Planning, and enjoying the now, you can do both.

Today was cleaners day, which means getting out of the way so they can work in peace, finding local adventures and coming home to a clean house, yay.

Today was mercifully cooler, and I did a round trip of errands.

No prizes for guessing the destinations.

The first, though, is one you didn't know about. Because we may be in for a restricted winter of Covid precautions, I thought I'd check into new, to me, solo pastimes.

I've never been a jigsaw puzzle fan, but well, why not try it. I can always pass them on. However, I draw the line at spending money. That's why Freecycle was invented!

So I put a "wanted" post up, and within about ten minutes, warp speed, got an offer. Of a Fall scene. One thousand pieces. 

Bigger than my abilities and patience as a beginner and soloist. Not to mention table space. So I wrote back very politely explaining I am a beginner, and would have to pass. They were nice about it. Freecycle is so civilized.

Then, because I now realized I needed to be more specific, I edited the post to say 300-500 pieces. I was guessing since I don't know what they come in. Anyway another lovely person offered me these

And that was my first stop of the day. 

Onward.  

I'm thinking of winter and the store is already stocking up with firelogs. A bit depressing in a way. 

My huge biweekly grocery shop, about ten items

This bag was a Freecycle item, brand new, a while back. It's insulated, very handy, has a Velcro strip on the bottom. This is very useful because it stays upright in the car, held by the Velcro. It's also very annoying when you put it down inside the front door to retrieve your key from the lock, pick up the bag and it brings the doormat with you into the kitchen.

Then to the library to pick up the latest viewing pleasure among other things.

This is where I catch up with people who saw this already on TV. And I hope for captions, because the people talk funny.

On the way back, a stop at the farm to return berry containers and buy plum tomatoes and the best peaches in years. 

Yes, my own bags, a lot of mileage on them, they'll be worn out eventually.

The Great Heat and Rain have given us the best fruit in I dunamany years.

Then a quiet interlude in the park, tea and Worsley on Austen

So home for lunch in a clean, well lighted house, not off the floor, though I could.

Great summer lunch, between Misfits and farm. The colors alone are lovely.

And fun opening my new puzzles after writing my thank you.

You really have to trust that you've been given a complete puzzle when it's not new. It looks as if I have. Methodical puzzlers at work.

These are in my range, 300 and 500, I think. The parrot is a German make, the San Francisco one American made, with a  Woolworths sticker. Anyway this is going to be good, me in my cozy Useful Robe, some future cold day.

Laundry, then reading outside. 

Perfect. Doesn't get better. Happy Blogger here, signing off.

 

Food for me and my mosquitoes

 Today's huge outing consisted of a trip to the farm around the corner

 for tomatoes and white potatoes, on the way to return a library book. I decided to get gas tomorrow, enough excitement for one day. Also I have to review how to pop the gas cap again.

Then home for a macaroni salad with provolone cheese sauce, and a fresh tomato, all dressed with a mixture of olive oil, cider vinegar, freshground black pepper, pinch of seasalt, pinch of sugar, shaken like I was playing castanets. It was good. More for tomorrow, too.

After all this mad excitement, a lovely summer afternoon on the patio, knitting my diagonal scarf, listening to Prunella Scales performing Lucia's Progress.

 Pot of tea, cornbread. Watching all kind of butterflies and wasps and moths all over the butterfly bush. Then the mosquitoes got me in range and proceeded to enjoy afternoon tea on my arms. 

So I retreated indoors.

We might be gaining ground on the USPS fight, with the concession today from the PGM. Which I will believe when I see it.

I've been writing and messaging and signing up a storm this week. All my legislators, the Gov, the State AG, the chairman of the USPS governing board, and the PGM hisself. Today our AG  announced a lawsuit against the  USPS.

And  yesterday I had a word with my letter carrier to assure her I had her back, as in doing all I could.

She's as important as anyone else in this. She's a treasure. In fact the reason I was able to catch her to talk was that she brought my mail to the house instead of leaving it  in the mailbox cluster at the corner.   Because I think she noticed the package of medications, the sound of pills unmistakable. Hot weather, wanted to save me a few steps.

This is the lady who not only knows everyone on her route, she knows their pets by name. And who told me that if I didn't pick up my mail one day she was coming in to check.  She's worth fighting for. As is the constitutionally guaranteed USPS.

Climbs down off soapbox, resumes knitting.