I finished my hectic week at a Happy Hour in a bar that used to be grungy (a real dive) and has now been refurbished (some might say gentrified)–with prices to match. The young one in the middle taught next to me for the last 10 years or so of my career; she’s spunky, open and sometimes full of drama. If I want school gossip, I turn to her for info! I’ve known my other friend since our daughters were friends in elementary school; our “kids” just turned 40 this summer, so that tells you how long we’ve been hanging out and sharing the ups and downs of (grand) parenting, relationships, health and work. Since she’s newly retired, we’ve been focusing on that adjustment; it’s not as easy as many people assume. There are financial worries, scary medical insurance premiums and the dilemma of establishing a workable and satisfying routine when you’re suddenly without any sort of schedule. Since it was Blue Friday, I wore my Seahawks jersey which was nearly decorated with my Happy Hour appetizer. Asian lettuce wraps–how does one eat them without dumping them all over the table, seat, lap, shirt, etc.? I hope no one was filming my efforts because it was like a comedy show.
Before the Happy Hour, I found time to mow the front lawn and water my plants. We need RAIN! (ask me how I feel about that in November) My coleuses are still doing well although I’ve pulled most of my anemic petunias. They seem to get tired of blooming.
I love the leaves on this one!
I don’t generally buy this color, but I’m delighted with all the blooms on this zinnia (?). It’s always interesting to see which of my annuals flourish and which don’t. My lantana hasn’t done as well this year, a real disappointment since it’s one of my favorite flowers.
Today I’m heading to Owen Beach with Younger Daughter and her two. Unfortunately, the tide will be high, so there won’t be as much beach for Anders to play on.
Doesn’t he have the sweetest smile?
As for my evening entertainment, John has been busy with fishing (no fish yet though) and I’ve been catching up on some shows. “Ted Lasso” Season 4 has been a real disappointment; I loved the end of Season 3 and feel like they should have left the series there. Instead, they’ve created a mish mash of characters, some of them very unlikeable, killed off one of my favorite people in the show and diluted the humor and wisdom of the first three seasons. I have enjoyed the new season of “Silo” although I’d forgotten that in the books and the series, many of the people aren’t just good or bad but a mix of the two. Some characters that I despised have done positive things and others that I’ve rooted for have turned evil. As for my beloved “Star Trek,” “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” hasn’t discovered fascinating new worlds but instead has fallen back on strange new gimmicks. Thankfully, I have “Whistler” to read and Ann Cleeves’ new Matthew Venn mystery novel. Of her book series (“Shetland” and “Vera”), the Venn novels are possibly the weakest although I enjoy them a lot. It’s refreshing to find a quiet and introspective detective; he’s not tough and macho like many American ones or a train wreck like the Scandinavian or some Scottish characters. Instead, he’s a gay man trying to survive and thrive in a sometimes unfriendly police force.
Now my Apple Watch is lecturing me “Time to Stand!” which is a nice way to tell me to get off my you-know-what! š
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