The End of August

The Cana are still putting on a show

 It's the last day of the month, pay day and bill paying day.

As teachers we always got paid on the last working day of the month. It's the same with our pensions. So with the Social Security payments in the account, plus the pension payments, it's time to write out the checks. 

Actually there are very few checks anymore. Most everything is paid by auto-pay from credit cards or our bank account, and the rest I do electronically by Bill Pay. I just have to push the right buttons and keep track of it all.

And believe me, I know how blessed we are to have Social Security and pensions. 

It's still green and lush in the shade

We had a few days of cooler weather, and a bit of rain over night, but now it will be warming up again, into the 80's and possibly even 90 by next week. That's not typical back-to-school weather here. With Labor Day late this year, school is starting before Labor Day, but most kids and teachers are still figuring out how on-line learning will work. Tom and I are very glad we don't have to figure that complicated problem out. 

The garden is looking tired, but the sunflowers are bright and shiny. 

Orange seems to be the color of the season now. The marigolds are glowing. 

As the sunflowers go to seed, the chickadees move in to feast, and flutter. 

We had a good crop of Basil in the garden this year, so this week we harvested most of it and made pesto, which we froze in individual servings. We use it on pasta. We saved this much to eat fresh. There was chiffonaded basil on our pizza last night. We have fresh mozzarella and tomatoes to make caprese salad with basil and a drizzle of olive oil 

We are walking each day. I am still doing just a little over 1.5 miles, and it's not easy, but that is my assignment from my surgeon, so I am determined. Right now I think my back isn't so much the issue as my hips. Physical Therapy exercises have introduced me to some muscles that have not been carrying their weight, so there are a few sore spots. I am trying to be gentle and not hurt myself further. 

And now it is almost September. It always makes me a bit melancholy, even though I have not gone "back to school" for 15 years. I am a summer person.

But the Sounders are playing! We watched them defeat another rival last night, on TV, of course. Since I couldn't handle going to the stadium right now anyway, I guess it's OK that the stadiums are empty of fans. It's all weird though. 

Pandemics, politics, protests, athletes as activists, it's all so not normal. But there is no doubt that this awakening is needed. We need a new normal, where everyone is treated with respect, and people don't have to fear for their lives because of the color of their skin. 

Yes, the sky really is that blue, and no, Seattle is not burning down. It's pretty darn peaceful around here. But I am white. Peace comes easier for me.