Wednesday, August 15 - Massachusetts

Tribute

It is with sadness that I post today. A very beloved Aunt passed away last week. Our family has always been close, as you know. Aunt Louise was my Dad's sister - the eldest of my grandparents' 5 children. She was so full of life, and devoted to family and her faith. It seemed to me she always enjoyed, relished, and looked forward to any and all family gatherings.

I have so many fond memories of Aunt Louise that began in childhood... The family get-togethers - annual reunions, summer vacations, Thanksgivings, etc. spent together. Funny, but true, story: my Dad and Uncle Dinny (my Aunt's husband) loved camping. I cannot even begin to count the number of years we spent camping. Setting up huge tents, lugging camp stoves, coolers and all the gear that camping entails packed into the cars and boats both our families brought. Oh, and 8 kids between the two families (4 each). Makes my hair stand on end!

Come to find out, Aunt Louise disliked camping every bit as much as my Mom did. I find that amusing :) That dislike of camping gene got passed to me as I despise camping. My idea of roughing it is Motel 6. I have to hand it to her (and my Mom) though - a trooper through it all.

Aunt Louise had the most wonderful laugh! It makes me smile just to think of it; I can hear her now, laughing over something small or large. She always took such delight in life.

Unfortunately I was unable to make the trip out to New York for her funeral last Saturday, much as I wanted to be there. I was ill with a stomach flu that kept me in bed most of the week.

Aunt Louise will be dearly missed. She was always kind and gentle, and loved family most. She was never too busy to listen or lend an ear. Her faith was unwavering.

She was quite an admirable lady. And the sky is a little brighter for her star shining so brightly up there now.

Wednesday, August 1 - Massachusetts

Wow... I knew I was overdue for a post, but wow - over a month!! Apologies followers and friends. July rather flew by. It really did.

Not many pix tonight as I have not ventured outside a lot, mostly due to the excrutiatingly hot and humid weather the past month. Inside with the air conditioning is much better (although not so much on the utility bill!).

Part of the slack in posting is because I am now working part-time from home. It was, and still is, a bit of a learning curve as the type of business I work for is not exactly in my wheelhouse. I am doing Admin work, which is right up my alley though. Over 40 years' experience with that! Mine, however, was with engineering (think Digital Equipment Corp., GCA, Intel, etc.). This is different and taking a bit of time to acclimate.

It is working pretty well now though, and I figure one is never too old to learn :) I have my color-coded file folder thing going on and all that down pat. So it's all good.

I also lost a little over a week last month as I was quite ill. As in totally out and down for the count. Unable to even drive myself to the doctor, my most awesome brother had to cart me around that day.

Fully recuperated now and back in the game.

No real trips planned this summer, as explained earlier. I wanted to work on my home this year, and it is coming together. Slowly, but it is! Interior painting is almost done :) That has taken much longer than I anticipated.

My bathroom is also undergoing a minor renovation along with the paint. I have 2 bathrooms here, which is odd to me considering I am only one person. Two bedrooms, which I need. The larger one in the back (my sleeping space) for me as is the bathroom (also larger of the two) adjoining it. There is a smaller bedroom in the front, with an attached full bath (also smaller). I set up the front bedroom as an office/studio space, mostly studio. Makes sense to me - even though I am one person I have always required two bedrooms (the studio space).

Having a second bathroom baffles me a bit. I really do not need it. Therefore it holds overflow products and a spare kitty box. It is a cozy bathroom should it ever become more useful however.

So the minor renovation - I was obsessed for months about the fact that my original commode was obviously designed for people with very short legs. Found the one I wanted, got it, and installed. So happy!! The over-the-commode maple color cabinet that was there will go in the front bathroom (so there is a use for that!), and I have a wall-mount white one which will suit my new decor better. Something like this.

Pictures when it is done!

Meantime, life goes on here. I am hoping to get in a weekend Sister visit before the Summer is gone (she did say we would...). Also planning my Brother's and my annual Columbus Day weekend trip to Martha's Vineyard. Ferries and hotels must be booked ASAP as they fill up quickly.

While I was not looking Boris #1 (the big spider) packed up and left. No note. Boris #2 (the one with fangs) has also disappeared (I think he moved outside). Boris #3 hangs out in the corners. The tiny one has grown up quickly; I call him Boris #1 now. Here is a (blurry) recent pic of him.

Stay tuned, my friends. I promise it will NOT be so long between posts the next time!

Wednesday, June 27 - Massachusetts

Good evening, friends! Short-ish post, and on the heels of yesterday's! It is late but I was on the phone.

WARNING: If you have arachnophobia or an aversion to spiders, do not read this post. I have, however, wanted to write this one for awhile. Thought about it, but other things happened.

This evening I shall share something a lot of people do not know about me.

I have an ongoing love of spiders. I have always welcomed their presence in my home. They are harmless and do a great deal of good for the environment. I have a lot of respect for them, and do not allow anyone to kill them in my house. A few addresses ago I had the fortune of hosting a bunch of white spiders for some reason. They were beautiful, almost translucent :)

Flying bugs I do not like inside at all, especially flies (they are really gross). Fortunately my cats manage to make fairly short work of most of them, but spiders take care of the rest :) (Do not ask what I do with the stray hornet or wasp. Let us just leave it that they are gone.)

I welcome spiders. Encourage them. I name them. I call all of them "Boris", as that seems a fitting name for spiders.

Boris #2 - He has fangs

Currently I have 3 Borises in residence, possibly 4, as I saw a teeny one scoot across my laptop this morning. Here are some close-ups.

Boris #3 - Dak brown but doen't look it

Boris can get a bit tricky when he gets large, as in the pic below. A bit hairy (no pun intended) when you open the shower curtain and find him lurking near the faucets. From what I have read, a household Boris lives 1-3 years, depending on available food and water. So between random bugs and the kittles' food & water, I guess it makes it easy living here for Boris for awhile.

Yeah he really was that big

Alas, usually when Boris gets that large he simply ups and leaves. Without even a note :(

Sigh. I know for sure it is not the cats (they will not eat spiders - must be too oogy). I guess Boris just leaves home for his spidey college degree & in search of bigger and greener pastures :)