the septic is fixed

Today, Thursday, May 9th was a wonderful day. It started with a full night’s sleep, then a fine hike up to the orchard. I did my three pushes up the hill, ate a couple of stalks of fresh asparagus, and then walked back home in brilliant sunshine. After weights and yoga and washing the dishes, I headed off to play golf with a stop at the landfill to finally get rid of the old blue camping propane bottles. Golf was very good and I shot a 47 although I could have scored a few strokes better. After golf I headed off to my office, and entered almost all of my grades. It was now time to head to the Blue Ridge Parkway (mile marker 99) for about ten miles of biking. The scenery was stunning and the warm sun rich like new coined gold. After my biking I drove to Carrabba’s for a very good meal (only two little pieces of bread) of salad and pasta Weesie. Following that I headed to the Salem Starbucks. Yesterday David King came out and easily fixed and serviced the septic. The heater mat was staying on so he disconnected it and checked everything else out. I only had to spend 300 but I gave him a nice tip. My upper culvert project was basically a waste of time, although I will keep a small ditch clear to run the spring and rain water to a spot below the bad part of the road. The culvert itself is under 2 feet of thick mud. I took the heavy gear oil out and I will give two of the containers to Mike tomorrow. I am getting more and more cleaned up and I like the feeling. My aunt Marie is doing better and I think I will head off for Chincoteague on Tuesday at the latest (since I may have dinner with Gyorgyi on Monday).

the mysterious 5 amps

It is Sunday, May 5, and though it is drizzling outside, I am comfortable in the Barnes and Noble. I knew it was going to rain so I got my hike in early (and finished almost all of the orchard road trimming), then weights and yoga, then off to play golf at Castle Rock, where I ended up playing 17 holes with a 49 somewhere in there. I followed the golf with a bike ride along Craig Creek for 40 minutes, then I drove to Appleby’s to watch the Knicks but I got too tired and went out to take a nap. I awoke ready for Iron Man III and just got in to the 5:20 showing. It was very impressive and I enjoyed it very much. I called David King about the septic (the 5 extra amps are going to the septic system, which I ascertained this morning) but I hadn’t heard from him so I shut off the septic when I left. I hope that it won’t cause a lot of problems but otherwise I will have no juice and I don’t want to damage the unit with the mysterious 5 extra amps. It may be time for David to put in the alternative system, and I will try to talk to him tomorrow. I did send Herb a congratulatory e-mail but I haven’t heard back from him and I really don’t care what happens. Both he and Susan have acted poorly in my view and that is sad but not something I am going to continue to be a part of. My aunt Marie is okay so I won’t be going up there right now but I have no idea about what is going to happen. I failed again to see a scarlet tanager but indigo buntings were singing along with the worm-eating warbler, wood thrushes, meadowlarks and gold finches. I felt much better today even though the septic system is causing me some concern.

a difficult day works out in the end

It is Saturday, May 4, and what seemed to start out as a difficult day ended quite well. I slept reasonable well and when I got up I decided to take a needed hike because I went overboard on my diet the last two days. I was down to 208 and I’ll bet I am close to 212. Anyway, my overeating bothered me and then Mark Burnette coming at 11 got me a little upset (I got myself worked up that Mark should be more appreciative of my generosity and that he should hustle today), and then I couldn’t see a scarlet tanager (my fourth day trying, though I hear many all the time), and I felt a little lonely. So I was all over the place but the hike did calm me a little. The wild geranium was at peak, and star chickweed is also peaking. The lovely fire pinks are at their best but the major spring thrust is over. When I returned to the house I packed up 4 bags of garbage from the cabin (7 bags this week) and decided to get gas and get rid of the garbage. That went well and I got back by 10:20 so I went back up to the cabin to get rid of the last box of books. When Mark came I was much calmer and I had him go to work on the road to the orchard while I took a nap then practiced then did my weights and yoga. After picking Mark up (with about 2/3 of the road cleared), I had him finish off the ditch I dug with the tractor (it has dried out quite a bit) which I think will keep the road dry. Then I went up with the tractor and got rid of the pieces David had cut and Mark’s strength was a great asset. I also scraped the road up to the panel and they should be fine till at least midsummer. After that I had Mark clear a path up to the cherry tree in the cabin orchard, and clear the path along the orchard, while I took a shower. I drove into Blacksburg and rode 4 times on my CRC path to try to burn a few more calories and then I drove to Radford to e-mail Pat about her Mom and then watch the Kentucky Derby (where I won over 300 dollars on Orb). I had a nice chat with Kate and it is time for a walk.

winding down

It is Wednesday, April 24, and I just finished 18 holes of golf with Craig Waggaman on the River Course. I played pretty well, missed four short putts, but hung close, took the lead for the first time on 17 and then won 18. I treated him to lunch and it was a fun morning. After a quick nap, I rode my bike for 7 miles along the river and then headed to my office. Mark and David came over on Sunday and David finished up thinning the trees near the smooth coneflower and Mark treated the two bridges, the porch, the shed and I treated the wood by the gate. The greenhouse is producing and the new lettuce is fine and the peas are all doing well. The strawberries have a lot of flowers. The orchard trees are loaded with flowers, and I will put a grease band around the sweet cherry to protect it from ants. My schedule in the fall had to be changed so I will be teaching 5 days next semester, with a 12 pm MWF 200. The advantage is that I will have Monday and Wednesday early afternoons free so golf will be easier.

second bombing suspect captured

Friday, April 19 and I only have two weeks left of class and one week of finals. My teaching went well this week and I don’t have too many poems to read this weekend. The big news is that they captured the second bombing suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings. That is a great relief. Things in the hollow are fine. I took out the solar charger pole and cut the ground so all is covered now and seeded. I also scraped a path to the shed and seeded that. With rain the last couple of days, the grass should do okay. The heavy rain today beat up my road again so I will be out on the tractor in a few days fixing it. I found out the propane people came and now I have 92% in the 100 gallon tank and 90% in the 500. My road is much safer. Gyorgyi’s visit with Andrew, Sylvia and Laura on Wednesday went very well with the bluebells at peak. Gyorgyi wasn’t feeling so well so we went back after a quick viewing. I got to play a quick round of golf and shot a 43 with my driver working extremely well. I hit one on the first hole that went close to 200 yards, very unusual for me. The Coleman and Nan Lacy reading went well, with about 25 people in attendance.

the house is almost completely clean

There was an incredible rain last night and my road is a mess again. Oh well, it is good to have rain. I took a hike this morning to the orchard and the trees all have leaves starting or out. The solar charger is dead so I shut it off and cut the wires so I will be able to drive my truck right up to the shed. I will get rid of the rest of the wires soon. There really is no need for the electric fence anymore since the trees are all at least seven feet tall. There is going to be plenty of fruit this summer. No asparagus yet but bloodroot, rue anemone, cut leaved toothwort, spring beauties in the hollow with ground ivy up by the orchard. Dutchman’s breeches and twinleaf along the pasture road. I got my check from the feds so now I shouldn’t have to touch the equity line until September, when I return from the Alaska trip. I should get 1450 back from the Savannah trip and then I will get 3800 from Maymester. I played golf and shot a 46 on a very sunny and slightly windy day. Later I watched Tiger shoot a 71 with a really unfortunate break on the 15th hole when his third shot hit the pin and bounced in the water. He is three behind Jason Day so he still has a good chance. On my way out I rode my bike in the second pasture and it was quite beautiful with the twilight coming in softly. I have almost finished cleaning the entire house with the new Dyson vacuum. It has amazing power and all I have to finish is the bathroom. I got rid of all the books that I can’t keep because of the dust and mold, so I can now open up the guestroom again.

savannah and the return

I am down in Savannah, having given my paper on Cooper (with an audience of 4). I also rode my bike out to Forsythe Square even though it rained a little and is still overcast. Tomorrow I will be playing golf at the Sanctuary Golf Club with Marv and Joyce, and then have dinner with them up in Beauford. Yesterday I visited my aunt Theresa and Joyce and Marv in Goose Creek and had a nice lunch. Driving down to Savannah was tough in the rain but when I got close I saw a sign for the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge and the rain stopped so I rode my bike along the canal there and saw several alligators along with herons, egrets, anhingas, and red winged blackbirds. My book selling didn’t go well. Most of the books were too damaged so I only got 40 dollars for the twenty they could use, and I donated the rest. I am going to donate all the other ones when I return home and then vacuum the house real well. My asthma is subsiding, due most likely to the medication and not being at home. David is coming out this coming Wednesday to work on thinning the trees near the coneflowers. I will stay with him until 1:45. Gyorgyi called me and I am going to see her and Andrew, Sylvia and Laura the following week. That should be fun. I found out that the propane truck almost tipped over trying to come to my house (that is what did the damage to the road). I was able to switch tanks so I will try to get a delivery when things really dry out. I could get another 100 gallon tank if I run low but with the weather finally warming, I think I will be able to get through till June. I think I am going to call Mark to help me get that culvert working again. That would be a big help, but I have to wait a while for things to dry out. This is an addition to the earlier stuff. It is April 10th and David came and worked on thinning the trees in the coneflower habitat. I worked on the road this morning, clearing a lot of dirt so the propane truck can easily get up. I will address the wet stuff and the culvert at a different time.