Meanderings

 Time change today.  They always leave me feeling so disoriented.  Maybe it's because I spend so much time outside - after a change, the light says one thing, and the clocks another, and it takes me awhile to adjust.

So a Random Stuff post.

Don't think I've mentioned yet that I finally got glasses - bifocals, no less.  For most things, I can get by with just over-the-counter readers.  But increasingly I didn't like driving while seeing things slightly out-of-focus.  And guessing the names of streets on the signs by how long they were.  Also, I had a tendency at work to just clip them to the neck of my shirt and then lose them in odd places (my coworkers knew that if they ever found glasses in an animal habitat that they were probably mine).  So - "grownup" glasses.

My high level of activity has continued - I'm not sure if I'm running from my demons or dancing with them, but hey - whatever works.

Returned to working on the chicken coop.  I did some work on Thursday but I need supplies from Home Depot.  I could have taken the time to go get them (the usual 30 mile round trip plus shopping time), but I'm going to be right by there on Monday for my chiropractor appointment so I'll get supplies then.  Also, Thursday night I had a reception to go to at the Museum to celebrate the new alligator exhibit (which is gorgeous).  

I had planned on power washing the coop on Friday - but I had a huge pile of brush that I had cleared that needed to be burned, and it was forecast to have heavy rains on Saturday.  I also realized that there were a lot of leaves on the deck and roof that also needed to be swept before the rains.  So I swept, cleaned the gutters, then burned, and then did a little power washing.  I finished the power washing between rain fronts on Saturday (yesterday)

Today I tried to make myself stop for a day.  Day of Rest sort of thing.  I took a stroll, and noticed all kinds of deadfall.  So of course I gathered it up and started another fire.  But - as the fire got to the point that it didn't need constant tending, instead of weed whacking or some other chore, I just sat and read.

It's a beautiful and ephemeral time of year.  Things are starting to bloom (and everything is getting covered in oak pollen).  The azaleas look almost artificial.

They are a short-lived glory - maybe two weeks of this.  Then "prune azaleas bushes" will get put on the things-to-do list.  Today, I will simply enjoy.

And let my mind wander.  I've often mentioned my friend Los, who copes with the loss of his wife by every night, without fail, posting some memory he has of her.  I did have a random memory of Bob during the two downpours we had yesterday.  Many moons ago  -20 years or so - the Department of Transportation improved Highway 20 by doming the road slightly to let water run off.  Yes, it makes it safer to drive.  Unfortunately, the run off would run right down our driveway and wash it out in every heavy rain.  We only have the one driveway - and it goes over a small creek/drainage ditch. We had a bridge put in over the creek, but it would wash out in front of it.  Not being Evel Knieval in a Honda, we couldn't get to work until we had gotten in there with shovels and cement and rebuilt it.  If we knew rain was coming we could set out sandbags - but of course had to move them to get in or out, and then replace them, so they weren't always there if a storm came up unexpectedly.  We had many many phone calls to the DOT about this problem, and were reassured that they would look into it.  And we, of course, would never hear back from them.

One morning, after a storm in the night, we looked at what used to be our driveway, called in again to work to say we would be late, and while Bob went down to get started, I called the DOT and left a voicemail to the effect of "You have had several reports from us about your roadwork sending water down our driveway and washing it out.  You have not been able to do anything about this, so we are going to take some pickaxes to the tarmac and try to create a drainage ditch.  If you have any better ideas we'd be happy for you to come discuss them."

20 minutes later a car from the DOT shows up.  Looking back, I swear they got out of the car with their hands held up - because what they saw was the Human Grizzly Bear, sweating, and swinging a pickax. (I doubt if they even noticed the smaller bear using a smaller pickax).  Contrary to appearances, Bob was all polite affability, thanking the gentlemen for coming out, and showing them the washout, explaining that we had been contacting the DOT with this problem for months with no resolution.  Perhaps they could suggest something?

Within a week the DOT had put in a low berm that deflected water from our driveway to the drainage ditch.  All it takes is a big guy with a pickax to get someone's attention.

And a side meander.  Our friend Kim had a memory pop up in Facebook with this picture at a reunion of Bob and his friend Ace.  They are both gone now (I think Ace got breast cancer).  I love the look on Bob's face - not a bright happy smile, but the deep look he would have when he was with someone that he cared for.