Recent Posts

I am afraid to ask if your DH has made any progress in removing the crap from the guest room and if so is he just shifting it to yet another location? Good luck with that.

My former neighbor was a driveway lawn chair sitter, and he had a nice deck in the back. And yeah, he was the best source of neighborhood gossip. People in the Midwest also like to hold parties in the garage. Why? I know you have rooms in your house. Why can't you entertain me inside?

I understand it if you are supervising little kids. Driveways are fun for drawing with chalk, and riding trikes.

We have a genuine front porch. Its not huge, but I love it so much. We have a deck in the back, and it is bigger. That's where the outdoor dining table is, so that's where we entertain if we're dining al fresco :) But for paper reading, the front porch has the cushiest chairs.

Derry Girls! Absolutely love that show!! When we were in Derry 2 years ago, (or Londonderry if you're Protestant) we went to a Derry history museum. At the end of the tour they had an exhibit about Derry Girls, and furniture from the set, along with some of the costumes. I loved it.

We are home. Whew! Yesterday we moved some boxes of DD's things to her new apartment. It's smallish, but there will only be the 2 of them, and her roommate travels for work a lot. It's on a nicely wooded lot, and in the winter, when the leaves drop, it will be very bright and sunny. It is so, so much nicer than her current apartment. I am pleased, and it makes me happy to think of her living in this nicer place, with central air, in unit washer and dryer, a dishwasher, and safer neighborhood.

We sorted the mail, checked on my flowers (they look great) and are going to take a nap. More later. :)

Greetings all

It is foggy this morning and rain is predicted. We shall see. The yard was mowed and my sinuses are reacting to the new mown grass smell.

Well Liz, maybe you can have some little adventures on your own while the SILs rest. Years ago in Paris I went to the Pere Lechese cemetery on my own to view the grave of Jim Morrison (surrounded by kids who were not even born when he lived). I wandered around on my own and found lots of cool stuff. Bet you can too. And Tapas!!! Such a great way to eat. Hope the feel hold up.

Yeah California is definitely a back yard state. The south and mid west are more front porch. My friend *****cently moved to Alabama says he sits on the front porch all the time with coffee and talks to people who pass by. I remember southern houses that had huge wrap around front porches. None of those around here. Much more into the back yard deck scene.

Well Peps hope your jerk neighbor shuts uo. At 9;15 it is not even dark. Maybe he will go deaf. And hey if you like word games, go to isc.ro for live on line scrabble. Play with people all over the world. Its fun. I am rakuku on the site. Hmm plastics. Go slow. No rush.

Lots to do today. Gym, studio, grocery, bank, gallery. And I really have to get in gear for our guest. So much crap to remove.

Well I might even get out of the house before noon.

Diane S

Good morning to everyone in the US for whom it is still the middle of the night LOL.

Yesterday was a good day but I have to admit that I am feeling a little bored. Much less activity than I am used to. I went with more or less well SIL and met DSD at a big open air market set up on many sprawling streets on Sundays in the morning. In the afternoon, both SILs, DSD, and I went to the Prado Museum for 2 hours which was just about the right amount of time for all of us. I pushed SIL in the wheelchair. We had a quick tapas meal near the museum and were back home by 6:30. More or less well SIL was in bed at 7:30, though the other SIL and I were up until 10 watching Derry Girls.

I say more or less well SIL because she had a really hard time walking up the hills and with the heat. She also kept falling asleep for brief periods sitting up from about mid-day on. Might be her weight, but possibly she was coming down with a cold because she was somewhat congested. Doesn't bode well for today if she is.

Less well SIL is better but one major activity a day seems to be all she can handle. Today we are going to a Flamenco in late afternoon, then all 6 of us (SILS, DSD, nephew, niece, and I) have dinner reservations at Botin, the oldest restaurant in the world.

I may take a long walk on my own this morning as I don't think SILs are going to want to do anything until this afternoon. DSD has been keeping herself amused in the mornings going to yoga and Pilates classes.

After seeing Peps question about front vs back porches, I realize that seeing (and hearing and smelling) the outside is critical for me. This apartment has NO VIEWS of the outside. All windows are frosted/curtained. There is only one window that can open which I do open in the morning so I can hear the outside but you still can't see it. I'm feeling very shut in.

My weird skin disease has abated mostly after using the prescription steroid cream prescribed by my NP. No new breakouts and everything is in the healing stage so I am wearing fewer and fewer bandaids. Hopefully I will be able to wear the more supportive shoes I brought soon. I couldn't wear them previously because the blisters were too painful with them on so I have had to wear less supportive sandals. Luckily we haven't done a lot. After DH arrives I expect we will be walking more and I will need that better footwear.

Have a marvelous Monday!