We Used Up July

 It's Saturday again, and the beginning of a new month. August is deep summer, a last chance to play or travel or be lazy before Labor Day unofficially ends summer. But not for retired teachers. 

I had to look at my calendar to see where this week went. 

On Monday, besides the usual Monday chores, I had to appear in person to renew my drivers license, since I am "old". I had an appointment. I was told to come prepared with what was necessary but they never told me what that was. I had my expired license, my birth certificate, my expired passport, and my mail in ballot. The agent didn't need any of that. Just read the second line on the eye chart and pay $107. Good to go. 

                 Geranium collection by the front gate

     Hardy fuchsias , hanging fuchsias, Impatiens, and  shrubs along            the front walk. 

Tuesday we worked in the garden, I had a snipping and clipping job to do, on my knees. Since I am blessed with the overly zealous need to not stop until the job is done, I sort of overdid it. The job got done though.

On Wednesday Jill came over to sort through stored stuff in the attic. She and Tom picked up boxes and bins she wanted to take home to sort and mostly to dispose of. Some of it was interesting and some of it was just dusty and smelly, having come originally from her great grandparents home in Tacoma. Locals will know about the Aroma of Tacoma in the old days of the pulp mills. A "highlight" was the mummified piece of wedding cake from from Tom's grandparents. Jill said since it had been saved this long we had to keep it. 

On Thursday we went to the Farmers Market for some produce, then some errands and shopping. I am in need to new shoes and I wear a size 10.5 to 11 wide. Those are hard to find and I need supportive shoes. We went to UPS to return one pair from Amazon that didn't work. I looked on line and we tried Nordstrom Rack. Nope.  On line I found a store in Renton called Only Wide Shoes. We ended up there. I was actually fitted for shoes! I bought a pair of expensive walking shoes and a pair I hoped would work to wear just in the house. The walking shoes, Brooks, I'm keeping. The other pair I'm taking back, along with the second pair that arrived from Amazon today.  I'll keep trying. I don't need expensive shoes that just sort of work.

Friday was breakfast day, grocery shopping, and then we drive to Tom's sister Jan's house for a family gathering.  

From right to left, Tom's sister Jan, his brother Dave, Dave's wife Vicki, Vicki's brother Mac and his wife Ann, and Tom. I'm behind the camera. 

Dave and Vicki live in Los Altos,CA, so their visits are an occasion. 

Tom's cousin Dean and his wife Sharon were there too but had to leave before the picture taking. There was good food, catching up,  and lots of reminiscing, added to by some of Tom's "stuff from the attic". It was a fun gathering, and good to have as we are all aging, a fact also "mentioned" in our conversation.

Now this Saturday we are catching up at home. 

It's SeaFair weekend in Seattle. The hydroplanes are racing on Lake Washington. The Blue Angles are roaring over the lake. Jill and Irene will be at the lake on Sunday. Tom and I will be content to be home. 

Happy Summer!

Quilts in the Garden

 Last Saturday, as part of my birthday weekend, Tom and I attended the Mukilteo Garden and Quilt Tour. 

Each of six gardens displayed numerous quilts in a joint event between the Mukilteo Way Garden Club and the Mukilteo Lighthouse Quilters. It was a beautiful tour, one we discovered two years ago. They hold it every two years, because, after all, they have to have time to make new quilts. 

I had to work hard to navigate the gardens and take photos since all of the gardens were on hillsides with steep grades and  steps with and without hand rails. There were great views though. 

I took a lot of photos, mostly of the quilts, not the gardens. I tried to pair down my photos, but again this is a big photo dump. I hope you enjoy it. 

Detail of above quilt

 

Scenes From Whidbey Island

 I am now a year older. So is my sister Laurie. We ended our pageants today with lunch together in Olympia. She went to ride a jet boat on the Rogue River in Oregon, I went to Whidbey Island.

On Friday I had small birthday party. Irene made the cake, and Jill made the Charcuterie and dinner.

Of course there is always a walk to the beach after dinner.

On Saturday Tom and I went off island to the Mukilteo Garden and Quilt Tour. That will be another post.

Isaac and Seile were around but doing their own thing most of the time, Jill did a lot of walking and boating. Irene did a lot of studying. She is taking a summer school class and had a test on Monday.

Tom did some yard work. We both did a lot of sitting. I did short walks.

We all walked on the dike.

Monday, with just us left at the cabin, we took a load of yard waste to the dump and stopped at Bayview Garden.

We walked, we read, we ate too much, and we wound down. We watched the sunset.

By Tuesday evening we were back home, just in time to appreciate our air-conditioning as the heat wave arrived.

Now we look forward to some slow days at home. It's time for the lazy, crazy days of summer.