup after cooking barley & lentils separately. In the oven I baked bread & six potatoes together. Later today or tomorrow I'll dice the potatoes to make salad with onion, oil, & vinegar. I don't have any celery.

Last wk. I visited Holiday House after I expressed an interest in playing the piano. The HH upright piano sounds tinny. Is it out of tune? Maddie would like me to assist with April activities.

Last Tues., 03/31/09 I collected trash, recyclables, & redeemables along the Missisquoi Rail Trail from the parking lot in St. Albans to a farm about 3 miles away. It only took my about 90 minutes. Due to the damp weather at midday I met only two people & two dogs on the trail.

Thanks for reading today's post.

Bye

Mon. afternoon, 03/30/09

Hello

Late last wk. I prepped the floor in my lg. bedroom for paint. I filled cracks between floor boards with caulking. An orbital sander removed loose paint & rough spots with 60 grit sandpaper. Next I mopped the floor with a sm. amt. of TSP in water & mopped again with plain water. I let the floor dry overnight.

Yesterday a.m. I applied the first coat of "terra brun" mixed at Sherwin Wms. The color is chocolate brown. The paint contains primer & is for porches. This a.m. I applied second coat of paint to the floor.

Today I drove to Highgate Ctr. with household trash & recyclables. While out with my car I shopped for lg. items like a 5# bag of w.w. flour, a gallon jug of bleach, 5# bag of russett potatoes, 3# bag of carrots, & a head of cabbage.

Before heading home I parked my car at beginning of Missisquoi Rail Trail & walked on the four-season recreation path. Empty bottles & cans litter the trail. Returning to my car I heard a cardinal before I saw him at the top of a tree.

Thanks for visiting. Now I'm tired of sitting at the computer. Mine rests atop a bureau. There isn't a space for my knees & legs.

Bye

Mon., 03/23/09

Hello

Fri., 03/20/09 I saw a woodchuck emerge from a tunnel on the hill behind my house. There are two or three tunnel entrances on the hill which were behind an old chicken coop I dismantled spring 2007. Because I didn't see him last summer & fall I thought he probably moved to an abode that afforded him more privacy & quiet. I'm so glad he is still in residence on my property!

The weather today is sunny & cold! I returned from Sherwin Wms. with a quart of white interior paint & a red face. Brrr! It occurred to me yesterday to buy beauty supplies at a locally owned pharmacy instead of Rite Aid. Today I bought shampoo, toothbrushes, notecards, lip balm, t.p., & envelopes at the family-owned shop. The next time I'll look for bar soap.

Sat. a.m. I found enough empties to fill two bags & a $5 bill folded on a stream bank. I feel like a lottery winner. Five dollars equals 100 empties.

Today I applied a coat of paint to woodwork/trim in my bedrm. Tomorrow a.m. I'll apply the second (final) coat. Yesterday I applied primer. Next I want to paint the floor "Terra Brun" which is a glossy chocolate brown.

Before today ends I want to buy a gallon of milk & play the piano.

Bye

Tues. afternoon, 03/17/09

Hello

Publishing these posts is therapeutic.

Writing requires me to organize my thoughts. I can put the clutter in words which are easily erased & edited. Typing relaxes me because I don't have to focus on hitting the keys accurately. Already I am familiar with QWERTY keyboards.

This a.m. I wrote & mailed notecards to my brother Mike & brother-in-law Mike. Hopefully both of them will hire me to do some old-fashioned work.

The temperature outdoors must be around 60 degrees Fahrenheit today. After lunch I wore shorts & a short sleeved shirt outdoors to gather lg. branches to put on a fence row I am building. On the lawn I jumped rope & did jumping jacks to increase my heart rate. My jump rope is a thick piece of twine I found on South Main Street.

I should play the piano now. Last night I watched "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" on a video cassette.

Can driving be an addiction like cigarettes & booze? It's something I think about while 24/7/365 traffic rushes by my house.

Thanks for reading.

Bye