Friday, July 30, 2021

A Friday


 I had the pleasure of a visit from Owen and Maggie (or Magdelina, as Owen is calling her) today while Lily took Gibson to see the doctor. The child has been having random nosebleeds and although it's probably nothing, of course we have to make sure. 

I had a wonderful time with the oldest and the youngest of that family. Maggie washed some more things and while she was at it, I told her that if she'd wash the mermaid tea set that lives in the library we could have a nice tea. She agreed happily and I even made a pot of decaffeinated chai and set out apple slices and Ritz crackers and peach preserves, milk, sugar, and tiny linen napkins and tiny little spoons, and tiny little butter knives. 
It was lovely. 
We discussed everything from how tea made its way to England, to where rice was first eaten, to memories of Owen giving me my grandmother name, to Maggie taking her first steps and we laughed and we drank tea and Maggie put peach preserves in her tea along with sugar and milk, and Mer did not care at all. Even when sugary, jammy tea got a little spilled and things got a sticky.




Before that, though, Owen showed me how to do a google image search from my phone which is so much quicker and easier than doing it on my computer. We were going all over the house image-searching interesting old things I have around here. I thanked him profusely for educating me on this aspect of my phone that I unaware of. He was very graceful about it and didn't shame me for not knowing how it worked. That boy is growing up so fast. We were talking in the kitchen about stuff and I told him that I know it's hard to imagine now but that Boppy and I used to be very good-looking people and he said something like, "No it's not. I'm looking at a good-looking lady right now," which I take to mean that he's already full of it but I loved him for saying that. And Maggie/Magnolia/Magdelina is such a sweetheart, telling me spontaneously that she loves me and thanking me for having them over. 

It's been so damn hot that we stayed in the house but that was okay. No one brought up TV once and we really did have a merry time. 
And then Lily and Gibson got back and of course they had had no idea at the doctor's office why Gibson might be having nosebleeds but they drew some blood and said that if nothing turns up, he should probably go see an ENT. Again- I think it's just a thing. Who among us did not present with odd and mysterious symptoms when we were young and then outgrew them? I know I did. 

After they left I got the laundry off the line. Even though it's so hot, it's also so humid that I had to toss a few things in the dryer to finish them. I made up the bed with the line-dried sheets and put everything away and then Lon and Lis dropped by. Lis and I had coffee and then Mr. Moon got home from running a list of errands and I've been cooking a venison roast in the new pot for hours and hours at a very low heat and I'll do something with that in a few minutes. 

Lis and I made a plan to meet in Monticello tomorrow where we're going to shop at Wag the Dog and a few fine antique and vintage shops and then have lunch. 
What an unbelievable thing it is for us to be able to get together like this. It's like a dream. We went for over a year without seeing each other at all and at least for this moment in time, we feel safe enough around each other to get together, to eat, to chat, to shop. Things may change any day now although Florida's governor refuses to admit the need for lock-downs, masks, or any of the things we know help limit the spread of covid, even as the Delta variant is affecting and infecting so many, filling up our hospitals again. In the county that all of our kids live in, the school board is refusing to institute the mask policy for kids in school, even though the American Pediatric Society and the CDC recommend it, citing "medical freedom."
Medical freedom my ass. 
Publix is re-instituting the mask policy for all employees, according to Lily but she is not sure if that will extend to customers. If it does, the roars of protest will be heard. You can trust me on that. 

As someone said on FB the other day- I am so tired of stupid. 
Me too. 

But. Again - for this moment, we feel safe together and we're going to enjoy every bit of that we can. 

And now it's time to go turn that venison roast into supper. Believe it or not, the green beans are done on the vine. I can't believe it. I imagine I'll be able to find something else to fulfill our vegetative needs. We still have a few tomatoes, one fine cucumber, some peppers, and there's a salad in there somewhere. 

We do the best with what we have, do we not? 

Happy Friday, y'all. 

Love...Ms. Moon

31 comments:

  1. A great visit with grands. Not babies any more. I can't imagine what this coming year will bring. You're right; stupid is old.

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    1. No. Not babies anymore. And as with my children- it is so bittersweet to see them growing up.

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  2. sounds like a perfect way to spend the day, albeit indoors. Tea party.....much discussion and no TV needed. Was there leftover birthday cake you brought home? Lis outdid herself on that beauty and I'm sure it was as delicious as it was beautiful! Birthday part 3? or 4? coming up tomorrow!!!!!!! Woohoo!
    Susan M

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    1. We are savoring each crumb of that cake that we brought home! I was a bad grandma and didn't even tell the children it was in the house. Crackers with jam made them just as happy, I'm sure.

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  3. Magdalena looks just like a cherub! What a beauty! My son and hubby built a deck on our place today. HOT! I, too, am scared to death about the uptick in COVID cases. Stupidity is going to cost more lives, all because Jesus Cheeto said it’s a hoax. I’m currently in Facebook jail because I told a former schoolmate to go to hell and rot there because he said the January 6th insurgence was all a ‘misunderstanding’ and that the four officers who testified the other day were paid actors. I can’t believe such stupidity is so rampant!

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    1. You shouldn't be the one in FB jail ... it should be that ignorant former schoolmate for being so damned blind and stupid!!

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    2. Okay. That has to be the most insane theory I've heard yet- the capitol officers were paid actors? Really? What about all the video of them fighting off the crowds? Hoards. Sickening.
      Jesus Cheeto is one of the best names for that imposter I've heard yet.

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  4. Sounds like a fine way to spend your day. And tomorrow sounds like fun. I love wandering through thrift shops and antique stores.

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  5. Just shaking my damn head at all the dumbness. We've got our fair share here in California, too.

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    1. Thanks for reassuring me on that. Sometimes I feel as if all the real dumbasses are in Florida but I know that's not entirely true.

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    2. There are a few (billion) in Idaho too.

      Chris from Boise

      And belated happy birthday! Your week with Lis sounds like a real gift in all ways.

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  6. what a lovely tea! here i am in one of the few districts that will require all to mask up- other than that we'll be in full tilt school with 3ft social distancing a recommendation now.... so back to 25+ kids in a class. at least we'll be masked...

    xxalainaxx

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    1. It's like we're TRYING to kill our kids. But yes, at least you're all masked in the classroom. And that is better than nothing.

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  7. A great teaparty! Those kids are blessed. And they're nice people. I love Maggie's current interest in washing things!

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    1. It was the most fun tea party I think I've ever been to. Some of my other grandchildren have gone through washing stages too. Gibson, I think, for sure, and Owen loved to clean. This was when he was too young to really clean much but he worked at it.

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  8. when my son was little, as in before school age, he would get spontaneous nosebleeds. When he was in kindergarten I finally took him to the pediatrician who didn't know what caused it, kinda shrugged it off, offered to cauterize the inside of his nose to which I said no thanks and that was the last time I took my kid to see that man. I did take him to see the kinesiologist/chiropractor/holistic health guy I was seeing and after one adjustment the nosebleeds stopped.

    our governor is just as bad imposing no restrictions on private businesses, no enforcement allowed and he might even start fining businesses who require masks or vaccines. stupid. what is wrong with these people.

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    1. I'll suggest the chiropractor to Lily if all else fails, Ellen. Thanks.
      Our governors are both complete and utter assholes. Let's see how popular they are after the hospitals start turning people away because they can't handle any more covid patients.

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  9. Literally, a grand tea party!

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  10. That looks like a fun day! I have lots of washing that sweet Miss Maggie could do for me! :)
    Enjoy your shopping with Lis - I know it will be so fun!

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  11. I just don't know how Covid and mask-wearing got so politicized. It's symptomatic of these poisonous times we live in.

    I agree with you about Gibson -- I'm sure those nosebleeds are nothing, but of course it's wise to get them checked. I feel like kids' noses were bleeding all the time when I was in elementary school. (And no, I wasn't punching them!)

    It's basically a requirement that tea be a sticky affair. I get sticky even when I have tea in a fancy restaurant. You just can't avoid it.

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    1. I was thinking about the divisions in this country today, Steve. How it's probably as bad as it was during the Civil War but it's not a north/south thing. It's an us-them thing, isn't it? It's so insidious and destructive.
      Seems to me that kids used to get a lot more nosebleeds too. I wonder if that's true. Are you SURE you weren't punching kids in the noses?
      Ha!
      Thanks for the reassurance on the properness of sticky tea parties.

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  12. nose bleeds were daily, We just got on with it, no body bled to death- but then that was way back in the day-

    Is that cloth behind Owen Hardanger? Lovely!

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    1. I've never even heard the word "Hardanger" in my life! But after looking it up, I think it may be. I have no idea where I got that piece but I've always loved it.

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    2. hardanger is the most time consuming exacting needlework! Quite valuable , even a tiny piece will fetch a bundle, and i can see why!

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  13. Oh doesn't Owen just say the sweetest things!

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  14. The clearly love being with you. What Owen said to you just warmed my heart. He’s a good one.

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  15. Also, I hope Gibson is okay. Sending all the good energy juju to him that I can. Hugs.

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  16. It's so Sweet that Maggie loves to pamper your things and give them her loving touch with a good cleaning for you. I think I NEED her here! *winks*

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Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.