gospel, ending, watch

Months have elapsed since I last listed diamonds:

*Monday NYT prints NY stories from readers in "Metropolitan Diary"--always a joy for the beginning of the week. I especially like today's story about the mother on the subway platform who soothes her disabled convulsing son by holding him tight against her and singing gospel songs.

*The end of a season coming and the anticipation of the next.

*A new watch with a red strap.

nap, pavers, an extra spring

A hiatus in posting during which I travelled and thought. But now a big decision has been made and we are moving! From 1700 to 580 sq ft. And thus paring down. Harshly. And getting the house on the market.

*Tearing around for days so that I finally one day need a nap which is unusual for me. And when I got up decided that I could postpone until tomorrow the rest of the "to do" list of today.

*Giving away unused pavers to a friend who is replanting the library garden.

*The crab apple trees are about to flower which gives me 2 springs this year because where I travelled had spring while I was there.

yellow, advice,checkout

*"Gramma there's so much sunshine I've used up the yellow magic marker."

*A daughter who asks my advice!!!!

*A cheerful checkout lady (it must be difficult to stand most of the day).

hut, storage, scene

*A quonset hut in the distance with shimmering (from heat) curves.

*Granaries: pristine white, clustered cylinders, like giant cigarette filters.

*Scene: I am sitting in the backyard swing, knitted balaclava on head, tea mug on the bridge to cool. Cigar between fingers. DST warming my cheek. In front of me is the lattice with brown vines of last year entwined through it. When the tea is Baby Bear temp I slurp--no need to hold back on the sound here outside. "I've copied the crossword." But I remain outside in the sun.

candles, purple, slink

*A belated birthday celebration. Low key.

*"What is her favorite color?" "I'll find out." "Purple." Thus begins a new purple hat.

*"We think we will go in about a week."--said with bouncy cheerfulness.
"Well, don't say anything about it or it will snow."--wide eyed.
"Okay, we'll just slink into the car someday and head south."--whispered.

stockings, return, Steig

*While entering the market, I nearly collide with 2 children dashing to keep up with their mother who is wearing Pippi Longstocking-esque wildly striped stockings.

*The boys return, drained from driving 1616 miles in two days. My quiet time alone is over and I feel refreshed.

*A W. Steig drawing of people's faces all smushed together.

accountant, gone, splurge, quiet

*I take the paperwork to the accountant. The smell of coffee. He buzzes his pencil in an electric sharpener (the smell of ground wood). Then we talk of politics (no new knowledge today, see below), of social security manoevers, of life.

*The boys are gone. We girls (dog and I) sleep later. ahhh!

*Alone,I splurge on spring asparagus, thin and steamed with no butter or salt. And cod cakes and crab cakes. And French cheese. And chocolate. And, and, not brown ale carried home in a jug from the pub.

*For the days alone I leave off the radio and TV--no news, no being jerked around by the analysts. Just Michael Jericho and Jewel in the Crown and quiet, quiet, quiet.