I'm sitting here on the front porch in my happy place with my new little computer, my phone, two notebooks, and my big novel beside me - plus a glass of Bloom on ice, orange flavor. It's the perfect pick-me-up for all this hard work of wasting time today.
It's been quiet today with no girls visiting me. I haven't heard from Kate, even though Gray is at camp this week. I'll have to find out how she spent her day. I know she is at DMW class right now. Maybe they'll walk by and I can ask her.
Here are a few pictures from yesterday afternoon before Gray left. They left earlier than I expected, so I didn't get to text her before she left, but they did stop by for a quick hug on the way to camp.
I guess I won't get any pictures or news during the week, but I bet she's having a great time. She loves camp and is hoping to run into the girls she enjoyed so much last summer.
I've signed up for Mah Jongg tomorrow and Thursday. If Kate wants to hang out, I think she would enjoy going with me tomorrow and seeing a real game progress. Thursday is my regular day, so no one expects anything from me at home.
For my only signs of life today, I did a half load of laundry and washed the car windows inside and out - except for the front windshield, which I can't reach. We aren't allowed to use the community water faucets near our garages for car washing, so we have to go to a car wash. Elise was planning to go today and vacuum it thoroughly. She put that off, but we do have clean windows, and hopefully it will get done tomorrow. We have to make ourselves do things, unfortunately. There is little sense of urgency here. I have to also go by two post offices and try to track down a package that seems to have gotten lost in the last couple of weeks. I'm not looking forward to that, but it can't be procrastinated long.
Speaking of cleaning windows, one of the best things I've bought this past year is a set of E-cloths. I really didn't believe the hype on how well they work until I tried them, and it's just amazing. I don't know how they work and don't really care, but I have not used any cleaner on my windows and mirrors in months. You wet the thicker cloth and wipe across the surface thoroughly without scrubbing or anything. Then you dry with the thinner cloth - which looks like a glasses-cleaning cloth. Somehow, it gets sparkly clean with no streaks whatsoever. I have 3 big windows across the front of my apartment, and I can have them all cleaned - the bottom half anyway - in less than 10 minutes - without using any cleaner.
After seeing how many types of microfiber cloths are available out there, this is obviously nothing new, but it is to me. I hardly find anything that excites me about housework, but now I like cleaning windows!
I finished my Emma K. Lion Diaries and will look for the 2nd volume. I did a little reading on Credence, but I realized I had received an audio download I had requested, and that takes precedent since it's due first. Anything concerning wartime is not something I jump into readily, but when I saw the author was the one who wrote the Tattooist of Auschwitz, I figured I had to give it a try. I loved that book. While not glossing over the horrors of that time, the story was more about human nature and how people can make a difference even in the worst of times. This new book is Cilka's Journey by Heather Morris. I have to be in a certain mood to read it, because these things are not always easy to hear.
Learning a new computer is slow-going, but while I've been here on the porch, I've had so many conversations and waves and admirations of Bowie who is sitting beside me in the other rocker. I think every dog who passes by is familiar with one of the cats, and they will always get those ears up and start staring at the windows of the rockers. So funny. Wuffie will go right out on the sidewalk and try to interact with them - which doesn't always have a good ending.
I had a nice conversation with my new friend Julia who was strolling her little granddaughter past. Another young mother wanted to know the names of the cats and teach her little boy their names. The cats will love that next time. I guess. The hummingbirds are out buzzing around, and the flowers look good. It's just a good way to end Monday, although I miss my girls.
My phone died some time ago, so I need to go charge it. I may have missed some important texts and am in trouble for it.
