Quite warm and sticky tonight. Summer is here!

19.V.07 - MoM

Took it easy again, today, and now I think I might be ready to get back in the swim again tomorrow.

As Kay got out of the hospital yesterday afternoon, I had ordered flowers delivered to her this morning at home, but before they got to her, I was surprised by two huge, beautiful bouquets from them. One was a belated Mother's Day as our florist doesn't deliver after Saturday morning on weekends when she tried last weekend. The other one was for May 20th. That was really a surprise. I called her but she wasn't up yet, so she called me back mid-day. That was a very long call. It was a rough surgery she has been through and will take a while to recoup.

The call to Thea was good and she heard and understood everything I said. She mentioned phone calls from both of you girls. It is good that she has someone to take some of the care off of Gracie.

I am looking forward to getting my new camera during the coming week -- I hope. They cancelled the case and extra picture "card." It was coming from an outside source. I am going to try to order it online from a amera store in a 'burb' the Cities where I have shopped in the past.

I think I got a flash of an oriole leaving the feeder this morning. Later, the pair of cardinals came by. I was delighted to watch them drink from the bird bath that Charlie had moved for me, and then the female took a serious bath! I also had a hummingbird eating there today. I am not at my desk or in the kitchen enough to progress the original feeders. One of the baskets I bought is supposed to be a great lure for hummers, so I won't try to keep food for them at the deck, as the squirrels, or something, have discovered how to drain it completely in record time.

I harvested some of my "garden greens" this afternoon. I have them "cooling" in the Fridge as that seems to crisp them. I have lots of cherry tomatoes the size of a good sized Blueberry in the AgroGarden. Tumbling Tom is loaded with blooms and little ones should be forming there soon. It is still rather cool for them. It was perfect weather in the mid-70's this evening but it has turned very humid. As dry as it is, I'm glad I have the sprinklers. Rita called today to ask about my sprinkler company. They have had to put in all new grass as the drought has killed theirs. They are going to see if they can get a free estimate. I have a feeling that the cost may cool their interest.

How did I manage to do a whole page and I haven't even started on a letter I found this afternoon.

For some reason, I am exhausted and anxious to get to bed. Loved the take of the problems meeting Bill.

* * * * *

This is a letter from 22.X.85 to Sandy and Bob.

Dear Sandy and Bob,
Hey! Let's us both get better about writing letters. Wrote this yesterday and before I got it in the mail, the letter and most welcome check from you came today! I thank you, and I am sure DoD thanks you. too. He is taking his nap and has not seen it yet.) I have been having a hard time getting back on track since our trip. Chris worked out how to use the language disc they copied for me at Computerland and I want to spend all my time at the computer working on that. I have managed to wipe out my couple of hundred words of vocabulary and the program several times, but still have enough backup copied to be able to start again. It is so much easier on my tired brain than trying to write necessary letters. And now, it is already time to start the Christmas letters! Got up at 2:30 a.m., a couple of nights ago when I could not sleep and got the basic letter started. Having a hard time deciding on what picture to use for the card.
I felt so badly that I could not get together with Bob Bailey. I did not think to invite him for the weekend when he called on Thursday night and with DoD gone it might have been a little strange. Friday morning, I walked down to the train station and made train reservations for Monday morning as I was to meet Bob in Munchen and we were to ride to Frankfort together. That is a busy corridor and I wanted to make sure we could find seats together, I had suggested he call back either Saturday or Sunday night to confirm the plans. Friday afternoon I called the Intercontinental in Frankfurt (800 rooms) for reservations for DoD and I, only to find that they were fully booked. Then I called a more moderate hotel DoD had chosen for Chris and Suzy and found that they were full for theh, too, and they told me there was a big trade fair on. By then I had decided it was not practical to keep phoning places in Frankfurt, especially having to find three rooms in a hotel, so decided to change my plans. I was able book the three of them into a very modest hotel at the train station in Mannheim (about 1 hour away from FF) and decided to skip the long day for me to get there. I would have had to make several train connections. By then, too, I was having 2nd thoughts about our plans to go on to Den Haag for a couple of days after leaving them at the airport. Since it was at the end of our Eurail passes, we would have had to make the complete return trip from there in one long day (To be continued!)