Saturday, May 30, 2015

great saturday

What an excellent day. After a kayaking trip from Dudley’s Landing to the Arsenal Bridge, I played 12 holes of golf and then rode my bike for almost an hour on the Huckleberry trail. I had an unpleasant surprise this morning when I got stung by a yellow jacket and found a nest about the size of an orange under my third step. I climbed up the front porch and got the hornet spray out and wiped out the nest. All the yellow jackets were in it since it was early. The soaker hose works great. When I got back from my trip to Kelly’s the greenhouse looked pretty bad but after two days of soaker hose it had recovered a great deal. I ate a big dish of broccoli and then sugar snap peas and lettuce. I may try to replant some lettuce but it may be too hot to get it to sprout. My finances are okay but I think I will have to work a 6th semester in order to retire the way I want.

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

a quick trip to catonsville

I am up in Catonsville, having driven up yesterday in 5 hours so I could help Kelly and Alfredo fill up the pod they are filled to help clean out their house to get it ready to sell. I ended up doing some painting (which I am not too good at and pretty slow) and having a nice dinner and playing a little with Lucia. When I got back to the room, I decided to bike ride for a half hour since the Cavs were killing the Hawks. That was very needed. I got up pretty early, rode my bike for a half hour, then headed to Kelly’s. I noticed that my low tire pressure light was on and when I got there, Alfredo saw that I had a nail in the side wall. So instead of finishing a load to the dump I am drinking tea in the Bob Evans next to Mr. Tire where I am getting my tire replaced (at the cost of 235) because it can’t be fixed. It is covered but to work with Alfredo today and to drive home without a spare seemed too risky. This is turning out to be an expensive trip, with a hotel room and paying for the pod expenses. Oh well, it is helping Kelly out and I know Alfredo appreciates it. The past few days have gone well, with my hamstring healing and the house in good shape. The grass is cut, and the other little tasks can wait until my hamstring is fully healed. I played a full round of golf and shot a 47. My dinner with Cathy was a lot of fun and we chatted for almost 4 hours.

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Almost ready to head to NYC

I think I will be able to do the NYC trip. With Monday completely off (no yoga and weights, no biking, no walks, no golf) and with hours of a heating pad, my thigh feels much better today. I even did some yoga and weights but was careful not to push any of the exercises too far. I have had another big salad from my greenhouse and I will eat the broccoli tomorrow. I was able to purchase the small casio keyboard so I will bring that with me on the NY trip and on the long summer trip. I have been working on a couple of poems so that feels good and I am doing some good practicing on the piano. The last two mornings I sat outside on the porch, drinking green tea and trying to meditate. My mind is so much a wanderer just like my body. I also got rid of some more books and some old files, which I will shred today I hope. I will watch the Cavs/Bulls tonight and that should be an interesting game. Today (Wednesday) turned is turning out very well. I got up early and cut the grass and used the trimmer so it should be in good shape when I return. I played piano, rode the stationary bike very gently for 20 minutes, did some light yoga and weights, then headed out. I went and played 11 holes of par three golf and my hamstring feels pretty good. I will probably go for a walk this evening. I think I am ready to head to NY.

Sunday, May 10, 2015

catch up and new york trip delayed

I have just finished putting in my grades and I am done for the semester. Now I don’t teach until August 31, 115 days away. I will be heading off for Belle Isle in Richmond for a bike ride along the James and then golf at Royal New Kent. The next day is Chincoteague for a few days and then up to NYC for 5 days. Yesterday I got a ton of things done in the hollow, fixing the spot where I almost got stuck in the orchard (I took the tractor out and got two half buckets of soil). I put in the soaker hose in the greenhouse and that should keep things in reasonable shape while I am gone. I cleaned up the house and went up in the attic and got out the piano case and my good pack, which I may bring on the big trip since I could walk in a bit with my fishing gear. I charged up the chainsaw battery after cutting up the rest of the fallen tree by the tractor barn and using the trimmer around the house. I talked to Cathy today and she is very busy but hopefully I will be able to have dinner with her when I return on the 20th. Carla is calling again and that can go nowhere good. On Friday I started my trip to NY and on Sunday I am heading back to Ironto with a pretty bad thigh injury which is not allowing me to walk. I drove to Richmond, had a nice ride on Belle Isle, drove to Royal New Kent, playing nine holes of very uneven golf, then went bike riding at William and Mary and colonial Williamsburg. After that it was off to Chili’s for a frajita dinner and to watch the Cavs lose to the Bulls on an incredible game ending shot by Derrick Rose. LeBron wasn’t great and Kyrie Irving was pretty bad. I headed to the Williamburg KOA for a night of camping. In the morning, I showered and then drove off toward Chincoteague and I got there in time to check in at Tom’s Cove, for a long bike ride, with a walk along the beach, for a break at AJs then another walk along the beach before heading to Don’s to eat crab cakes and watch Golden State lose again. My thigh was hurting during the second beach walk but when I got to Tom’s cove it was killing me. I took 4 advils and when I got up I realized I was going to be out of commission for a couple of days, at least, so I decided to head home to rest my thigh all day. I changed my Hampton stay till following the visit to Gabes so I hope I will be okay to leave by Thursday. Otherwise I will have to rearrange or cancel the visit to NYC.

Saturday, May 2, 2015

end of the semester and not an hour too soon

Classes are finally over. It has been an okay semester with my American Renaissance course going well along with the evening 200. The other 200 gave me a few discipline problems and the 310 had a number of surly students. I guess that is what they pay me for. I headed off this morning for the Cascades and I made it to the first view of the falls, far enough to enjoy the falls and not hurt my knees any further. It was spectacular, as the entire hike was and it was great to get back there. I texted with Maddie and Claire and told them that I would like to take them to the Cascades soon. After my hike I had a nice lunch at the Mexican place in Pembroke, pretty unmemorable food but hot and cheesy. I am rethinking my Hethwood plan a bit, since staying between Cburg and Bburg might make more sense, just as long as I am close to the Huckleberry trail. I will be using both areas quite a bit so being near BBurg might be just as good as being in Hethwood, and the savings could be substantial, possibly enough to pay for the two winter months down south. I will be leaving for Chincoteague next Friday and that should be a lot of fun along with the New York trip. I think I earned my trip this year. The hollow is in very good shape with the road in excellent shape, and the area around the culvert fixed (I put two large rocks by the culvert and they fit perfectly. The bluebells are almost gone but there are chickweed, wild geraniums, ground ivy, garlic mustard, and violets still to be found. I heard the bt green and I think the worm eating, and I had a great look at a scarlet tanager already. It’s been a good spring.