Another week in review

Very early in July I had a big shipping day. So many mailers of towels, they were bundled by a big rubber band about the middle. And with not a lot of further thought, off they went. USPS has been good, once they recovered from Covid.

A few days later, all had been delivered. Except one, to Florida. At first the tracking number only indicated it had arrived in Georgia. Then, in two or three giant leaps, the package was across country, to California. It made a U-turn there, and began a return journey. It came back to Georgia, early last week.

Ah, good, thought I. Next stop, Tampa. But NO. Actually, I do not know where it went from there. The recipient visited her post office for help, and help was Do not worry; it will appear when it's tired of travelling. They did institute a missing package alert.

Between July 7 and today, it was handled by nineteen different USPS facilities. I sat down at my computer today, thinking there would be more bad news about that poor package, especially now it was out there in Debby's path, too. And there was an email, telling me the package was safely in the addressee's mail box.

Now I'm looking to find everyone else has weathered the storm!

Weather here has not been spectacular, though no hurricanes are possible. We've had two weeks of severe heat, and around here that means afternoon thunder storms. We've had one of those more days than not, plus a sighted tornado. A storm was winding down as I went to supper one day last week, so I stepped out to the courtyard to take a picture.

April showers and all that. Actually, July and August rain storms have keep the grass green and flowers healthy. My not Mandevilla is beside itself with blossoms and grasping shoots.

It's trying so hard to throw a tendril around the bench and own it, too.

In weaving news, I finished the pine green towels this weekend. They are on the shelf and on the web page.

Currently on the loom, pumpkin. In anticipation of Halloween, I suppose, but also because I visited my sister recently, and noticed she'd made a valance to shield the west facing window in the front door. It's one of those silly windows no one is tall enough to see through, but she says the winter sun is brutal. 

Only problem, she made the valance from a towel. A bathroom hand towel. I can provide a length of toweling, and in a good color for her living room:

Normal has returned

Or, the current news from my turf. There is little to report, but I am capable of scraping up a bit of news. I have a standard appointment with my PCP next week and had a note on my chart that she ordered some routine bloodwork and please have it done two or three days ahead. Great, thinks I, I have a standing order for thyroid blood work that I have not bothered with; I'll do it all at once.

Visiting this clinic is not so easy as visiting the clinic I used to frequent. I think that was a Cleveland Clinic afterthought, smallish, easy handicap access, fairly quick turn around. This new clinic is intimidating. I made the first visit cold; I didn't go look around first. Consequently I learned it is big and has a lot of business. Parking is adequate, but all up the side of a hill.

All handicap parking was occupied that first time, and my walker and I made a long journey down a long hill, across two streets and a median, then the long walk to my appointment. Reverse process to get back to the car. Ever since I have bit the bullet and paid an attendant for valet parking.

So, checking in yesterday for the two sets of blood work, I learned my PCP had ordered fasting. Of course I wasn't. I get out of bed to eat breakfast.

So back this morning on an empty stomach. Surprise, the Saturday parking lot was fairly empty, a good deal since there is no valet on Saturday. My walk was reduced to crossing two streets, a median, up the sidewalk and down a hall to the labs. Job done!

Speaking of job done, my new HVAC unit was installed a week ago Friday afternoon, as promised. Some pictures:

Ain't it purty! I hope it outlasts me; I don't want to do this over again. My carpet did get dry in 24 hours, but only because of that industrial fan, open windows and low outdoor humidity.

I'm weaving again, now that the loom and all else are back in place. This time it's a green, bright, not too dark. Pine tree green. Here are both sides, and then I'm back to work.

Topsy turvy

 It seems I am grounded for awhile. I was weaving this afternoon, with my treadle foot stripped to my sock. After some time I decided that foot was wet. Actually, the sock was sodden. I looked for the source of the water for a bit. Where had I stepped in it? It was dry around the refrigerator and the kitchen sink. Same in the bathroom.

A mystery. I changed my sock(s) and took my length of fabric to the laundry room. Back in the living room, I realized the carpet might be wet. It felt wet to my hand, and did not pass the tissue test, which came back wet.

The ensuing hours have been a whirlwind. Maintenance came, removed the front of my HVAC unit and saw it was about one third iced up. The thermostat was turned off, two big men moved my loom and several other things on wet carpet. Up came the extractor, which sucks up water. Then the industrial fan, which exceeds OSHA noise limits, in my opinion. Kitty retreated to the back of my bedroom until I came back from dinner and unplugged the damn thing.

The HVAC unit is disassembled. Two windows are wide. Temps are forecast to be very low fifties tonight. Maintenance tells me they will have it all back together by tomorrow afternoon. I barely believe that. For now the giant fan is off. My ears are still reeling. I'll turn it back on in the morning. Kitty may have a nervous breakdown.

Back to the surprise birthday party! Rose was completely surprised. Completely. One hundred people did not spill one bean. She was not dismayed. The affair was organized by two people she would have suspected, a daughter and son-in-law.

But also in attendance were a son from California, two great grandchildren who also live there, and the grandmother of the grands. It was a very nice party.

So, wish me luck returning quickly to a normal life. For now, it's a very hot shower and winter jammies.

I haven't gone over the edge yet

A silly little meme has popped up several times recently. It's profound, actually, and needs shared: If the earth were flat, a cat would push everything over the edge.

Kitty does not work from that direction. In fact, since that great television disaster the first month she lived here, she's made no effort to jump up on anything.

She tried to jump onto the chest that holds the TV, but sunk her toenails into the mat under the TV and dragged everything several feet to the floor. No cat was injured, and the TV likewise survived. 

Now Kitty is content with standing on her two back legs and surveying any flat surface she can see. If something is enticing, she claims it. Chap stick and pens are most fascinating, and I am currently reduced to pencils. I guard my chap stick closely.

The warp I wound on end of May or the beginning of June is gone. I only put on fifty turns because I did not know how the current towel would be received. But all the towels left on the shelf were hemmed and put there tonight. so I should weave more towels next time.

Jan is coming to monitor the spools on Saturday, and then I'll be tying on the current warp of probably a hundred turns. That should turn into maybe fifty towels and perhaps I can get a little ahead. The rosepath towel is very nice, and there are other small weaves that will be good for towels, too. I think next I'll try a birds eye weave.

You would think in a building of a hundred residents it would be hard to keep a secret. I'm privy to one that has been kept. Tomorrow is Rose's ninety sixth birthday. Rose is adamant there will be no singing or fuss. In fact, she instructed the dining room director the staff is not to sing and there will be no cake.

Rose's daughters have outwitted her. Every Friday most of the residents gather in the Bistro for live entertainment and "Happy Hour", in the hour before dinner. Unknown to Rose, her daughters, and probably sons and daughters-in-law, will appear and lead the party.

Rose is one of my dinner partners, and it's clear no one has tumbled, and Rose is pleased as punch tomorrow will pass without a fuss. At supper tonight, she didn't even mention that tomorrow is her birthday. 

More news

First and foremost, a happy holiday to all. I hope everyone could celebrate with friends or family, or both; and there was plenty from the grill to eat, with baked beans and coleslaw and watermelon.

It is raining here, which is good for the flowers in the atrium, though there may be a damper on fireworks tonight. Just a tiny corner of the atrium:

Speaking of outdoors, an amazing amount of work went on this past week. Plenty of landscaping has improved the view from my window immeasurably. 

Temperatures last week approached or exceeded one hundred degrees. The landscaping crew consisted of Amish men and women, who planted hundreds of specimens. 

I cannot find any use for the concrete in the middle of the yard. The patios do not connect to it. The only access is from the back, utility entrance. But, the interiors are coming along. There are blinds in the lower windows and the stickers are gone from the doors and windows.

I finished weaving the light blue rosepath towels and have them on the web page. Bobbins are wound for the next set of towels. They will be lavender.